Rand Paul to urge Hillary Clinton to return money to Saudi Arabia

Sen. Rand Paul, who's long been a fierce critic of Hillary Clinton, will call on the former secretary of state to return contributions made from Saudi Arabia to her family's foundation, reports CNN.

In a Friday night speech in New Hampshire, the Kentucky Republican will say there's been a "war on women...in Saudi Arabia" and will urge Clinton to denounce contributions from the country to the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

"There has been much talk of a war on women. There is indeed a war on women . . . in Saudi Arabia," he will say, according to an excerpt of his prepared remarks. "When Hillary Clinton claims she will support women's rights, ask her why she accepted millions of dollars from (Saudi Arabia)."

Clinton has faced sharp criticism after it was made public earlier this year that the foundation has accepted donations from foreign governments with questionable human rights records.

The foundation banned all donations from foreign governments during Clinton's four-year tenure at the State Department because of conflicts of interest it would pose for the foundation and the Obama administration. When Clinton stepped down in early 2013, the foundation began, once again, to collect donations from foreign governments like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Paul will deliver his remarks at the Carroll County Lincoln Day Dinner in the Granite State's North Country before spending another day in New Hampshire ahead of his likely presidential campaign. Paul is expected to launch his White House bid when he holds an announcement event in Louisville, Kentucky on April 7.

Clinton's office did not immediately return a request for comment. She addressed the controversy during a press conference at the United Nations last week, saying she's "very proud of the work the foundation does."

"And I think that we are very clear about where we stand, certainly where I stand, on all of these issues. There can't be any mistake about my passion concerning women's rights here at home and around the world," she said. "So I think that people who want to support the foundation know full well what it is we stand for and what we're working on."

Hitting back, a spokeswoman for the pro-Clinton group Correct the Record, argued that Paul "defends individual liberties only when it suits him and not when these rights extend to the pay discrimination or healthcare of women."

"Hillary Clinton has spent a lifetime advocating on behalf of women, children and their families," Adrienne Watson added.

Paul has previously hit Clinton on the controversy, arguing earlier this month that donations from foreign governments might qualify as a "constitutional question" since public officials like senators and secretaries of state are not allowed to receive gifts from foreign countries.

"They're going to say, 'That's not us, me directly' But do they profit in any way from their foundation? Does it pay for their travel? Does it pay for any of their expenses? She's got a lot of questions she's going to have to answer," he said in a Fox News interview.

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