With the Clinton campaign’s newfound interest in Russian espionage, it’s worth noting that it was John Podesta’s brother, Tony Podesta, who runs the firm that pocketed $180,000 from Uranium One, the Russian government’s uranium company to which then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton transferred 20% of U.S. uranium.
Russia-controlled UraniumOne retained the Podesta Group — run by the brother of Hillary Clinton’s campaign chief, John Podesta — in 2012, 2014, and 2015, to lobby Hillary Clinton’s State Department. The Podesta Group paid a total of $180,000 according to public records.
As meticulously detailed in the New York Times bestselling book Clinton Cash, Uranium One is the firm that funneled millions to the Clinton Foundation as the Russian government gained ownership of the company.
According to the New York Times, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a “goal of controlling much of the global uranium supply chain.”
The Times reported in last April:
As the Russians gradually assumed control of Uranium One in three separate transactions from 2009 to 2013, Canadian records show, a flow of cash made its way to the Clinton Foundation. Uranium One’s chairman used his family foundation to make four donations totaling $2.35 million. Those contributions were not publicly disclosed by the Clintons, despite an agreement Mrs. Clinton had struck with the Obama White House to publicly identify all donors. Other people with ties to the company made donations as well.
The Times report continued: “And shortly after the Russians announced their intention to acquire a majority stake in Uranium One, Mr. Clinton received $500,000 for a Moscow speech from a Russian investment bank with links to the Kremlin that was promoting Uranium One stock.”
What’s more, according to the Daily Caller, Uranium One “paid the Podesta Group $40,000 to lobby the State Department, the Senate, the National Park Service and the National Security Council for ‘international mining projects,’ according to a July 20, 2012 filing.”
From million dollar donations to the Clinton Foundation to hiring lobbying firms — namely The Podesta Group, co-founded by Clinton campaign chief John Podesta — by January 2013, Putin had met his goal and owned 20% of American uranium reserves.
Again, if anyone loves Hillary Clinton, it’s the Russians and Vladimir Putin.
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter: @jeromeehudson