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Chris Wallace presses Clinton when she dodges pay-to-play question: 'Do you want to talk about that?'

Pamela Engel   

Chris Wallace presses Clinton when she dodges pay-to-play question: 'Do you want to talk about that?'
Politics2 min read

Hillary Clinton

REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Hillary Clinton speaks during the third and final 2016 presidential campaign debate with Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump (not pictured) at UNLV in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S., October 19, 2016.

Fox News host and presidential debate moderator Chris Wallace questioned Hillary Clinton on her family's controversial foundation at the final presidential debate on Wednesday night.

Wallace asked the Democratic presidential nominee why her ties to the Clinton Foundation while she was secretary of state didn't present any conflicts of interest.

"Secretary Clinton, during your 2009 Senate confirmation hearing, you promised to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest with your dealing with the Clinton Foundation while you were secretary of state," Wallace said.

He continued: "But emails show that donors got special access to you - those seeking grants for Haiti relief were considered separately from non-donors, and some of those donors got government contracts, taxpayer money. Can you really say that you kept your pledge to that Senate committee?"

Clinton denied accusations of "pay to play" and special access for foundation donors.

"Everything I did as secretary of state was in furtherance of our country's interests and our values," she said. "The State Department has said that. I think that's been proven, but I am happy, in fact, I am thrilled to talk about the Clinton Foundation because it is a world-renowned charity and I am so proud about the work that it does."

Wallace cut in.

"Secretary Clinton, respectfully, this is an open discussion, I understand the specific question went to 'pay for play,'" Wallace said. "Do you want to talk about that?"

Republican nominee Donald Trump then joined in.

"It's a criminal enterprise. Saudi Arabia giving $25 million, Qatar, all of these countries," Trump said. "[T]hese are people that kill women and treat women horribly and yet you take their money."

He also said the Clinton Foundation's aid after the earthquake in Haiti was mishandled.

Clinton defended the foundation.

"We at the Clinton Foundation spend 90%, 90% of all the money that is donated on behalf of programs of people around the world and in our own country," she said. "I'm very proud of that. We have the highest rating from the watchdogs that follow foundations."

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