Brown Rips Into Bush Administration Official

Miami Herald.com ^ | 2/25/04 | Ken Thomas/AP

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

MIAMI - U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown verbally attacked a top Bush administration official during a briefing on the Haiti crisis Wednesday, calling the President's policy on the beleaguered nation "racist" and his representatives "a bunch of white men."

Her outburst was directed at Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega during a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill. Noriega, a Mexican-American, is the State Department's top official for Latin America.

"I think it was an emotional response of her frustration with the administration," said David Simon, a spokesman for the Jacksonville Democrat. He noted that Brown, who is black, is "very passionate about Haiti."

Brown sat directly across the table from Noriega and yelled into a microphone. Her comments sent a hush over the hourlong meeting, which was attended by about 30 people, including several members of Congress and Bush administration officials.

Noriega later told Brown: "As a Mexican-American, I deeply resent being called a racist and branded a white man," according to three participants.

Brown then told him "you all look alike to me," the participants said.

During the meeting, Brown criticized the administration's response to the escalating violence in Haiti, where rebels opposing President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's government have seized control of large parts of the country.

After her comments about white men, Noriega said he would "relay that to (Secretary of State) Colin Powell and (national security adviser) Condoleezza Rice the next time I run into them," participants said. Powell and Rice are black.

A State department spokesman did not return a phone message.

U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-West Palm Beach, who organized the meeting, called the comments "disappointing."

"To sit there and browbeat this man who is a Mexican-American and call him names, it was inappropriate," Foley said.

Brown has criticized the detention of Haitian migrants fleeing their country and the freezing of millions of dollars in aid over flawed 2000 legislative elections in the impoverished Caribbean nation. In a statement Wednesday, she made parallels to the disputed 2000 election in Florida.

"It simply mystifies me how President Bush, a president who was selected by the Supreme Court under more than questionable circumstances (in my district alone 27,000 votes were thrown out), is telling another country that their elections were not fair and that they are therefore undeserving of aid or international recognition," Brown said.

Participants at the meeting included eight members of Florida's congressional delegation, U.S. Reps. Christopher Cox, R-Calif., and Maxine Waters, D-Calif.; John Maisto, U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States, and Adolfo Franco, an assistant administrator with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown verbally attacked a top Bush administration official during a briefing on the Haiti crisis Wednesday, calling the President's policy on the beleaguered nation "racist" and his representatives "a bunch of white men."

When you're a black Democrat, it's okay to throw a screaming tirade. Do you think a black Republican would be given a pass for calling a Democrat a traitor or saying truthfully that Democrats keep their power by keeping people impoverished and living on govt. handouts would get a pass? Yeah, forget about it...

[DustyMoment]

Brown is a noted racist who hails from central Florida and keeps her Congressional seat by labeling all challengers as racists.

This is not a surprising tactic by her, it is politics as usual for her. Central Florida deserves much better.

[Viking2002]

I'd have head-kicked this uppity pig right out of her chair. Which is why I could never be a 'bureaucrat'.

[montag813]

He noted that Brown, who is black, is "very passionate about Haiti."

Then perhaps she should move there. I would imagine real estate prices are a good bargain in Haiti right now. I will volunteer to help Ms Brown pack her bags.

[montag813]

Brown then told him "you all look alike to me," the participants said.

BLACK RACISM IN ACTION. UNREPORTED AS USUAL.

[Texasforever]

Great post.

[JohnnyZ]

I think Foley's comments were pretty "disappointing" as well. Thank God Mel Martinez will (most likely) be the GOP Senate nominee in Florida and not Closet Boy Foley.

I find your comments disappointing. To sit there and browbeat this man who is a Closeted-American and call him names, that's just inappropriate.

[Morgan's Raider]

Another of the neobolshevik pigs of the "progressive" caucus...

[FreeAtlanta]

We got rid of Cynthia "ridiculous" McKinney in the last election, when is your turn for this women?

[John Jorsett]

I hope this was captured on video tape and that her opponent in November has the guts to use it.

[Husker24]

I think it was an emotional response of her frustration with the administration," said David Simon, a spokesman for the Jacksonville Democrat. He noted that Brown, who is black, is "very passionate about Haiti."

What a wussified response. He should have said "look B****, why dont you shut your M*****F****** mouth untill you have something intelligent to say, you racist B****," Were not throwing away any more money into that sh** hole."

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

I'd like to thank my many supporters who made it possible for me to be here today.

[mafree]

Sissoko was famous for giving away cash, jewelry and expensive cars to friends, lawyers and needy strangers.

I'd like to meet this guy. I need the $.

[Humidston]

Bingo!

[Humidston]

She needs to have a private talk with Queen Sheila... Get the name of Sheila's Beautee Shoppe so she can get herself one of them "crowns" like the Queen wears!

[whadizit]

Man, this woman is so full of hate she must be a miserable person. I wonder if anyone reminded her that it was her patron saint of do-nothing, BC, that messed up things down there to start with. WE ARE ALWAYS HAVING TO REPAIR THE MISTAKES THE CLINTON ADM. MADE.

[Imal]

U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown verbally attacked a top Bush administration official during a briefing on the Haiti crisis Wednesday, calling the President's policy on the beleaguered nation "racist" and his representatives "a bunch of white men."

So early into the year, and already a top contender for the 2004 Flaming Racist Hypocrit Award.

The girl's got a gift for it, I'll give her that.

[tutstar]

She is trouble.

The Roll Call report, which cited two other pending investigations, depended on numerous unnamed sources.

Brown declined to comment yesterday. Recently, Brown said the investigation remained active only because Republicans hoped to use it against her this fall.

The ethics investigation against Brown stems from a $50,000 Lexus that Brown's daughter received from an African businessman facing a prison sentence.

Brown lobbied the Justice Department to deport the businessman rather than send him to prison. The man, convicted of trying to bribe customs officials to allow him to ship helicopters out of the country, went to prison.

After reports about the Lexus surfaced, Brown's daughter sold the car and donated the proceeds to charity.
http://jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/072900/met_3665966.html

IMO she is one of those whose success depends on convincing the black population that they are still oppressed. I'm in no way saying that there are not injustices still occurring to those who are minorites, only that some of their own are using it to their advantage.
I have several conservative black friends who would never vote for her.
She raised a big stink about redistricting also. The voters in her district would be much better off to vote for Jennifer Carroll. Jennifer just may beat her if she runs next time.

[tutstar]

I just checked and found that (true to form) the Jacksonville paper buried this in the Florida news section. Not on front page wouldn't want any of Corrine's voters to know what a racist she is would we now.
Neither does the Jacksonville paper do any significant news about the shenanigans of FL Sen Pres Jim King.
If anyone cares to freep here's the paper
http://www.jacksonville.com/

[hattend]

Noriega later told Brown: "As a Mexican-American, I deeply resent being called a racist and branded a white man," according to three participants.

Brown then told him "you all look alike to me," the participants said.

Can't wait to hear about this outburst on CNNABCBSNBC.