The Clintons have used their law firm’s money to travel to campaign events, purchase gifts and buy gifts for friends, including the family of former President Bill Clinton, according to an AP investigation.
It also has been used for private parties for friends and associates of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The AP has learned the Clintons have been reimbursed for travel expenses and gifts made by the firm to friends and family members of former presidents, prime ministers, members of Congress and others.
The AP found that the Clintons paid more than $2 million in legal fees, as well as legal expenses, for political campaign fundraising and travel to political events by the law firm WilmerHale in 2016, the year before the Democratic presidential primary, according a person familiar with the matter.
Wilmer is the same firm that represents former President Donald Trump and his business interests.
The firm has paid nearly $1.5 million to former presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and former Russian President Vladimir Putin.
It has paid about $1 million to Trump for legal services, according for the 2016 campaign.
It reimbursed the Clintons for nearly $800,000 in legal expenses related to their legal fight with former President Barack Obama, according an email from Wilmer to Clinton campaign chair John Podesta.
Wilber’s lawyer, John B. Mankiw, confirmed the payments.
Wilmer has not been accused of any wrongdoing, but it has been under scrutiny for its billing practices in recent years.
Former President Bill Rodham Clinton attends a campaign rally in Concord, New Hampshire in July 2018.
(Carolyn Kaster/AP) Wilmer said in an emailed statement to the AP that it has “no knowledge” of any payment made to the Clintons by Wilmer.
In a statement to reporters, Wilmer spokeswoman Susan Daugherty said: “WilmerHales lawyers and associates have made every effort to assist the Clintons, and will continue to do so in the future.”
Wilmer’s work for the Clintons has also been cited by critics, who argue the firm has not fully disclosed the payments made by its clients to help raise funds for the firm.
In one email, a Clinton adviser to Bill Clinton asked the law office if it would pay for a $2,500 dinner with former first lady Rosalynn Carter for her son, Robert, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
Wilhelms clients include former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and former Attorney General Loretta Lynch.
It was not clear if the Clinton advisers had paid for the dinner.
In the emails, Clinton aide Brian Fallon wrote to the Clinton campaign chairman, John Podesta, to ask if the campaign would pay the bill.
Fallon said he would be happy to arrange a meeting.
Podesta said he was “fine” with that.
Wilmers clients include some of the most powerful people in Washington, including former President George W. Bush, former President Jimmy Carter and former U-S.
Senator Joe Biden.
Wilm’s billing practices were brought to the attention of the Justice Department by the inspector general of the Department of Justice, which said it received complaints about the practice from the Justice inspector general’s office.
The inspector general, who has a jurisdiction over the White House, is the department’s primary watchdog on the Clintons.
The Justice Department’s investigation found the law firms work was “inappropriate and unlawful,” and it recommended to the inspector-general that it investigate.
The office of the inspector generals chief counsel has been investigating the billing practices for several months.
Wilmarth, which has worked with the Clintons on a variety of issues, including campaign finance and tax issues, has paid $2.4 million to the Senate Ethics Committee, which is examining Wilmarh’s work.
Wilmeths clients include the Clintons and the president, as are some of their lawyers.
The Senate Ethics investigation was prompted by a complaint from a former federal prosecutor, who said he found evidence of inappropriate billing practices.
The ethics probe is being led by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Follow AP Washington reporter Laura Meckler on Twitter at @laura_meckler.