Payola II

Hil to Clear 400G Debt of Iowa Pol Who Backed Her

BY RICHARD SISK in Washington and HELEN KENNEDY in New York DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Wednesday, March 28th 2007, 4:00 AM

Sen. Hillary Clinton has agreed to help former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who endorsed her Monday, pay off his $400,000 campaign debt. Clinton (D-N.Y.) will put the arm on her donor network for Vilsack, who quit the presidential race Feb. 23 citing financial difficulties.

Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said it was a normal gesture to make and called suggestions of any endorsement quid pro quo "ridiculous."
"One thing's got absolutely nothing to do with the other," he said. "They've known each other for years. If she weren't running for President, she'd be doing whatever she can to help retire his debt."

Three weeks ago, Vilsack said his main focus was closing down his campaign debt and that he would not make an endorsement until the end of the year - if then. "I think the chances are good that I'll do that, but I don't know that for certain," he said.

Clinton has already run into problems with the appearance
of buying endorsements.Right after she scored the politically important backing of South Carolina pastor and state Sen. Darrell Jackson, it emerged she had also hired him as a $10,000-a-month consultant. Rival Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) had offered him half that.

It's an old political pitfall. In 2004, Democrat Howard Dean was accused of "buying" the endorsement of Carol Moseley Braun by giving her a $20,000-a-month travel budget.