Even as the deleted emails scandal threatens to derail former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's bid for the White House in 2016, a ticking time bomb much closer to home, involving her brother Tony Rodham, has equal potential for becoming a roadblock to Clinton's ambitions.
Rodham's name popped up in a recent, 97-page report from the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General's Office stating that Rodham sought special DHS treatment on EB-5 visas, which can be granted to overseas investors who pony up $500,000-$1 million in U.S. development projects,
Politico reports.
Rodham, the report says, pressured Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to speed up approval of the visas, while Clinton was serving as secretary of state, in relation to an electric car company once headed by Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe.
The report says Mayorkas "created an appearance of favoritism and special access" for certain wealthy immigrants with Democratic political support,
The Washington Times reported.
Rodham is not shy about flaunting his connections to the Clintons. His biography, posted on the
Global City Regional Fund website, where he is listed as Chief, Global EB5 Investor Relations & Government Affairs, says, "Mr. Rodham has worked with former President Bill Clinton on all his campaigns, from the House of Representatives to the Presidential Campaigns. Subsequently, Mr. Rodham worked for the Democratic National Committee coordinating constituency outreach. Mr. Rodham also worked for his sister, Hillary Rodham Clinton, during her Senate and Presidential Campaigns."
Rodham currently is working with investors to raise $33 million for the Eastern Tower Community Center in Philadelphia's Chinatown, a 23-story development that will cost a total of $75 million,
Philadelphia Business Journal reports.
Politico reports that former
Rep. Joe Hoeffel, D-Pennsylvania, also on the fund's board along with former Rep. Marjorie Margolies, D-Pennsylvania, Chelsea Clinton's mother-in-law, said Rodham "has been very active in the EB-5 program" and may have traveled to China with project developer Hassan Nasratullah to seek Chinese investors.
Hillary Clinton's brothers, both Tony and Hugh, have
embarrassed the Clintons in the past. In 1999, both were involved in a deal to sell hazelnuts to the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, and Hugh Rodham was said to have accepted $400,000 in fees to lobby his brother-in-law, Bill Clinton, for a presidential pardon for a client, Politico said.
Sibling problems are "extremely common" for politicians, Douglas Wead, former White House aide to President George H.W. Bush, told Politico.
"Among presidential siblings, there’s often a good sister-bad brother phenomenon. I think sometimes they do bad things because they’re trying to catch up across a chasm, and so, they make mistakes."