Newly released FBI memos have blown the lid off a decade-old saga involving allegations of pay-to-play schemes between Hillary Clinton’s State Department and the Clinton Foundation.

This story, pieced together from internal investigative files, centers on suspicions that foreign donations to the Foundation may have swayed U.S. foreign policy, yet every probe was stonewalled by FBI and DOJ brass, leaving no charges filed.

For American taxpayers, this is a gut punch—potentially millions in foreign funds influencing policy decisions could mean a direct financial burden if deals like the Uranium One sale to Russia compromised national interests. From a conservative standpoint, it’s maddening to see investigations into powerful elites seemingly swept under the rug. We’re talking legal exposure here, with statute of limitations debates possibly letting serious inquiries lapse.

Uncovering the Clinton Foundation Investigations

Let’s rewind to early 2016, when the FBI’s New York, Little Rock, and Washington field offices kicked off preliminary and full investigations into the Clinton Foundation. The focus? Whether foreign cash flowing into the Foundation, including from Uranium One shareholders, bought influence during Clinton’s tenure as Secretary of State.

The Uranium One deal, where a Canadian company controlling 20% of U.S. uranium capacity was sold to Russian state-owned Rosatom, raised red flags. Ian Telfer, a former Uranium One chairman, reportedly donated $2.35 million to the Foundation, and other shareholders funneled millions before the deal’s approval by a committee Clinton influenced. Yet, leadership delays and debates over legal timelines stalled any real action.

Then there’s the Abu Dhabi pre-clearance facility at the UAE airport, another eyebrow-raiser. A complaint filed in 2016 suggested the Foundation’s role in securing this deal for Etihad Airways came after hefty payments, including $5 million from the UAE to the Foundation in 2015. Again, investigators hit a wall with orders from above.

Political Roadblocks and Frustrated Agents

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley released a timeline showing agents and prosecutors battling political obstruction during these probes. Career FBI agents and line prosecutors, as documents from FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi reveal, believed the Foundation’s actions might have crossed into criminal territory. But leaders like then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates and then-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe repeatedly shut them down.

Take the words of Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, during a 2013 hearing on the Abu Dhabi facility: “What seems to be clear is that a pre-clearance facility comes across as hurting United States air carriers.” That’s a polite way of saying American businesses got the short end of the stick while foreign entities, possibly greased by Foundation donations, got a sweet deal. From a conservative lens, this reeks of prioritizing global elites over hardworking U.S. companies.

Rep. Poe didn’t stop there, noting, “Unlike existing CBP pre-clearance facilities, no U.S. airline currently serves Abu Dhabi.” If that doesn’t scream favoritism for state-owned Etihad Airways, what does? It’s the kind of policy skew that makes you wonder who’s really running the show.

Donors and Deals Under Scrutiny

Other names popped up too, like Frank Giustra, a Canadian businessman who pledged over $100 million to Foundation initiatives, and Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian billionaire whose donations and election fraud allegations were probed but not shared across FBI offices. Investigations into figures like Sant Singh Chatwal, tied to campaign finance violations, also fizzled despite guilty pleas and insider knowledge. No subpoenas, no progress—just frustration for field agents.

By 2018, internal emails showed prosecutors like Jonathan Ross pushing for movement on cases like the Abu Dhabi facility, yet statute of limitations arguments—some say faulty—derailed efforts. A $5 million UAE payment to the Foundation in 2015 and email deletions could have extended timelines, investigators argued. Still, no dice.

Even probes into potential influence schemes involving entities like Boeing, Digicel Haiti, and the S. Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace, all linked to Foundation donations, led nowhere. Favorable outcomes for donors seemed to coincide with contributions, yet no charges emerged. It’s a pattern that leaves a bitter taste.

A Call for Accountability Now

Fast forward to 2020 and 2021, with interviews like Chagoury’s in London and resolutions of minor election law violations, but the big questions about the Foundation remain unanswered. The contrast with the FBI’s pursuit of baseless Russia collusion claims during the same era is stark and, frankly, infuriating to those who value fair play. Why the double standard?

From a right-of-center view, this isn’t about witch hunts—it’s about equal justice under the law, something every American, from retirees to small business owners, deserves. If foreign money swayed policy, the economic ripple effects could still be costing us. We can’t let elite privilege dodge scrutiny while everyday folks face the consequences.