<p><a href="https://punchingbagpost.com/guccifer-2.0-top-dem-donors-were-awarded-titles-and-influence---here-a-list/" target="_blank"><strong>As we wrote on Sunday</strong></a>, repeated DNC hacks have exposed widespread corruption throughout the Democratic Party; in particular, the disturbing habit of rewarding top donors with high-level positions in Washington. ;</p>
<p>Presidents and cabinet members in both parties have occasionally rewarded friends with appointments, but the Clinton family has elevated this unsavory practice to an entirely new level.</p>
<p>Hillary now faces &#8220;fierce criticism for granting access to donors to her family&rsquo;s foundation while she served as secretary of state,&rdquo; reports the <em>Washington Examiner. ;</em>&ldquo;The large number of donors who landed positions on State Department boards raises questions about whether Clinton&rsquo;s preferential treatment of foundation and campaign contributions went beyond providing them access.&rdquo;</p>
<p>According to federal records, 194 individuals who made donations to the Clinton Foundation, to Hillary&rsquo;s political campaigns, or to Clinton-affiliated groups were awarded with advisory appointments in the State Department between the years 2009 and 2012. ;</p>
<p><em>This number represents 40% of the advisory appointments made during Hillary&rsquo;s time as Secretary of State. ;</em></p>
<p>This equates to entire Department boards dominated by Clinton donors. ;Take the Foreign Affairs Policy Board, for example, in which 13 of the 25 appointments made in December 2011 were Clinton donors. ;Appointees included:</p>
<p>&bull; John Podesta, the current chair of Hillary&rsquo;s presidential campaign</p>
<p>&bull; Thomas McLarty, whose firm has donated more than $20,000 to the Clinton Foundation ;</p>
<p>&bull; Strobe Talbott, Clinton confidante and head of the Brookings Institute ;</p>
<p>While this habit isn&#8217;t necessarily illegal, it is ;deeply unethical, and Hillary has received serious criticism for virtually institutionalizing the &ldquo;pay for play&rdquo; game with her donors. ;Many fear that this dangerous practice will become standard if she takes the White House in November. ;</p>
<p>On top of that, many of the individuals appointed by Clinton had little or no qualification for the position they received. Take Kaki Hockersmith, for example, a longtime Clinton friend and interior designer who was commissioned to decorate the White House when Bill Clinton won the presidency. ;</p>
<p>Hockersmith earned a spot on the United States National Commission on UNESCO after donating $100,000. ;</p>
<p>Another example is Rajiv Fernando, a businessman with no security qualifications whatsoever. At Clinton&rsquo;s insistence, Fernando was given top-secret security clearance along with a spot on the International Security Advisory Board after donating $5 million to the Clinton Foundation. ;</p>
<p>Fernando eventually retired after ABC News started asking questions about his suspicious appointment. Citizens United later uncovered emails in which Clinton aides considered stalling ABC as they looked for a way to deal with the Fernando issue.  ;</p>
<p>Matthew Whitaker, a spokesperson for the Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust, told the <em>Examiner</em> that Clinton&rsquo;s appointments were &ldquo;consistent with all of the other disturbing cases where Clinton Foundation and political donors received special access and treatment.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;It would be highly unethical,&rdquo; he continued, &ldquo;to not only give donors special access to the State Department, but actually give them a board position based on their donor status.&rdquo;</p>