CNN first reported the inquiry, saying that investigators are looking into a six-figure contribution that Chinese businessman Wang Wenliang made to McAuliffe’s campaign through his USA businesses.
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McAuliffe defended his actions Tuesday to reporters at an event in Alexandria.
USA election law prohibits foreign nationals from donating to federal, state or local elections, though Wang holds permanent resident status in the US, which would make the donations legal.
His comments came a day after reports surfaced that the FBI is investigating whether any donations made to the McAuliffe campaign were illegal. McAulliffe is a longtime friend and ally of the Clintons and worked as a volunteer executive for the Clinton Foundation prior to holding office in Virginia. “This was an allegation of a gentleman who gave a check to my campaign”.
“We went back and checked, and our lawyers to the campaign said this man had been fully vetted, and clearly had the right”, McAuliffe told reporters.
“He’s every body’s governor, and Republican or Democrat alike we rely on our elected officials to conduct themselves with integrity”. A Washington Post report from past year found that 120 donors who gave to Clinton charities gave more than $13 million to McAuliffe’s election efforts in 2013.
As part of the probe, the officials said, investigators have scrutinized McAuliffe’s time as a board member of the Clinton Global Initiative, a vehicle of the charitable foundation set up by former President Bill Clinton.
The governor said he believes the investigation involves the donation from Wang because “that’s all I’ve gotten from the press reports”. Officials say they want to determine whether or not donations to his gubernatorial campaign violated the law.
He added that he wasn’t anxious about political repercussions, because “If you haven’t done anything wrong, than you have nothing to worry about”.
The FBI and Justice Department have declined to comment on the long-running investigation.
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“I don’t think it will affect Hillary Clinton at all”. But, he insisted he was “proud” to be a part of the foundation’s efforts and that the investigation has “nothing to do” with the foundation.
