Clinton launches political action group to oppose Trump

WASHINGTON • Mrs Hillary Clinton returned to the political stage on Monday with a new organisation to "resist" United States President Donald Trump.

"The last few months, I've been reflecting, spending time with my family - and yes, taking walks in the woods," she said on Twitter. "We're launching Onwards Together to encourage people to get involved, organise and even run for office."

The group's website said it aimed to advance progressive values and reminded visitors that Mrs Clinton had won nearly 66 million votes in the showdown with Mr Trump in November last year.

"In recent months, we've seen what's possible when people come together to resist bullying, hate, falsehoods and divisiveness, and to stand up for a fairer, more inclusive America," the statement said.

Mrs Clinton posted messages on Twitter hailing the work of organisations battling discrimination or supporting Democrats in next year's mid-terms. The groups included Indivisible, a collection of former congressional staff advising people on how to make their representatives listen to voices, and the Colour of Change, which pushes for legal and voting reforms to end discrimination against African Americans.

"In some cases, we'll provide direct funding to these organisations," Mrs Clinton said in an e-mail. "For others, we'll help amplify their work and do what we can to help them continue to grow their audiences and expand their reach."

She said the new group had received the backing of Mr Howard Dean, a left-leaning former Vermont governor who ran in the 2004 Democratic primaries.

She is working on a book about her defeat, which is due to hit bookstores later this year. Mrs Clinton, who has made several public appearances since her loss, earlier this month said she would have been president if not for former Federal Bureau of Investigation director James Comey, who announced his agency was reopening an inquiry into her use of a private e-mail server right before the election.

Mr Trump last week fired Mr Comey, who by then was leading a separate probe into alleged links between the President's campaign team and Russia.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 17, 2017, with the headline Clinton launches political action group to oppose Trump. Subscribe