excerpt from Seattle Times article
Congressman Jim McDermott this week returned a $5,000 contribution made to his legal defense fund by an Iraqi-American businessman who has admitted to financial ties with Saddam Hussein's regime.
Shakir al-Khafaji, a Detroit-area businessman who had been active in the anti-Iraq-war movement and who accompanied McDermott, D-Seattle, on his highly publicized trip to Iraq in 2002, acknowledged to the Financial Times of London this week that he received lucrative vouchers for Iraqi oil from Saddam's government.
The oil-voucher story surfaced in January, when a Baghdad newspaper published what it said was an Iraqi government document naming 270 recipients of oil vouchers from around the world. Al-Khafaji was one of two Americans on the list, which included French, British and Russian political and business leaders and many prominent opponents of the war.
In 2002, Al-Khafaji accompanied McDermott and Reps. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., and David Bonior, D-Mich., on a trip to Iraq, during which McDermott gained national attention for criticizing President Bush and calling for an alternative to war.
Aide says McDermott wasn't aware of Saddam link
McDermott should have been aware of the Iraqi connection.
When I tried to get the link up the second time it didn’t work.
Here’s the Google link to page and the listing.
The Seattle Times: Local News: Aide says McDermott wasn’t aware of ...Shakir al-Khafaji, a Detroit-area businessman who had been active in the ... DeCesare said McDermott decided to return the contribution immediately upon ...
seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001905911_mcdermott17m.html - 38k - Cached - Similar pages