Posted on 01/17/2008 10:03:28 PM PST by EternalVigilance
Insisting that he is a Washington outsider, Mitt Romney has been captured on tape arguing with a reporter about whether a Washington lobbyist named Ron Kaufman runs or just advises his campaign for president. The more important issue is what Kaufman lobbies for. It turns out that Kaufman's firm, as well as another Romney adviser, Vin Weber, have worked to put more American taxpayer dollars into the coffers of the corrupt United Nations and other international agencies.
Kaufman's firm, Dutko Worldwide, represents and works directly with an organization chaired by Bill Clinton, the Global Fairness Initiative (GFI), whose board includes AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and is dedicated to promoting "a more equitable and sustainable world for all people." A press release describes the substantial connections between Dutko and GFI, with a Dutko official being quoted as saying, "Dutko Global Advisors is proud to support the work and mission" of GFI "because its work is fundamentally about nurturing the virtuous cycle of free and fair trade, the creation of economic opportunities, and harmonious relations worldwide." The group appears to be mostly devoted to pursuing international agreements or arrangements protecting labor rights and the environment in "fair trade" deals. This is, of course, a major demand of liberal and union groups.
Dutko also says it represented or has "worked with" various "multilateral organizations," including the U.N.'s International Labor Organization and World Health Organization, and endeavors to "educate" the Congress and others about the "globally respected" work of the U.N. and its agencies. "Many multi-lateral organizations receive dues allocations from US government, as well as funds ear-marked for projects and programs important to public policies pursued by the US government," Dutko says. The implication is that Dutko can keep the taxpayer dollars flowing to such causes.
But that's not all. Romney adviser and lobbyist Vin Weber, a former congressman and member of the board of the Council on Foreign Relations, worked for an organization promoting a U.S. taxpayer financial bailout of the United Nations. This group, the so-called Emergency Coalition for Financial Support of the U.N, included the pro-world government World Federalist Association, National Council of Churches, Catholics for a Free Choice, Americans for Democratic Action, and the United Nations Association.
The purpose of the Emergency Coalition for Financial Support of the U.N. was to get the U.S. Congress to pay a financial "debt" to the world organization. But the "debt" was phony because the world body never gave the U.S. credit for certain contributions to U.N. peacekeeping operations that amounted to billions of dollars above what the U.S. supposedly owed the world body. I wrote about this issue extensively during the late 1990s. You can read my Cato Institute report on the subject here.
Eventually, Senator Jesse Helms, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Senator Joseph Biden, ranking Democrat on the committee, agreed to payment of the so-called "debt" in exchange for certain U.N. "reforms," such as a prohibition on the world body advocating global taxes on the American people.
A representative of the Romney campaign defended Weber's work on the issue, saying his purpose was to work with Helms to make sure the money was paid to the U.N. But most of the U.N. "reforms" were not carried out and, in making the deal, Helms himself had noted that the U.S. was not getting credit or reimbursement for billions of dollars of extra contributions to the world organization. Indeed, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett had introduced the "U.N. Erroneous Debt Act" demanding proper credit for past peacekeeping assistance. Most of the extra assistance had been illegally diverted by the Clinton Administration from the Defense Department in support of U.N. military activities.
Weber, who backed Senator John McCain for president in 2000, was announced as Romney's "policy chairman" in January of 2007 and was described as overseeing "all policy development."
Romney was one of the last GOP presidential candidates to come out against the U.N.'s Law of the Sea Treaty, now pending before the U.S. Senate. He did so through a statement from a spokesman, Kevin Madden, who said that "Governor Romney has concerns with the Law of the Sea Treaty. He believes giving unaccountable international institutions more power is a serious problem." The Romney statement was considered mild compared to those of other candidates.
Weber is chief executive officer and partner of the lobbying firm, Clark & Weinstock, which says that it has "represented a blue-chip roster of Fortune 500 Companies and some of the most influential organizations in the world" but its website has no details. The section of its website on clients "is under development and will be completed Fall 2007," which of course was last year.
Romney adviser Kaufman, a former aide to President Reagan, has impressive Republican credentials. He is a member of the Republican National Committee and still serves as an adviser to the former President Bush. But his involvement in the firm's international operations, known as Dutko Global Advisors, has put him into direct contact with and representation of prominent Democrats and their causes.
By its own admission, the Dutko Global Advisors represents "sovereign governments," non-governmental organizations, and "foreign entities." Its "experts" are said to be good at forging "unique relationships with governments and multilateral institutions through the creation of public private partnerships."
One of those foreign entities, according to published reports, is Citgo, the U.S. subsidiary of the oil firm run by Venezuela's anti-American ruler Hugo Chavez.
Karen A. Tramantano, the "principal" of Dutko Global Advisers, is listed on the website of the Global Fairness Initiative as president of the GFI board and a senior adviser to the International Labor Organization Director General. She was a chief of staff to John Sweeney, when he ran the Service Employees International Union, and from 1997 to 2000 was an Assistant to President Clinton.
Nancy A. Donaldson, one of several advisors to GFI, is identified as a Vice President with Dutko Worldwide and someone who worked on "the release of the frozen U.S. payments to the UN." This is another reference to the phony U.N. "debt" issue.
Sally Painter, the Treasurer/Secretary of the GFI, is the Managing Director of Dutko Global Advisors and served as Executive Director of the Business Coalition for US-China Trade, "where she helped secure passage of Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China," her bio states.
Under the heading of "international development finance," Dutko says that it advises corporate clients on "economic investment and project financing" in other countries "without tapping their corporate assets or expending significant capital." It goes on to say, "Our development finance international team has a proven track record of providing clients with access to capital and project financing, both short and long term, that does not risk corporate assets and with terms that are economical. To achieve these goals, Dutko identifies resources within international financial institutions that lower the cost of financing and reduce corporate economic and political risks."
These international financial institutions are, of course, heavily financed by U.S. taxpayers. They include the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
The "links" page of the GFI website, based on affiliations through the GFI board of directors, directs people to such organizations as the Clinton Global Initiative, the Clinton Presidential Center, the AFL-CIO and the Dutko firm.
Romney's confrontation with Glen Johnson of the Associated Press over lobbyists involved with his presidential campaign was sparked by Romney's statement that "I don't have lobbyists running my campaign. I don't have lobbyists that are tied to my�" Johnson interrupted by citing Kaufman. Romney countered by suggesting that Kaufman was a minor figure in the campaign, even though he is seen traveling with the former Massachusetts governor and has participated in sessions designed to prepare Romney for presidential debates.
Kaufman has also appeared on various television programs on behalf of Romney, identified as "the senior adviser" to the campaign.
The AP's Johnson is being attacked by some conservative bloggers as an obnoxious left-wing journalist. It would be easy to take a shot at the media under these circumstances. But real conservatives concerned about policies and issues should not throw the questions aside. They are legitimate. The credibility of Romney is just as important as the manners of the press.
Cliff Kincaid is the Editor of the AIM Report and can be reached at cliff.kincaid@aim.org
Excellent points
Excellent points
You must really think you are ulgy EV true you are not good looking but in school there must have been boys who picked on you so in adult life you have not gotten over it!
EV is not an ordinary FReeper he is a professional in the field of public life!
Just like Mitt you are fair game!
Because all you try to bemirsh this man if Mitt had lobbist it would be their millions an not Mitt personal wealth invested in this Champaign.
Gov. Romney On Ahmadinejad At The U.N. & Columbia University
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=U4QKb0Tn-yI
While I certainly don’t know what a city in Illinois has to do with anything, I’ll point out that your denial of the involvement of some of the biggest lobbyists in Washington in Mitt Romney’s campaign is puzzling, to say the least. It’s apparent that you just plain don’t want to know the truth.
Your other stuff isn’t worth commenting on.
“The “challenges that go far beyond any single nation or conflict” is called a New World Order.”
Your spouting meaningless rhetoric. Citing a challenge that allies work together to address does not imply anything nefarious.
“freer from the threat of terror, stronger in the pursuit of justice, and more secure in the quest for peace.” - oh dear, how awful for us all - peace and justice! (sarc)
So what’s your point? Bush senior was an wrong for standing up to saddam in Gulf War 1? He was wrong to call for international cooperation?
We shouldnt have enlisted allies in our fight against Al Qaeda like Bush 43 did when he invaded Afghanistan? After all, that’s all Romney was saying. We need to work with allies to defeat Jihadism.
Is he wrong? Should we go it alone against Jihadism? Should we come home and ignore the threats overseas and wait for them to come here like tey did on 9-11?
If the choice is international engagement versus the folly of isolationism, put me in camp #1. The only credible candidate in camp #2 is Ron Paul and IMHO he is wrong.
He’s married to Andy card’s sister.
Fact is he is not paid like you are.
You were Keyes National Campaing Director and you have been paid to write columns for Renew America Keyes' website. Your latest hit piece... Mike Huckabee is as bad as Mitt Romney on embryonic stem cells December 25, 2007.
I find it ironic that you try to malign Romney for an advisor who is not paid while you are. Perhaps a new tagline for you. Eternal Vigilance (Directly paid by someone who is directly connected with the Gloablist UN)
Now you’re just making it up. What a shock.
Ah.
That factoid makes some other things snap into focus. Thanks.
I actually agree with many of your comments vis a vis foreign policy. America is called to be a shining city on a hill, not a lamp under a bushel.
And I don’t have a problem with lobbyists, per se. The right to petition our government is fundamental.
But, I do have a problem with lobbyists who line their pockets working for the interests of foreign governments to the detriment of our national interests. Those who push any kind of globalist agenda that erodes our national sovereignty are Benedict Arnolds of the worst possible sort.
My main focus concerning this story is on Mitt Romney’s hypocrisy in railing at Washington, when some of the biggest power players in that city, the men who have brought us to where we are, are his closest advisors.
In fact, I’m writing an article right now that contrasts the foreign policy views of Alan Keyes and Ron Paul. It’s entitled:
“Alan Keyes vs. Ron Paul: America is called to be a shining city on a hill, not a lamp under a bushel.”
First your focus on Mitt calling out McCain’s lobbyists yet having some of his own: Fine. Romney still had a point on degree to which McCain is in it and he’s got outsiders, but so do you.
On Internationalism, I’ll address it to you, but it’s really to the ‘drift’ I see some discussions take once a few buzzwords get popped off, like CFR, NWO, etc., excuse the length:
“America is called to be a shining city on a hill, not a lamp under a bushel.”
Yes, and it is even more than that. We benefit from several trillion worth of trade. We have deep interconnections with the rest of the global economy, and our standard of living greatly depends on it. We are today the First of Nations, a pacesetter and leader in the world. I’m a guy who’s visited over two dozen countries in my travels and career, and it is foolish to ignore how much influence and interaction we have on the rest of the world. It’s tinfoil nuttery to see a dark conspiracy under every statement of global co-operation or allied engagement to address global issues.
These issues are real. We are not an island unto ourselves anymore - that ended with Pearl Harbor, and 911 was a reminder. If we conservatives have zero answer for these issues except to run away, then the socialists will have the ‘only’ solution. This goes to issues like global warming, the war on terror, even the UN’s role in the world. Abolishing or withdrawing from the UN is a far less realistic goal than laying out how a *freedom-oriented* global arrangement of sovereign nations would work and advocating that as an alternative. Redefine the UN along those lines and you have ground you can stand on.
I am a conservative who believes in freedom and believes it is a universal, not American, construct, just as Tom Jefferson penned it in the declaration of independence. If we apply these principles to the global problems we face, we come up with a very forward-looking pro-freedom agenda. I am saddened that good conservatives are castigated by folks for advocating that approach in international affairs.
I posted Romney’s statement that he was willing to have America withdraw from certain UN activities that were un-American and counterproductive. This Bolton-like bluntness is refreshing and needed. What’s not needed imho is Ron Paul like isolationism. We’ve got to engage or the world gets more in the orbit of the socialists and dictators.
I see nothing nefarious in what Vin Weber did, either as a Reaganite Congressman helping Newt or since then as a lobbyist helping out different organizations interact in DC. So he worked out a deal with Helms and others on UN funding? That’s *bad*?!? I simply have to step off the bandwagon of those who see NAFTA as something awful (it wasnt, it helped our economy); those who see CFR as a conspiracy (its not, Fred Thompson is in it) etc. The people who oppose these will have to be precise and specific about what is so horrible about engaging the world and come up with a credible engagement policy for how the US approaches the rest of the world. Fearmongering over acronyms and buzzwords doesnt cut it anymore.
Interesting. Consider #154 as my 2 cents on the topic.
Hear what the Netherlands say about this
When Journalists Lose Their Temper (Mitt)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1955834/posts
Not everything, but a lot of it. Perhaps later in the day I'll get some time to come back in and address some of the specifics.
“What will you do without freedom idiot?...”
RE: Speak for yourself. Some individuals buy whatever BS is offered under the conservative brand name, so long as some anointed “expert” among the cadre of talking heads provides rubber-stamp cover for questionable ingredients. I read product labels closely, and Romney’s contains mostly synthetic starch, artificial flavorings and added color. His “conservatism” neither looks, smells, or tastes like the genuine product. I was force-fed a steady diet of Chef Boy Romney’s RINO-roni for a few years in the Gay State of Fagachusetts. I not willing to eat another bite.
“...Joining FR a little late aren’t you for being such a warrior?...”
RE: Been here a while, chief. My life does not revolve around the blogosphere... and you?
“...Go back to DU”
RE: Never been there... not in this life or the one previous. However You would make a perfect poster child for the gullible — desperate to board Mitt Romney’s ‘Love Boat’... Let me guess... you just love those pearly white teeth and his immaculately pressed suit.
NYC Republican, eh? Then you ought know a genuine conservative could never hold the corner office in Massachusetts. RINO’s, however, are always welcome in the Gay State House.
Ask William ‘No-Fetus-Can-Beat-Us’ Weld, Paul ‘Dom Paul ‘I-never-met-a-hack-I-would’nt-place-on the-state-payroll’ Cellucci, Jane ‘It’s-my-plane’ Swift... oh yes, and Boy ‘Wonder-if-I’ll-get-a-pass-on-this’ Romney. Thanks gov, for making Massachusetts the first government in all human history to legalize “marriage” between turd-burglin’ butt pirates.
You want flippin’ issues? Here are three:
Abortion, Gay ‘Rights’, and Gun Control... not necessarily in that order.
Romney couldn’t put the brakes on one activist lesbian judge working the MSJC... but you, and others here, think he’s going to reign in the looney-toon hacks of the US Congress? BWA-HAW-HAW-HAW. To paraphrase Boy Wonder: “Make any promise”
Sorry, but he wasn't.
"If the choice is international engagement versus the folly of isolationism"
No, the choice is Elitism, global integration and interdependence versus Pluralism, sovereignty and independence.
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