Hey, they have to sell the Clinton Foundation somehow, right? The influence-peddling business model doesn’t function very well when there’s no influence to peddle. The original plan had Hillary Clinton as President with access to the broadest power of the federal government, and Chelsea Clinton at the foundation to coordinate the transactions.

Time for Plan B:

While some pundits are declaring the Clinton political dynasty dead, sources tell us that it is far from over. Chelsea Clinton is being groomed for the New York seat held by Rep. Nita Lowey.

Chelsea could run for the seat in NYC’s 17th Congressional District once Lowey, a respected, 79-year-old career politician with nearly 30 years in office, decides to retire, we have exclusively learned.

Lowey’s district includes parts of Rockland and Westchester counties and, conveniently, Chappaqua, the Clinton family home base.

Wait a mo, readers might say. We know from Hillary’s collapse at the 9/11 memorial event that Chelsea and her husband live in Manhattan, where she recovered from whatever caused her issue, and not in the sticks (as viewed from Manhattan, anyway). Technically, a House candidate only has to live in the same state as the district they wish to represent, but politically it’s tough to argue that such a candidate actually represents those voters.

The NY Post’s Emily Smith says not to worry — the Clintons have already thought of this:

In August, Hillary and Bill Clinton purchased a home next door to their primary residence in Chappaqua for $1.16 million, which is intended for Chelsea, her husband, Marc Mezvinsky, and their two children, Charlotte and Aidan.

Isn’t that cozy?

If Chelsea runs in NY-17, she’ll probably have a good chance of winning the seat, but it won’t be because she’s the most qualified candidate in the history of candidates, in the history of qualifications, or the history of most, as the media endlessly described her mother. It’s a D+5 district according to the Cook PVI, but it’s reliably Democratic. With one exception in 1980, Democrats have won every Congressional election in this district for 48 years. If Democrats line up behind Chelsea, she’ll wind up in Congress.

But … why would they line up behind Chelsea? She has led a remarkably unremarkable life, except for her parents’ political operations. She embarrassed NBC after getting a $600,000-a-year contract that produced dull pablum, and not even very much of that. She already carries the baggage of the Clinton Foundation and its pay-to-play operations during Hillary’s tenure at State, which helped torpedo Democrats in a winnable election against Donald Trump. After everything that transpired this week, why would Democrats invite the Clintons back into a position where they could continue to control the party’s establishment?

This will make a good test of whether the Democratic Party learned anything about lending itself to corruptocrats with burning dynastic ambitions. If they can’t tell Chelsea to stay in Manhattan and find a real job, then they will deserve what follows.

Update: Jeff Dunetz wonders how Lowey will be motivated to, er, spend more time with her family.