Rand: ‘Isn’t It Equally Despicable’ That Trump Buys Access?

Kentucky Senator and GOP presidential candidate Rand Paul asked if people belief the Clintons selling access is wrong, “isn’t it equally despicable” for fellow GOP candidate Donald Trump to buy access on Friday’s “O’Reilly Factor” on the Fox News Channel

Rand said of Trump, “He’s trying to run as an outsider. But here’s the consummate insider who buys politicians, Republicans and Democrats. He’s given $300,000 to Democrats, 300,000 to Republicans, when they ask him why, he says, [paraphrasing] ‘Well, I give to them so they’ll do whatever the I tell them to do.’ Well, that doesn’t sound like we want to change Washington. That sounds like the old ways of buying politicians. And I’m horrified by the idea that we could consider someone who buys and sells politicians. He’s bought access to the Clintons, and we think, ‘Well, gosh it’s despicable that she would sell access.’ But isn’t it equally despicable that he’s willing to buy access?”

Rand addressed Trump’s accusations that he had received donations from Trump, Rand said, “Not exactly true. I do charity work through the University of Utah. And he has contributed to the University of Utah, towards my mission work. I’ll be leaving in a week to do cataract surgery in Haiti. And actually, he is a generous man, he is philanthropic, but that’s a little bit different than buying and selling politicians, giving to the University of Utah Eye Center.”

Rand also addressed his spat with Chris Christie on the NSA during the debate, Rand argued, “On all of the instances where we have been attacked, we have had suspicion. The Boston bomber, we were tipped off. The Garland shooter, we had some evidence in advance. The Major Hassan mass murder in Houston, there was evidence to suspect him in advance. I’m all for targeted investigation, I’m just not for the sweeping surveillance state, where we get all Americans’ records without saying that there’s any suspicion. It goes against the Fourth Amendment, and does invade our right to privacy.”

He added of his criticism of Christie for hugging President Obama after Hurricane Sandy, “Well, this is a guy that’s accusing me of something to do with fundraising. And if you will recall, he actually used taxpayer dollars, that was supposed to go to Sandy victims, to campaign for the governorship. This is illegal in most states. He spent millions, I mean, I think at least $5 million he spent on TV, taxpayer money of him strutting around, acting like he was bringing all this money for Sandy. Not his money, the taxpayer money. But, these were self-aggrandizement and and advertisements, during the middle of a campaign. He should be ashamed of himself, and he should actually pay the taxpayers back for using that money.”

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