Clinton agrees to pay area businesses

Clinton agrees to pay area businesses

YOUNGSTOWN — While U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton took care of business in last month’s Ohio Democratic primary victory, particularly in this area, some area businesses said she didn’t take care of business with them.

Clinton’s campaign finance reports for February showed more than $20,000 owed to four Valley companies and an employees union that helped with her campaign.

The issue took on a life of its own when Politico.com, a political Web site, wrote about Clinton’s campaign not paying a number of small businesses nationwide, including two of the local companies, for work done, primarily at rallies and other events. Those companies are Forty Two Inc. of Youngstown and Show Tyme Exhibits Inc. of Poland.

A review of Clinton’s debt by The Vindicator reveals two additional local companies and a Youngstown-based union owed money by her campaign.

Checks to those four companies and the union were processed Monday and will be mailed shortly, said Isaac Baker, a Clinton campaign spokesman.

The timing of preparing the checks had nothing to do with the Politico.com article, Baker said.

The campaign pays its bills within a month, he said.

For the complete story, read Tuesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com