Weller investing big in land development in Nicaragua

WorldNow and WQAD ^ | September 7, 2007 | Associated Press

[hedgetrimmer]

Illinois Congressman Jerry Weller is investing a lot of money in land development in Nicaragua.

And the Chicago Tribune reports that he didn't reveal just how much land he bought when he made his required congressional disclosures. The paper also says the purchase price listed on American records is dramatically different from the price listed on Nicaraguan records.

The Republican congressman started buying land in 2002. Then he started looking for land he could subdivide to attract buyers looking for oceanview property.

Weller's investment got a boost and American investors got some legal protections when Congress passed the Central American Free Trade Agreement that Weller had pitched in 2005.

Weller's office today said the congressman wouldn't comment on the story.

[hedgetrimmer]

This is absolutely the reason the US domestic economy is tanking. Our corrupt Congress and White House use their offices for profit in foreign countries. They vote for investment in foreign countries and open up our economy for looting by foreign corporations and foreign governments through "free trade".

[traviskicks]

We shouldn’t need laws for free trade to exist, we just need government(s) to butt out.

[3AngelaD]

The other downside of this scheme is who wants to live in Nicaragua, regardless of the ocean view? The government is just too unstable, and their is no guarantee of private property rights. The “reformed” commie Daniel Ortega is in charge. Congressman is a shyster.

[hedgetrimmer]

Inside Rep. Weller's Nicaragua land deal

In 2002 Weller made his first official congressional trip to Nicaragua. Before the year was over, he had bought his first lot and eventually began looking for land he could subdivide into parcels that would attract buyers looking for prime ocean-view property at a relatively low price...

....His investment got a boost from the narrowly passed Central America Free Trade Agreement, which Weller pitched in 2005 as a tool to enable businesses in his hard-pressed district to sell tractors and food to Latin America....

...What he didn't say was that, while he publicly pushed CAFTA, Weller privately was pursuing his land development, some 2,000 miles away

[raybbr]

Illinois Republican Jerry Weller is one of the most powerful men in Congress when it comes to Latin America. His wife is the most powerful woman in Guatemala’s controversial FRG party.

[raybbr]

I meant to add: Shades of Jeb Bush and Columbia.

[hedgetrimmer]

Weller married a military dictator's daughter, Zury Rios Sosa, a member of the Guatemalan Congress and the daughter of Efrain Rios Montt, a general who ruled Guatemala in 1982-83, whose brother Enrique Rios Sosa, ...was Guatemalan army chief of staff until 2003, when he came under investigation for embezzlement

Now if a congressman is married to a politician of a foreign country, with the current crop of criminals in the federal government, you can COUNT on the emanation of legislation from those people that will be anti-American and pro whatever foreign country they are insinuating themselves into.

The America people need to prohibit our government from investing in foreign countries while they are in office. They are using our economy to promote economic interests outside our borders, and depleting our economy of domestic investment. It's criminal and possibly treason.

[hedgetrimmer]

And George W Bush and Paraguay.

The American people are being royally shafted by these criminals. They have put the existence of a United States of America into doubt in the very near future with their unbridled greed and unprincipled use of their offices.

[nygoose]

I meant to add: Shades of Bill Clinton and Communist China.

I also meant to add: Shades of Hillary Clinton and Communist China.

Need some more?

[hedgetrimmer]

How about Diane Feinstein and Shades of China.

That phony rule that they have no knowledge of their spouses' finances, they don't contribute to them in any way and they do not -- and do not expect to -- benefit from them

What a steaming pile of crap! How can they get away with this?

[shrinkermd]

I must have missed it. What has he done wrong, illegal or whatever? Sounds like he is investing in real estate. Is that a crime?

This article is probably written by some RAT political operative hoping to stir up envy in the conservative camp.

[subterfuge]

BTTT.

[processing please hold]

I was just about to post that article to you.

[Old Professer]

Don’t forget all those Cat5 hurricanes to come due to Climate Change...

[hedgetrimmer]

He used his office to vote for the American government to guarantee his investment in a foreign country. In other words he legislated himself financial gain. It is indefensible and he should be criminally charged and removed from office along with all the other sellouts in our federal government.

[hedgetrimmer]

The corrupt have got to go! They are bringing the United States of America to her knees!

[processing please hold]

I agree and the problem with corruption grows worse. From both parties.

[janetgreen]

Our corrupt Congress and White House use their offices for profit in foreign countries. They vote for investment in foreign countries and open up our economy for looting by foreign corporations and foreign governments through "free trade".

No doubt Bush and Weller will be "neighbors".

[janetgreen]

Oh, my mistake - Jorge is buying up land in Paraguay, not Nicarauga... same thing.

[nicmarlo]

Sell-outs of America should be an automatic impeachment and ouster from office.