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By Paul Steinhauser, special correspondent and NH1 News political director March 20 at 4:01 PM

MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) is calling Hillary Clinton Friday to return gifts given to her family's charitable foundation by foreign countries. Its unseemly, and we shouldnt be taking this money, he told the Washington Post and NH1 News in an interview.

"The Constitution says youre not supposed to take gifts from foreign countries. I think she should return them. I will call in New Hampshire today that Hillary Clinton should return all of her gifts to foreign countries, said the Kentucky senator and all-but-certain presidential candidate.

They say theres a war on women. Well, yeah -- there is in Saudi Arabia. You can be raped in Saudi Arabia, and they put you in jail. You can be raped in Saudi Arabia and they publicly lash you and whip you for being raped," added Paul. "So Hillary Clinton needs to explain why shes taking money from foreign countries that abuse the rights of women, and frankly I think today she should announce that shes going to give the money back.

Asked if he was referring to the former secretary of state or to the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation, the group that received the donations, the senator responded: Tell me the difference.

[Clinton Foundation says not all donations were disclosed]

A senior Paul political adviser said the senator will formally call for Hillary Clinton to return any money received by the Clinton Foundation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at a speech Friday evening at Carroll County, New Hampshire Lincoln Day Dinner.

NH1 has reached out to a Clinton spokesman and a pro-Clinton group for a response.

The Clinton Foundation plays a prominent role in international development, battling HIV/AIDS, providing relief after natural disasters, and helping farmers and entrepreneurs in developing countries across the globe. During Hillary Clintons tenure as secretary of state during President Barack Obamas first term, the foundation refrained from accepting donations from foreign countries, but eased those restrictions after Clinton stepped down as secretary of state in early 2013.

News of the loosening of those donation restrictions became a major story earlier this year, as Clinton moved closer to launching a second bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Clinton is widely expected to launch a campaign for the White House as early as next month.

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Rand Paul calls on Hillary Clinton to return foreign donations

MANCHESTER U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., opened his latest visit to New Hampshire with a stop at Dyn headquarters Friday for a question-and-answer session with employees covering topics such as reducing government, fighting terrorism and of course, technology.

While Paul told about two dozen workers at the Internet performance company that hes still exploring a presidential run, he said to expect an official announcement within a couple of weeks.

Well go about trying to decide who will lead the country as we go forward. I plan on being part of that debate. I havent exactly defined how Im going to be part of that debate yet, but its coming soon, Paul said.

With another swing scheduled for the Granite State next month and members of a New Hampshire staff in place, Paul appeared intent on getting acquainted with voters in the first-in-the-nation primary state. I think if we get involved, New Hampshire is very fertile ground. New Hampshire is the Live Free or Die state and also has a big liberty movement up here the people who are sort of part of the leave me alone coalition, Paul said as he wrapped up brief one-on-one sessions with reporters. I think theyre looking for a Republican who would defend the right to privacy, but whos also fiscally conservative and would balance the budget, lower their tax burden and keep the government out of their business.

Paul also mentioned former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, a possible opponent in the general election should he get the GOP nomination. Paul accused Clinton of not providing adequate defense to the U.S. consulate in Benghazi before it was attacked in 2012. The topic has resurfaced lately as a congressional committee seeks emails from a personal account Clinton has acknowledged using during her tenure as Secretary of State.

Paul also went beyond Benghazi by demanding Clinton return donations from some foreign governments, including several in the Middle East, made to the Clinton family foundation. When Hillary Clinton claims she will support womens rights, ask her why she accepted millions of dollars from countries that wage the war on women, Paul said in remarks prepared for a speech later Friday in the keynote speech to the Carroll County Lincoln Day Dinner in North Conway. She should return every dime to countries that abuse the rights of women.

Paul addressed fighting terrorism more than once in his remarks and answers during the session at Dyn. He considers national defense to be a necessary part of government as well as an example of overspending.

Every time you add a new government agency, you add layer upon layer of bureaucracy. This happens in all government even in what I think are vital parts of government. I think national defense is a vital part of the federal government but national defense is bloated as well, he said. When I say I want to look at all the programs of government, I truly do.

Paul also made several references to technology, a timely topic considering his audience at Dyn, saying people in the industry focus on fixing problems rather than discussing them at length.

What I like about being around the tech community is theyre not waiting for government to solve a problem, he said. I think there are answers to a lot of things if were not going to commit ourselves or define ourselves to thinking that government has all of the answers.

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Paul says he is exploring options, could decide soon

AP Photo

By Mike Allen

3/20/15 2:55 PM EDT

Updated 3/20/15 4:36 PM EDT

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told POLITICO on Friday that foreign contributions to the Clinton Foundation are thinly veiled bribes, and said Hillary Clinton should return any donations from Saudi Arabia or other countries that abuse the rights of women.

The normal Clinton response is to cover up, deny, refuse to acknowledge, Paul said in a telephone interview as he was being driven through New Hampshire. But the question is whether the country will rise up and respond to the unseemly nature of accepting foreign donations.

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Paul said that in addition to Saudi Arabia, the foundation should return donations from the United Arab Emirates and Brunei.

In countries that stone people to death for adultery and imprison people for adultery, this is the kind of thing you would think someone for womens rights would be standing up against, instead of accepting thinly veiled bribes, the senator added.

In remarks for delivery to Republican activists Friday night at the Carroll County Lincoln Day Dinner in North Conway, N.H., Paul will say: There has been much talk of a war on women. There is indeed a war on women in Saudi Arabia. When Hillary Clinton claims she will support womens rights, ask her why she accepted millions of dollars from and then he plans to mention specific countries.

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Rand Paul: Foreign donations to Clinton Foundation 'thinly veiled bribes'

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