Posted on 09/26/2009 1:54:13 PM PDT by jazusamo
A bipartisan group of House members is blasting the Obama administration for its plan to send $400,000 to foundations connected to the children of Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi.
The group of more than two dozen lawmakers, led by Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), said that the State Department proposal to provide funds to nonprofit groups led by Gadhafi's son and daughter sends the wrong message to families of victims of the 1988 Lockerbie plane bombing. Gadhafi last month celebrated the return to Libya of the only person convicted in the bombing, Abdelbaset al Megrahi, who was released by the Scottish government on grounds of compassion.
"Just weeks after the Qaddafi family celebrated the return of a terrorist responsible for the murders of 189 Americans, the U.S. taxpayer should not be asked to reward them with $400,000," Kirk said in a statement.
Kirk and the group sent a letter to President Obama asking him to withdraw their proposal for funding for funding. The letter was signed by 18 Republicans and eight Democrats.
The White House did not respond to request for comment.
According to a State Department letter to Congress, $200,000 in U.S. aid would be used to train staff at the Gadhafi Development Foundation, which is seeking to build international relationships, increase transparency among other non-profit organizations and implement political and economic reforms. The foundation is led by Saif Gadhafi, the son of the Libyan leader.
Another $200,000 would go to promote women's economic opportunities. Kirk said that money would end up with a group led by Gadhafi's daughter, Aisha, who also works with the United Nations Development Program.
The State Department said it would send a total of $2.5 million out of its 2009 budget to support U.S. government agencies in Libya. The North African country had been on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terror. The Bush administration restored diplomatic relations to Libya in 2005, after Gadhafi renounced his program to build weapons of mass destruction.
Kirk said he is using his privileges as a House appropriator to put a hold on the funding request. Kirk said he is considering an amendment to an appropriations bill that would block the State Department from giving out the funds if the Obama administration doesn't withdraw its proposal.
Kirk noted that the State Department told Congress of its plan to give money to the Libyan organizations on Wednesday, the same day Gadhafi gave a rambling speech at the United Nations in which he suggested Israel was involved in a conspiracy to assassinate President John F. Kennedy.
The GOP House members signing Kirk's letter were: Frank LoBiondo (N.J.), Charlie Dent (Pa.), Tom Price (Ga.), Greg Walden (Ore.), Jason Chaffetz (Utah), Ginny Brown-Waite (Fla.), Joe Pitts (Pa.), Steve Austria (Ohio), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.), Todd Tiahrt (Kan.), Lee Terry (Neb.), Judy Biggert (Ill.), Jeff Fortenberry (Neb.), Pete Sessions (Texas), Frank Wolf (Va.), Roscoe Bartlett (Md.) and Dan Burton (Ind.).
The Democrats who signed the letter were: Reps. Shelley Berkley (Nev.), Michael McMahon (N.Y.), John Adler (N.J.), Melissa Bean (Ill.), Brad Sherman (Calif.), Gerry Connolly (Va.), Ron Klein (Fla.) and Robert Wexler (Fla.).
Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.)
snort... he voted for cap and trade... he’s trash
Yep, but he got this one right.
Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
He represents my family in Illinois. I’m trying to help
them learn who this fecal matter sphincter pucker really is.
My brother in law is aware but the others are all blind to his antics.
He’s nothing more than another Arlen Spechter.
Kirk sees conservatives as stupid neanderthals that have been placated for the first time in his career so they'll get "back in line" now that he has a primary opponent. Funny how "conservatives can't win" in Illinois but the RINOs always come crawling to us for money and volunteers and votes. Hey if the evil right wing is too small and marginalized to win elections why doesn't he just ask for help from the liberals and moderates and "independents" that decide things?
At least it's fun watching him have to pretend to be something he loathes.
Specter is a good comparison. Does his opponent in the primary have a reasonable chance of beating him?
I'm supporting Dr. Eric Wallace as he appears to be the best of the anti-Kirk challengers we have. Many other national conservatives appeal to be rallying around Dr. Wallace as well, although there a number of conservative "leaders" in the state who "drafted" Pat Hughes and feel he's the better candidate (I fear Pat Hughes may be the 'Fred Thompson' of this race as he seems to have jumped in too late and gotten off to a rocky start).
Bottom line is if we can consolidate the field and get ONE conservative opponent to take on Kirk in a one on one race, there's a decent chance of beating him. But if it's six conservatives vs. Kirk, the RINO should skate through the primary against divided opposition.
So now the Obamessiah is into handing our tax dollars over to obscure arabic/muslim groups that do who knows what with it!
Does this idiot realize how much health care for some of the poor and needy he is whining about all the time would buy?
I am so sick of this MORON’s actions my hair is frizzling! His arrogance in thinking WE are stupid when his backing of anti-American causes is so transparent to anybody with half a brain can spot his deliberate attempt to throw our money at anything out of the country!
Thanks for the info. I help Dr. Wallace out a little if it’ll help defeat Kirk.
Stop......would you rather have an ALL-OUT DEMOCRAT or a RINO? The are NO OTHER CHOICES for Illinois, it seems. I want NO MORE DEMOCRATS....PERIOD....and Kirk is still a REP.
Are you familiar with the surrounding Chicago suburbs?
If you were you would know that Kirk is more a (D) than (R)
Pro abortion, anti guns, voted for cap and trade, he can be beat.
Why support an Ultra Rino?
Just because we can?
I disagree with you on this one.
I live in Rep. Kirk’s district, and I agree with ThreePuttinDude. Rep. Kirk’s latest rating from Planned Parenthood is 100%; his latest rating from Gun Owners of America is 0%. He says that he opposes earmarks, but he ensured that the federal government gave at least $5 million, each, in our district, for HUD, Headstart, commuter trains, and local police depts. Therefore, he’s a hypocrite and a liar. In May 2007, when 11 republican congressmen went to the White House and told Bush that they opposed the Iraq surge, Kirk was the group’s leader.
The best candidate, in that race, is Dr. Eric Wallace. He’s pro-tax cuts, pro-spending cuts, pro-life, and pro-gun rights. I’m his Northern Cook Co. coordinator.
No...I live by Water Tower.
LOL! That pretty much covers that looney toons diatribe.
In the case of some candidates, you can get both because the RINO will jump ship and caucus with the Democrats as soon as the best opportunity arises to help their career. Witness Arlen Specter and Jim Jeffords. Kirk is in the same vein as those two and would be a Democrat today if it weren't for coincidence that he got hired by a Republican congressman back in the 80s.
>> There are NO OTHER CHOICES for Illinois, it seems <<
I count at least six or seven choices in Illinois who are neither all out Democrats or RINOs. They are conservative candidates for U.S. Senate. The best of them, IMO, is Eric Wallace.
Give us a break with that crap already. You don’t want “no more Democrats” ? Stop supporting RINOs. RINOs are Democrats that have infiltrated the Republican party.
I hear Kirk will wear a Ronald Reagan mask for Halloween.
I was at the GOP convention and saw Mark Kirk pretending to be a Republican yesterday along with Bill Brady pretending, Kirk Dillard Pretending etc etc
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