Subject: Re: JW FOIA | WJC Speeches
From: Cheryl Mills <[email-masked]>
To: Tina Flournoy <[email-masked]>
Cc: John Podesta <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 12:40:48 -0400

I am on the ground beginning at 10am est weds and happy to talk. 

cdm

> On Mar 17, 2015, at 11:45 AM, Tina Flournoy <[email-masked]> wrote:
> 
> Can we discuss this?
>  
> From: Heather Samuelson [mailto:[email-masked]] 
> Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 10:53 AM
> To: Maura Pally; Craig Minassian; Philippe Reines; Nick Merrill; Jennifer Palmier I
> Cc: Cheryl Mills; Tina Flournoy
> Subject: JW FOIA | WJC Speeches
>  
> All --  DOS is soon releasing another round of documents and email traffic (not hers) in response to Judicial Watch’s FOIA request on DOS's process for reviewing WJC’s speaking engagements.   
>  
> It’s 116 pages with approx. 50 sponsor/subsponsor requests.   No objections by DOS in this batch, but some lengthy internal discussions among DOS officials that I highlighted below.  
>  
> There is one request where speaking fee would have been paid by Turkish govt -- WJC's office declined this.   And one speaking engagement with fee from Canadian government, which he did do.  
>  
> Let me know if you have any questions.
>  
> [Jen -- happy to give you more background on prior releases since it's your first go around]
>  
> Thx
>  
>  
> 1) UNIQFEST/Turkey:  There are 20 pages of internal, heavily redacted email traffic among DOS officials on request for WJC to speak at UNIQFEST in 2009 -- a climate change conference sponsored by the Turkish government with Turkish officials as featured speakers.  According to the traffic, WJC would receive compensation from “government and non-government sources.”
>   -- WJC’s office decided to decline the invitation.  There is no final determination in the materials by the Department.
>  --  Some of email traffic has subject line  “Clinton Foundation” and refers to this as request from “Clinton Foundation.”  I only flag as may be twisted to say DOS did not even understand what they were reviewing for, blurred lines between personal and BHCCF etc…
>  
>  
> 2)   Canadian National Exhibition:  Email traffic indicates WJC’s compensation for this speaking engagement would come from the Canadian government via their program to promote tourism, “Industry  Canada.”  There is heavily redacted email traffic between DOS officials, including our Embassy in Canada, with several emails from WJC’s office asking for status update, at one point saying they only have “about more 30 minutes before we lose the offer.”  
>  --- Jim Thessin (Deputy Legal Advisor) responds: “I do not have a problem with this so long as President Clinton is not serving as a U.S. government at the time of his appearance and when he is paid an honorarium.   If not an employee, he may accept reimbursements of expenses and an honorarium for his speech/talk, but he may not receive any gifts from the Canadian government.”
> --- HRC’s financial disclosure form indicates that WJC received $175,000 from Canadian National Exhibition for this speech on 8/29/09.
> ​
>  
> 3)  CISCO:  Request is submitted for WJC to speak at CISCO two months before HRC awards CISCO the State Department’s Award for Corporate Excellence, holding a ceremony featuring the CISCO’s CEO.    According to HRC's financial disclosure form, WJC received $255,000 for this speech.
>  
>  
> 4)  Other notable requests:   
> Local foreign govt:  Terife Island Council (local government of largest island in Canary Islands)
> Private Equity Firms/Banks:   ICE Canyon LLC, VISTA Equity, Harris Private Bank, TD Bank Financial, Whitton Investment Groups (London)  
> Foreign Based Organizations:  Etisalat (UAE based telecomm co); Egyptian Junior Business Association; Friends of Cystic Fibrosis (Irish non-profit); Essex Regional Conservation Authority (Essex, Ontario); Wilbros Entertainment (Philippines, event to raise funds for Philippines charity); Miaor Entertainment Ltd (division of Grupo ABC based in Brazil); London Business Forum; Aditya Birla Management (Indian multinational conglomerate)
> Universities:  Southern Methodist, Tufts, American Jewish University
>  
> 5)  GWB:   Two requests are for events with Deloitte and Radio City Music Hall that are a joint appearance between WJC and George W. Bush.  WJC did the event with Deloitte, but not Radio City.
>  
>