Clinton Foundation to Conduct Voluntary External Review of Tax Returns
COSTELLO: This morning, we have word that the Clinton Foundation will conduct, quote, "a voluntary external review of tax returns" from 2010 through 2012 and expects to refile them due to grants being reported incorrectly. Foundation officials tell CNN that no overall revenue or expenses will change as a result, but that review comes as the Hillary Clinton for America campaign is once again slamming a book questioning foreign donations to the Foundation. New talking points from the campaign telling allies the accusations are, quote, "devoid of evidence". And now Chelsea Clinton is wading into the controversy, defending the charity's past actions.</s>CHELSEA CLINTON, VICE CHAIRMAN, THE CLINTON FOUNDATION: So what the Clinton Foundation has said is that we will be even more transparent. I very much believe that that's the right policy, that we'll be even more transparent, that to eliminate any questions while we're in this time, we won't take new government funding, but that the work will continue as it is.</s>COSTELLO: Senior Washington correspondent, Jeff Zeleny, joins me now from Washington with more on this. Good morning.</s>JEFF ZELENY, CNN SENIOR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. You're right, it's the end of the second week of the campaign here but it's hardly how they expected to launch. What Chelsea Clinton was talking about there was these new rules that the Foundation is imposing on foreign government contributions, and this is coming in the wake of these new reports about whether any preferential treatment that was given to some companies who were giving money to the Foundation. And a lot of allegations here. So far there aren't any specific, concrete examples that any companies or foreign governments received special treatment, but so many questions about the donations. And you mentioned the review of those tax filings. That is because $2.35 million that were given to the Foundation, they were never disclosed by the Foundation as Secretary Clinton agreed to do when she became Secretary of State. So that is one of the key questions here that has to be answered. But as the campaign is pushing back, "The New York Times" has an editorial this morning saying that there are tough questions that need to be asked. And this is what they said. Let's take a look. They said, "The increasing scrutiny of the Foundation has raised several points that need to be addressed by Mrs. Clinton and the former president. These relate most importantly to the flow of multi- millions in donations from foreigners and others to the Foundation, how Mrs. Clinton dealt with the potential conflicts as Secretary of State, and how she intends to guard against such conflicts should she win the White House." So Carol, that is really the question here going forward. Will they answer anymore of these questions? And so far she hasn't talked about this hardly at all.</s>COSTELLO: Jeff Zeleny, reporting live for us this morning. Thanks so much. I'll be right back.