Bill and Hillary, the £2bn power couple
FORMER US president Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary have received nearly £2billion from donors during their careers, it has emerged.
About a third has been spent on their political campaigns with the rest going to their charitable foundation.
A detailed examination of financial donors since Mr Clinton launched his career in 1974 reveals they are unmatched in US politics for getting friends and supporters to help finance their careers and charitable efforts.
By comparison, three generations of the Bush family – including two presidents – raised only £1.6billion from 1998 to 2015.
Hollywood director Steven Spielberg is among the Clintons’ biggest supporters, handing them £1.6million over the years with the bulk of the money backing Hillary in her bid for the presidency.
Financier George Soros has given them £3million. But the couple’s largest individual political benefactors are TV station owner Haim Saban and his wife, Cheryl.
Since 1992 they have given £1.6million for the Clintons’ political campaigns and at least £6.5million to their charitable foundation.
The near £2billion of funds raised relates only to political campaigning and the Clinton Foundation, not the couple’s personal wealth.
Analysis of public records by the Washington Post newspaper reveals that £1.3billion of the total went to the non-profit foundation, set up after Mr Clinton left the White House in 2001. It employs 2,200 people and is involved in dozens of health initiatives worldwide.
The £654million used for political campaigns helped Mr Clinton become president and financed Hillary’s run for the US Senate as well as her failed bid to win the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.
Donors coughed up £147million for the 2008 bid and have already contributed £72million for her White House campaign for 2016.
According to the Post, the Clintons set out to cultivate America’s richest people to finance their political careers.
Bill was said to use his ‘charisma and intellect’ to woo donors while his wife used her ‘characteristic attentiveness’. Often she would send handwritten notes to celebrate birthdays. A breakdown of the donors also reveals that 290,000 people who contributed less than £130 helped raise £84million for their campaigns.
The Clintons declined to comment for the Washington Post article. But a spokesman said: ‘Regarding the campaign contributions, the breadth and depth of their support is a testament to the fact that they have both dedicated their lives to public service and fighting to make this country stronger.’
Of their personal wealth, Hillary is believed to be worth around £21million with the majority of her income coming from speaking fees and book deals. Bill has an estimated net worth of around £52million.
‘Charisma and intellect’