Clinton Foundation and Foreign Contributions

Ethical Dilemma Paper:

Clinton Foundation and Foreign Contributions

The Clinton Foundation has been a major contributor to charity over the past decade and a half. Focusing on world issues such as health, climate change, economic development and equality for women and girls, both parties on either side of the spectrum will agree that the Clinton Foundation’s work has been nothing but good for the world. Since 2001, the foundation has raised nearly $2 billion in cash and even more pledges for millions from donors across the world. Some of the donors have been from foreign governments such as the United Arab Emirates, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Oman and a Canadian government agency. The Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) “prohibits any foreign national from contributing, donating or spending funds in connection with any federal, state, or local election in the United States, either directly or indirectly. It is also unlawful to help foreign nationals violate that ban or to solicit, receive or accept contributions or donations from them.” Thus developing an ethical issue here. If Hillary should run for president in 2016, are accepting funds from foreign nationals ethical?

There are a couple of theories that can be applied to this ethical issue as we have learned in class from Dr. F. The Utilitarian Theory, the Deontology Theory, and the Moral Relativism Theory could all be applied here in this situation. The first theory at work here is the Utilitarian Theory, which is based on creating the greatest possible outcome, for the greatest amount of people. If we were to use this theory, Hillary should accept the donations from foreign nationals to benefit the Clinton Foundation because the millions and millions of dollars will benefit millions of needy people around the world. Although some republicans will be mad about her accepting the donations, at the end of the