Posted on 03/05/2004 11:09:16 AM PST by Pikamax
Aristide Spent Millions to Lobby Washington VOA News 05 Mar 2004, 17:35 UTC
AP Jean-Bertrand Aristide U.S. Justice Department records show former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and his Lavalas Party spent more than $7 million in recent years to lobby the United States. The records show Mr. Aristide's government hired several lobbying firms from 1997 through 2002, while Haiti remained the poorest country in the Americas.
The records say the efforts were to contact members of Congress and other officials to discuss moving the democratic process in Haiti forward, as well as aid and other issues. The Washington Times newspaper reports that over the same time period, U.S. aid to Haiti declined.
On Monday, the Miami Herald quoted government officials in Haiti and Washington as saying Mr. Aristide paid between $6 and $9 million annually for his bodyguards.
Earlier this week, White House spokesman Scott McClellan accused Mr. Aristide's government of condoning corruption, including drug trafficking, and of committing acts of political violence against the opposition. Mr. McClellan did not give evidence for his assertions.
Mr. Aristide, who resigned and left Haiti on Sunday, has said the United States forced him from office in what he said amounted to a coup d'etat. On Thursday, he insisted in a phone interview obtained by the French news agency that he is still Haiti's president because he did not formally resign. He accused France of colluding with the United States to oust him.
Mr. Aristide also said he plans to return to his country.
OK, this is pretty good Mr. AP, but you didn't go far enough! Which lobbying firms?! Was it a firm dominated by, err, Democrats? Were they "minority-run" firms? Close ties with the Congressional Black Caucus, perhaps? Does Randall Robinson's name appear on any Board of Director's lists?
C'mon this stuff is easy to figure out -- if you have any curiousity whatsoever...
. . .and how about Hillary. . .or maybe some feedback to the other Clinton. . .afterall, they ensured Aristede's return to Haiti - or maybe they were paid a little something upfront.
I would be too with a sudden drop in my income.
Isn't this always the way? Nice to see him joining the ranks of paranoid, delusional ex-dictators. I'll bet he dresses up in his president's costume every day and insists that the people wherever he is salute him. LOL.
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