Donald Trump has been facing increasing opposition to his nominee for Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, because of concerns over Tillerson’s overly-close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In an effort to shore up the Tillerson nomination, Trump had Bush administration foreign-policy powerhouses Condoleezza Rice (National Security Adviser and Sec. of State) and Robert Gates (Sec. of Defense and CIA Director) issue statements in favor of Tillerson.

And while Gates at least mentioned the fact that Tillerson is his and Condi’s client — Gates and Rice run a joint consulting firm — Rice did not. That’s an undivulged conflict of interest; and it raises the question of why Rice didn’t think it relevant that Tillerson pays her, and could easily stop paying her had she refused to support his nomination.

Here’s Gates’ statement:

And here’s Condi Rice’s:

Tillerson, who is the CEO of Exxon, has an exceptionally close relationship with Putin, who awarded Tillerson Russia’s “Order of Friendship.”

Exxon was hit hard by the West’s sanctions against Russia following its invasion and annexation of Ukrainian Crimea.

Tillerson owns over $200 million of Exxon stock.

What’s good for Exxon is good for Tillerson.

You do the math.

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