Story highlights The issue concerns the State Department's location for a new facility in Lagos

One of the Chagoury brothers had been a big donor to the Clinton Foundation

(CNN) Hillary and Bill Clinton's ties to two influential Lebanese-Nigerian businessmen are raising fresh questions about whether the State Department showed favoritism to Clinton Foundation donors -- an issue that has continued to dog the Democratic nominee during the 2016 presidential contest.

Newly released documents, obtained by the conservative watchdog group Citizens United and provided to CNN, show the State Department was interested in purchasing land for a new US consulate in a development called Eko Atlantic on the coast of Lagos in 2013, in a story first reported on by Fox News. The development is managed by Ronald Chagoury and funded by an umbrella company owned by him and his brother Gilbert Chagoury.

Responding to the report, the State Department said this week that the land was considered but not acquired.

Clinton had left the State Department before it sent a letter three years ago expressing interest in possibly buying the property. While the letter was sent after she had left office, the State Department had identified the Eko project as a potential location when Clinton was still secretary of state in 2012. Asked if Clinton was cognizant of that, a department spokeswoman said earlier this week, "I'm not aware she was."

"You know we've not, as of today, contracted or acquired any property for a new consulate in Lagos," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters Wednesday. "We have over the past couple of years identified, and looked at, and evaluated multiple properties. We've had conversations about multiple properties with their property owners and their representatives because we are looking, as we've noted, to acquire property for a new consulate in Lagos. And this process is in no way connected to or subject to individual preferences or pressure ... it's managed by career real estate industry professionals."

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