With the presidential primary just days away, Wisconsin’s largest newspaper, the Journal Sentinel has published a scathing editorial against Hillary Clinton.
Titled “Clinton’s abysmal record on open government” the editorial correctly points out that transparency is what keeps our republic afloat. Without it, secret deals are made and citizens lose.
On Clinton, “Her horrible track record on transparency raises serious concerns for open government under a Clinton administration — so serious we believe they may disqualify her from public office.”
The main issues the paper has with Clinton’s lack of transparency are:
- Declining to release tax returns before presidential election in 1992.
- Holding hearings on health care in 1993 not open to the press.
- Missing billing records from her former law firm which magically appeared years later.
- A secret energy task force set up when she was a U.S. senator.
- Her private email server as Secretary of State may have violated national security laws.
- Whether her staff tried to help her sidestep the Freedom of Information Act.
- Lack of information from donations made to Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation.
- No transcripts from closed-door speeches to Wall Street firms.
The editorial concludes: “Clinton has a long track record of public service but an equally long record of obfuscation, secrecy and working in the shadows to boost her power and further her ambition. We encourage voters to think long and hard about that record when choosing the next president.”
The Wisconsin primary is Tuesday. Polls show Bernie Sanders holding a slight lead over Clinton.