“Bob Dole. Desperate Attacks.”
Ruth Fremson / ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Clintons have faced scrutiny this year for their family foundation's acceptance of foreign donations, including allegations in a new book Clinton Cash, which alleges that foreign entities gave to the Clinton Foundation or paid Bill Clinton for speeches and in turn received "favors" from the State Department during Hillary Clinton's time as secretary of state.
Bill Clinton himself, however, once was the person attacking his opponents for taking money tied to foreign interests. In the midst late of the 1996 Clinton re-election campaign against Bob Dole, the issue of foreign interests improperly funneling money to help Bill Clinton's re-election efforts became an issue. Dole, seizing on reports of improper contributions attacked Democrats for taking money tied to foreign interests.
Clinton shot back with an ad of his own, accusing Dole of being a hypocrite in an attempt to muddy the waters.
Here's the ad:
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MALE NARRATOR: Bob Dole. Desperate Attacks. President Clinton restricted foreign lobbying, fought for years for campaign-finance reform.
TEXT: Lifetime ban on foreign lobbying by top officials
MALE NARRATOR: Dole and the Republicans took $2.4 million from foreign interests.
TEXT: 2.4 million from foreign interests
MALE NARRATOR: Foreign oil, foreign tobacco, foreign drug companies.
TEXT: $216,579 foreign oil; $400,000 foreign tobacco; $485,350 foreign drug companies
MALE NARRATOR: A top Dole aide fined $6 million for a Hong Kong fund-raising scheme.
TEXT: Ex-Aide to Dole Campaign Admits Illegal Contributions
NARRATOR: An independent watchdog cites Dole as the senator "most responsible for blocking any serious campaign finance reform."
TEXT: Dole is "most responsible for blocking any serious campaign finance reform..."
NARRATOR: Bob Dole; wrong to turn to desperate attacks.
TEXT: Bob Dole: Wrong in the past. Wrong for our future