WASHINGTON — The Clinton Global Initiative returns to Denver on June 8 but the three-day, insider power-fest won’t showcase the Clinton everyone expects to see: Hillary Clinton, who recently her presidential bid.
A spokesman with the Clinton Foundation told The Denver Post that the former Secretary of State plans to skip the conference this year, though former president Bill Clinton and their daughter Chelsea Clinton still intend to participate in the family’s namesake powwow.
“While Secretary Clinton is not planning to attend, CGI America will bring together leaders … to address issues such as economic empowerment, education and skills development, and energy and the built environment,” wrote spokesman Craig Minassian in a response to questions about the Clintons’ expected attendance.
The decision by Hillary Clinton to skip Denver stands in contrast with her role in last year’s meeting of CGI America, an off-shoot of the Clinton Global Initiative and the Clinton Foundation.
At the June 2014 conference, also in Denver, the former Secretary of State was on the schedule for at least two sessions: a discussion of “economic justice,” and a lunch meeting on education and employment moderated by Chelsea Clinton.
During that visit, Hillary Clinton also appeared at the Tattered Cover on East Colfax where she signed copies of her memoir “Hard Choices.”
That she is not attending the conference this year is not a complete surprise. When Clinton announced her candidacy for presidency, from the Clinton Foundation board.
Skipping the Denver meeting is another way for Clinton to avoid potential conflicts of interest, as well as separate her campaign from the foundation — which faces new scrutiny.
A forthcoming book, “Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich,” is expected about donations to the family’s foundation.
Several news organizations, including The New York Times and Fox News, with its author, Peter Schweizer, about disclosures in the book, due out May 5.
One potential campaign issue concerns donations from foreign governments made to the Clinton Foundation during Clinton’s tenure as Secretary of State; a wrinkle by the organization.
But officials with the foundation that safeguards were put in place to “ensure that no conflicts of interest would occur as a result of foreign governments contributing to the Foundation.”
Nevertheless, one political pundit said he didn’t think it was a coincidence that Clinton would be a no-show in Denver.
“I believe every minute and every event is methodically planned out and a candidate’s presence or absence is for a reason.” said Nathan Gonzales, editor and publisher of the non-partisan .
He added that he thought that the Clinton Foundation — and its financial ties — would be a topic in the 2016 election, though “it’s too early to know where it will rank on the list of issues that are of the most importance to voters.”
Mark K. Matthews: 202-662-8907, mmatthews@denverpost.com or twitter.com/mkmatthews
