Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton on Thursday morning avoided directly answering a question about recent allegations against the Clinton Foundation, for which she serves as vice chair. Instead, she spoke mainly about women’s rights at a panel in New York City .
During the panel with the Council on Foreign Relations, Clinton was asked about the perception that favors were done in exchange for funding.
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“We have always partnered with governments, NGOs, foundations who believe the work we do is important,” she said. “What the Clinton Foundation has said is that we will be even more transparent. Even though Transparency International and others have said we’re among the most transparent foundations, we’ll disclose donors at a quarterly basis and not just an annual basis.”
Earlier on Thursday, The New York Times published a report that claims the Clinton Foundation received millions of dollars from the executive of a Russian government-controlled mining company as that country pushed for control of a Canadian uranium company. Canadian records are cited to show Uranium One’s chairman gave more than $2 million in donations, which the Clinton Foundation reportedly did not disclose.
Hillary Clinton is also facing scrutiny that the largest individual contributor to the foundation allegedly traded with Iran in breach of U.S. sanctions.
“I have a fiduciary responsibility to the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people being affected by that work and our staff on the ground,” Chelsea Clinton said. “I very much believe that that’s the right policy, that we’ll be even more transparent. To eliminate any questions while we’re in this time, we won’t take new government funding, but that the work will continue as it is. I think that’s the right choice for the people who are being affected by that work.”
The former first daughter was also asked at the event whether or not she would ever consider running for public office. She said right now she is focused on being the best mother possible for her 6-month-old daughter, and serving and traveling for the Clinton Foundation.
“I very much believe that my life in the moment is through the Clinton Foundation. It’s where I can think about how to make a difference,” she said.
And to her mother, who announced her intent to run for president earlier this month, she said: “I’m so proud of her, as a daughter, unabashedly.”
Michele Richinick