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When reports surfaced regarding the dangerous quality of the water in Flint, Michigan, the blame game seemed to start almost immediately. Liberals appear to have made the most of the tragic situation — many condemned Republican Gov. Rick Snyder for the health crisis resulting from lead contamination.
However, while Democrats and their media allies may be trying to lay the blame for the crisis at Republicans’ feet, there’s one presidential candidate with reported ties to a firm involved in the situation, and this White House hopeful is not a Republican.
The public relations agency APCO Worldwide has numerous clients around the globe. One of those clients appears to be Houston-based engineering firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam Inc. (LAN), which is fending off lawsuits “alleging gross negligence, professional negligence and battery for alleged lead poisoning of about 50 children in Flint over the past two years.” According to an article in The Daily Caller, APCO also has donated free services and as much as $50,000 to the Clinton Foundation.
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LAN was “hired to oversee a refit of the city’s nearly century-old Water Treatment Plant when Flint separated from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department in April 2014.” As a result, they now find themselves embroiled in nine lawsuits stemming from their involvement.
In January, Hillary Clinton claimed, “I spent a lot of time last week being outraged by what’s happening in Flint, Mich., and I think every single American should be outraged.”
Clinton did not then disclose — nor has she yet revealed — the business relationship between the PR firm and the target of the Flint-related lawsuits, despite the close ties between APCO and the Clintons.
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For example, the executive director for APCO Worldwide donated $2,300 to Hillary’s campaign in 2007, though it doesn’t appear she’s replicated her generosity this time around. In addition, APCO has donated between $25,000 and $50,000 to the Clinton Foundation.
However, that’s only part of the story. APCO has reportedly partnered with the Clinton Global Initiative numerous times over recent years. In addition, at least two former aides to President Bill Clinton now work for APCO.
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