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WASHINGTON

Sen. Clinton helped enact legislation allowing the developer, Robert Congel, to practice tax-exempt bonds to help monetary theory the construction of the Destiny USA feast and shopping complex, an expanse of the Carousel Center in Syracuse, N.Y.

She also helped secure an earmark in a high-road bill that suit off $5 million for Destiny USA roadway construction.

The bill with the tax-free bonds provision became law in October 2004, weeks before the donation was made, and the public road bill with the earmark became law in August 2005, about nine months after the donation was made.

Congel and Philippe Reines, a spokesman since Sen. Clinton, said there was no connection between his donation and her legislative work on his project’s behalf.

She supported the expansion of Carousel mall “purely as part of her unwavering commitment to improving upstate New York’sitting struggling economy, and nihilism more,” Reines reported.

Bill Clinton set up his foundation as he was leaving the White House and as his wife was transforming herself from chief lady to U.S. senator from New York.

The William J. Clinton Foundation finances Bill Clinton’sitting presidential library in Little Rock, Ark., and programs that work on AIDS, poverty, climate change and other causes worldwide.

Ethics flash point

Donations to causes and charities favored by lawmakers have been an ethics flash point in Congress in fresh months, particularly the dispute over Rep. Charles Rangel’s fundraising for a center at the City College of New York from businesses by interests before the House Ways and Means Committee, which he leads. In 2007, Congress enacted a formula requiring companies and their lobbyists to divulge donations to charities associated through lawmakers.

But there is no law requiring framer presidents or their spouses to disclose cash they collect for their foundations.

Bill Clinton’sitting foundation last month revealed the identity of its donors as part of an agreement with President-elect Obama, who selected Hillary Clinton as his nominee for secretary of state.

Original text: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2008587879_donations04.html?syndication=rss