Posted on 10/18/2004 11:20:37 PM PDT by Interesting Times
This is an overview of the emerging campaign finance scandal involving the Kerry campaign and lobbyists for the terror-supporting regime in Iran.
At the center of the controversy is one Hassan Nemazee, listed as a Vice-Chair by the Kerry campaign, and identified by CBS News as having raised more than $500,000 for the campaign.
Nemazee has served on the Board of the American Iranian Council, the Iranian American Political Action Committee (IAPAC), and the Asia Society, all of which favor negotiations with the mullahs' regime and eventual normalization of relations with Iran.
A group of Iranian-Americans formed the Student Movement Coordination Committee for Democracy in Iran (SMCCDI) in 1997 to oppose the radical Islamic regime. Last year they wrote an open letter calling on Senator Edward Kennedy to disassociate himself with the then-newly-formed Iranian American Political Action Committee (IAPAC), which they described as a "lobby group for a terrorist regime." The letter, signed by SMCCDI coordinator Aryo B. Pirouznia, described Hassan Nemazee as a "discredited and well-known individual who's seeking to legitimize the tyrannical Islamic Republic regime," and stated that "Nemazee's agenda and ultimate goal has been the promotion and support of relations with it."
The characterization of Nemazee as "discredited" seems to stem from some extremely dubious business dealings outlined in a 1999 Forbes Magazine article titled Warning Flags. Nemazee, then a Clinton Administration appointee for the position of U.S. Ambassador to Argentina, withdrew his name from consideration for that post shortly after the Forbes article was published.
Nemazee filed suit against the SMCCDI and Aryo Pirouznia, alleging defamation of character and denying the charge that he was an agent of the Iranian regime who was promoting that regime's interests in the U.S. The SMCCDI responded with a counter-suit against Nemazee.
In the first presidential debate on September 30, 2004, Senator Kerry said:
"With respect to Iran, the British, French, and Germans were the ones who initiated an effort without the United States, regrettably, to begin to try to move to curb the nuclear possibilities in Iran. I believe we could have done better. I think the United States should have offered the opportunity to provide the nuclear fuel, test them, see whether or not they were actually looking for it for peaceful purposes. If they weren't willing to work a deal, then we could have put sanctions together."
Marc Morano of CNS news summarized the state of affairs on October 12 in Top Kerry Donor Faces Allegations About Iranian Propaganda.
On October 14, Aryo Pirouznia and his representatives held a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, at which they accused Nemazee and the Kerry campaign of trying to delay answering questions about his influence on the Kerry campaign until after the election. Aryo Pirouznia introduced himself as the coordinator of an organization "focused on freedom in my homeland." Attorney Bob Jenevein explained that neither Nemazee nor the Kerry campaign had responded to repeated requests for information. Dr. Jerry Corsi, co-author of the #1 best-seller "Unfit for Command" announced that he is working with Aryo B. Pirouznia on a new a book, Atomic Islam. He excoriated Kerry for offering nuclear fuel to Iran, noting that "the State Department has classified the Islamic regime in Tehran and the most avid state-sponsor of terrorism in the world today." Insight Magazine reporter and author Kenneth Timmerman charged that the Kerry campaign had violated the law by taking contributions from Susan Akbarpour, a pro-regime fund-raised who was neither a citizen nor possessed a green card at that time. A complete transcript of the press conference can be found here.
In Just naive, or breathtakingly stupid? Dr. Jerome Corsi noted that Kerry supports all three goals of the regime's lobbyists: 1) to normalize diplomatic and economic relations, 2) to include Iran in the World Trade Organization, and 3) to give Iran access to nuclear fuel.
Kenneth Timmerman expanded on his press conference remarks on Kerry's support for the regime's agenda in Kerry's Iran Scandal.
Jeff Gannon of Talon News weighed in the next day with Kerry Taking Campaign Contributions From Pro-Iranian Group.
Nemazee was formally deposed on October 18th, saying, remarkably, that normalizing relations with Iran would be a mistake, that Iran should not be trusted with nuclear materials, and that he favors regime change -- see Kerry Iranian fund-raiser repudiates him on Tehran.
Where does the story go from here? Does each quo have a corresponding quid? Stay tuned...
Iranian freedom ping.
Ping.
Regards,
TS
Thanks for the ping. I must say, why doesn't this suprise me?
John Kerry, he's everywhere America's enemies want to be.
Under oath, even Mr. Nemazee, John Kerry's top Iranian fund-raiser, completely repudiated John Kerry's policy. Mr. Nemazee testified that Sen. Kerry had not asked his opinion, but if the senator had asked, Mr. Nemazee would have advised that the Iranian Islamic regime cannot be trusted but to have any intention other than to build nuclear weapons. Mr. Nemazee freely agreed that the current Iranian government is a terror-exporting regime, and he openly stated his wish for regime change.
What possibly could be going on here? Did Nemazee back the wrong candidate? Please, somebody give Mr. Nemazee a telephone. He needs to call the candidate before Sen. Kerry makes a horrible mistake and gives the mad mullahs nuclear fuel.
Or, was Nemazee not stating his true position under oath? Could we be experiencing a repeat of Bill Clinton's infamous Chinagate? Was Kerry willing to trade access to nuclear technology and nuclear fuel in return for generous campaign contributions? These are important questions. Maybe the truth was spoken by Nemazee's money, not the words he uttered at his deposition. Maybe Mr. Nemazee had achieved with Sen. Kerry's nuclear policy statement in the debate result he had intended.
One thing was for sure: The liberal, mainstream media were nowhere in sight. ABC, NBC, CBS, the New York Times, and the Washington Post wanted to be as far away as possible from the Nemazee deposition ... a story that might taint their predetermined candidate.
old nemazee ping
Thanks!
BTT
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