Alleged Spy Got Close to Clinton Friend

Russians considered fundraiser a 'very interesting target'
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Jun 29, 2010 5:23 PM CDT
Alleged Spy Got Close to Clinton Friend
Alan Patricof, a possible target of one of the alleged Russian spies arrested yesterday.   (Wikimedia Commons)

One of the alleged Russian spies arrested yesterday apparently tried to work her way into the Clintons' inner circle through a job at a financial advising firm. The woman who went by Cynthia Murphy worked at Morea Financial Services, where, according to court documents, she reported to her Russian superiors that she had several "work-related" meetings with a "prominent New York-based financier" who was "active in politics" and a "personal friend" of a current Cabinet secretary.

All of this adds up to be Alan Patricof, a top Democratic fundraiser who is a friend of Hillary and worked as finance chair of her Senate campaign, posits Ben Smith at his Politico blog. He's also a Morea client. The Russian handlers deemed him a "a very interesting target" and told Murphy to "try to build up little by little relations with him moving beyond just work." They hoped for inside information on foreign policy and rumors about the "White House internal kitchen." There's no indication they got any of that, and Patricoff hasn't commented publicly.

(More Russian spies stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X