Possible Clinton VP pick could face accusations of cronyism, corruption

(Image credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

published 30 June 2016

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine (D) is likely on the shortlist to be Hillary Clinton's running mate, but if selected, his acceptance of gifts could provide ample ammo for enemies seeking to take Clinton down in the general election. Although Virginia has especially lenient gift laws (which has gotten others, such as former Gov. Bob McDonnell (R), into hot water), Republicans can point to Kaine's acceptance of an $18,000 Caribbean vacation, $5,500 in clothes, and tickets to the NCAA basketball Final Four as evidence of a corrupt political class, Politico reports.

"During his eight years as lieutenant governor and governor, Sen. Kaine went beyond the requirements of Virginia law, even publicly disclosing gifts of value beneath the reporting threshold. He's confident that he met both the letter and the spirit of Virginia's ethical standards," a spokesperson said. Kaine indeed has never been accused of corruption; his gifts were rather received out of acts of apparent friendships rather than in a bargain for political favors.

Still, "the danger here is that there's already a narrative on Hillary Clinton: It's crooked cronyism, and any pick or any other action that drives that narrative is going to be bad for her," former Republican National Committee Deputy Research Director Matt Moon said. "If you're on the Clinton campaign side, you want to look at potential vulnerabilities in how a VP pick would drive an opposition narrative."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Explore More

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox