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
We...ahem...I mean, THEY, THEY all do that.
He’s a great guy. One of Newt gingrich’s crew back in the day.
IIRC, Weber left the House in disgrace after being caught red-handed in the check kiting scandal.
http://www.reliablepolitics.com/2007/10/romney-un-failure.html
Mitt Romney is not so fond of the organization himself, particularly the Human Rights Council.
“The United Nations has been an extraordinary failure of late,” Romney said in response to a question at a pancake house along the coast of early voting South Carolina. “We should withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Council.”
A spokesman clarified the statement.
“The governor believes we ought to withdraw completely from the U.N. Human Rights Council, and that means ending our financial support in addition to not seeking a seat on the council,” Fehrnstrom said. “We should not legitimize the council, either with financial or diplomatic support.”
Huh, didnt put a crimp in Barbara Boxer’s career. Funny how that works. Still a good guy.
Heh...that’s gonna leave a mark!
Sorry, didn’t mean to step on you. Just for the record, my guy Huck had an earlier post where he was accused in the push-poll controversy because one of his donors also donated to the push poll company.
They all have something, but it is mostly nothing.
No worries.
Oh No! You found me out! The loonie leftists and I have one thing in common!
We stand firm in our positions and we don't like politicians that lie to us....
How can you come away saying that Romney is firm on his positions now when they just conveniently changed not that long ago? How can you support a person when his position is constantly moving out from under you?
...Pathetic.
“Oh No! You found me out! The loonie leftists and I have one thing in common!”
Thought so. Childlike antics and poor thinking.
Read Ann Coulter’s piece endorsing Romney.
Rationalization.
“Now, I don’t take these accusations all that seriously. It’s just funny how if you wanna smear someone, it’s pretty easy.”
EV could use that as a tagline!
“Fred Thompson’s donors were tied to a firm accused of overcharging Medicaid... accepted at least $13,800 from a Tennessee family that oversaw a pharmaceutical company accused of ripping off federal and state governments.”
Yeah, so what is that to me? Did I make any statement of support for Fred Thompson... I’m still p.o.’d at him for not impeaching Clinton.
Frankly, I am not too impressed with any of these guys... and could give a reason not to support each one. Not surprising that the GOP can always be trusted to provide a field of quasi-conservatives. I’m rather tired of being place in a position where I must chose the “lesser of evils” — That only advances the disease more slowly... It is still terminal for the culture and country... But I digress.
The issue is weather UN hacks should have the opportunity to further separate this Republic from its Constitution. How far into socialism must this nation descend until the so-called “conservatives” pull their heads from their bung holes?
I would rather eat glass than vote for Mitt Romney... I lived in Massachusetts long enough to observe that no conservative ever gets elected there... To wit the MA GOP is full of RINO bait. Period. Unless you lived there, you don’t know beans.
You could use that as a Romney campaign slogan.
Good post.
We need an honest debate about what policies and what sacrifices will ensure a strong America and a safe world. As President Ronald Reagan once observed, "There have been four wars in my lifetime. None of them came about because the United States was too strong." A strong America requires a strong military and a strong economy. And we need to take further action if we are to remain strong and if we are to build a safe world, with peace, prosperity, freedom, and dignity. Doing so will be controversial, and it will be strongly resisted because it will require dramatic changes to Cold War institutions and approaches. The Cold War is over, and the world that too many of our current capabilities and alliances were created to address no longer exists. We cannot remain mired in the past.
Change is difficult in and of itself. And it is especially hard to summon the will necessary to set a new course in the absence of a clear and convincing crisis."
============================================
Rising to a New Generation of Global Challenges
Mitt Romney
From Foreign Affairs, July/August 2007
(Thats called internationalism - and it's gonna sting)
That's your right. Why is everyone so angry?
Anyone who endorses Romney has no leg to stand on...literally. But they might have some extra change before it's over....literally.
Heh heh...
“Why is everyone so angry?”
Truly, you jest?
Angry, no... Freaking disgusted beyond words is a more accurate description of my mental state. At the risk of boring you, I will state once again: I AM FED UP WITH THE PHONY “MARKETABLE” GOP THAT CONSISTENTLY OFFERS NOTHING BUT FECKLESS PHONY CONSERVATIVES... AND THEN PAYS TO HAVE A CADRE OF TALKING HEADS ATTEMPT TO CLEAN THEIR SOILED LAUNDRY WITH SOME NEW AND IMPROVED RATIONALIZATION. Either you are a man of principle, or you are a B.S. artist. A man cannot ride two horses with one ass.
“..the United States and our allies need to be prepared to deal not only with the struggle against jihadists but with a new generation of challenges that go far beyond any single nation or conflict.”
What’s your problem with this clearly correct statement?
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