Hillary Clinton, the State Department, former President Bill Clinton and the Clinton Foundation teamed up with representatives from a foreign government to put together a foundation event in August of 2009.

Sidney Blumenthal, Clinton's longtime confidante and informal aide during her years as secretary, orchestrated the event for the Clintons.

His involvement underscores concerns many critics have expressed about the potential conflicts of interest the Clinton Foundation could have invited for the nation's chief diplomat.

While Clinton claimed she "wouldn't be a part of it" herself, she endorsed the event to a group of her aides.

"I think this is a good idea and see no conflict," Clinton wrote to staff and Doug Band, a former aide to her husband who later formed a controversial consulting firm, Teneo Strategies, that went on to score a contract from the State Department while boasting the former president on its board.

In response to Clinton's dismissal of the Clinton Global Initiative event posing a potential conflict of interest, chief of staff Cheryl Mills suggested Clinton discuss the proposal.

"I can see how they might feel differently so we should have a frame for how we go at it if we chose this for your cgi event," Mills cautioned.

Blumenthal approached Clinton with the idea for the CGI event after Shaun Woodward, the U.K. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, suggested Bill Clinton and British and Irish prime ministers conduct a panel called "Implementing Peace."

"Former President Clinton has conveyed to me his approval, contingent on approval of the State Department," Blumenthal said in an email with the subject "N. Ireland forum at CGI."

In a note to Blumenthal, which was passed on to the secretary, Woodward said "it would be good to try and explore further now with President Clinton and State the idea for an event at the CGI for Northern Ireland."

The email raises new questions about how closely Hillary Clinton was involved with her husband's foundation, which accepted donations from foreign governments and entities while she led the State Department.

There have been a number of instances in which diplomatic favors seemed to follow generous donations to the Clinton Foundation during Clinton's tenure, but the presidential candidate has denied any such favoritism.

Blumenthal was on the Clinton Foundation's payroll at the same time he advised Clinton at the State Department.