January 22, 2008, - 11:08 am
Dubai, Dubai, Do: The Sweet Sound of Bill Clinton’s $20 Mill Emirates Payoff
By Debbie Schlussel
For years we’ve heard about the millions Dick Cheney was still getting as part of his payout from Halliburton. And I’ve written about the extensive Bush (and Clintonista) pay-offs from the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai–ie., Presidential loser bro Neil Bush’s hundreds of thousands in pay-offs from the seven-state Gulf confederation.
Well, now, we come to find out that Bill Clinton stands to make $20 million as profit from his partnership with anti-Semitic Dubai leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum. And we also learn that the former Prez has a scholarship program in Dubai, in which Jewish Israelis and Americans with Israeli stamps in their passports cannot participate (more on Dubai’s apartheid travel policy, here and here):
Former President Clinton stands to reap around $20 million — and will sever a politically sensitive partnership tie to Dubai — by ending his high-profile business relationship with the investment firm of billionaire friend Ron Burkle. . . .
Mr. Clinton is also one of three owners of the global fund’s general partner. The others are Mr. Burkle, who is the managing member, and an entity connected to the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. . . .
Mr. Clinton is also one of three owners of the global fund’s general partner. The others are Mr. Burkle, who is the managing member, and an entity connected to the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum. . . .
Under his arrangement with Yucaipa, Mr. Clinton has the right to opt out of a particular investment, according to people familiar with the matter. Mr. Clinton exercised that option in the Xinhua case — possibly out of concern that such an alliance could cause headaches for his wife’s presidential bid. Yucaipa invested about $25 million in the company.
In an October filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning the Xinhua investment, Yucaipa disclosed that one member of its global fund’s general partnership was Dubai Investment Group (YGP) Ltd., which is connected to a much larger group of entities owned by Sheik Mohammed that has investments around the world.
Since leaving the White House, Mr. Clinton has had various contacts with Dubai. For example, Sheik Mohammed last year pledged financial support to a Clinton charitable initiative, and the former president’s foundation has a scholarship program at the American University in Dubai in cooperation with the emirate’s ruler.
Someone ought to ask wanna-be Prez, Mrs. Clinton, why her husband is helping prop up Dubai–which officially and openly participates in the Arab boycott of Israel and which officially and openly practices apartheid by banning Jewish Israeli citizens and everyone, including Americans, who has an Israeli stamp in his/her passport–with scholarships at their universities.
The Islamic world’s apartheid must end. But it never will if we continue to elect and honor Presidents and former Presidents–Republican and Democrat–who enable these states.
Oh, and the Emirates’ “little” involvement in the 9/11 hijackings and refusal to cooperate with investigators. No biggie, either, I presume.
We looked the other way and gave them not even a slap on the hand.
Tags: American University in Dubai, anti-Semitic Dubai, apartheid travel policy, Bill Clinton, Cheney, Debbie Schlussel, Dubai Investment Group, Dubai Leader, general partner, Halliburton, Israel, larger group, managing member, Neil Bush, President, Rashid al-Maktoum, Ron Burkle, Securities and Exchange Commission, United Arab Emirates, USD, White House, Xinhua
[Someone ought to ask wanna-be Prez, Mrs. Clinton, why her husband is helping prop up Dubai]
Dubai is considered an American ally in the Islamic world, that’s why. All that stuff about apartheid is due to the bad blood between Israelis and Arabs over Israel. Once the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, these walls will hopefully come down. Remember both Bush and Dubai agree that Israel must cease all settlement activities in the Palestinian territories.
But Kudos to Bill Clinton for “pulling out”.
Norman Blitzer on January 22, 2008 at 1:06 pm