Posted on 04/20/2005 9:18:27 AM PDT by ArmyBratproud
The woman whose testimony now threatens to derail John Bolton's nomination as U.N. ambassador claims he was "genuinely behaving like a madman" during a 1994 trip to Moscow.
But she's a self-described "liberal Democrat" who helped organize the Dallas chapter of "Mothers Opposing Bush" during last year's presidential campaign.
Story Continues Below
Melody Townsel first offered her bizarre allegation to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 8, in a letter claiming that during a trip ten years ago to Kyrgyzstan, Bolton chased her through the halls of a her hotel throwing objects and screaming threats.
In her unlikely account Ms. Townsel said the harassment was not sexual.
Still, her uncorroborated story appears to have prompted at least one key Republican on the committee to withdraw his support for Bolton, forcing a delay in the vote.
"I don't feel comfortable voting today," Ohio Republican George Voinovich told the committee on Tuesday. "I think we ought to get the information [and] get a chance to have [the allegations] rebutted," he added.
Ms. Townsel was a subcontractor for the U.S. Agency for International Development at the time she and Bolton worked together.
"For nearly two weeks, while I awaited fresh direction from my company and from USAID, John Bolton hounded me in such an appalling way that I eventually retreated to my hotel room and stayed there," Townsel claimed, in quotes first reported by the New York Sun on Monday.
"Mr. Bolton, of course, then routinely visited me there to pound on the door and shout threats," she continued.
The paper also uncovered the Bolton accuser's anti-Bush credentials.
Townsel's allegations which were touted by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's ranking Democrat, Joe Biden, who told his colleagues on Tuesday that the Bolton accuser was willing to sign a sworn affidavit to back her story.
Biden read from Townsel's letter:
"When I was dispatching a letter to AID, my hell began. Mr. Bolton proceeded to chase me through the halls of a Russian hotel, throwing things at me, shoving threatening letters under my door, and genuinely behaving like a madman."
But in an interview with the Sun, Townsel admitted that she has no witnesses to back her claims. "There were people aware of the harassment, but they are not willing to come forward because they have existing business with the government," she said.
Townsel also admitted she was a staunch Bush basher, explaining, "There is no question that I have been a vocal and outspoken critic of this administration and I am a very liberal Democrat."
Asked why she didn't go public with her complaint in 2001, when Bolton's nomination for undersecretary of state was being considered by the same committee, Townsel said that at the time she had retreated from politics and was raising young children.
I saw an interview on C-span with that Kos guy--he is a vet, but he says he won't even read a conservative website or publication---hm.....
Is he more afraid of FRee Republic than an armed enemy?
Yes! Rather than having Biden and Dodd whispering her allegations, rolling their eyes, and running wild on that committee, let's put the MONEY where their MOUTH is.
Let her have her Anita Hill moment.
It is WAY past time these GOP fools STOOD UP to lies and character assassinations.
What the heck is this ???
http://www.townsel-communications.com/
December 18, 2001 12:20 p.m.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Reprinted with permission of The Wall Street Journal © 2001 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Sen. Joe Biden (D., Dela.) paid John Bolton a compliment during the fight over his confirmation as undersecretary of state for arms control and international security last spring. "This is not about your competence," Mr. Biden told the former Reagan and Bush official. "My problem with you over the years is that you've been too competent. I mean, I would rather you be stupid and not very effective."
http://www.classicalvalues.com/archives/002241.html
Let's not dwell on the past . . .
We have a lot of moms who are concerned about everything from the deficit to air quality, particularly in North Texas.
-- Melody Townsel, of Mothers Opposing Bush, last summer.
And NO close door session
I want her interviewed in the open
April 13, 2005
Payback for Partisan Thuggery
Bush to Bolton: thanks for helping me steal the 2000 election now feel free to piss on the world.
Posted by majority at April 13, 2005 06:34 AM
http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/politics/11427121.htm
Edwin Hullander, who was an executive vice president for International Business, said the Moscow hotel was under heavy security and that no incidents were reported. "I have a hard time believing that anything like this could have happened," said Hullander, now a senior economist at USAID.
Good research, Mo1. Townsel's story just doesn't ring true with me at all.
I particularly like the photos of the principals as little girls with their childhood photos.
If Melody Townsel is indeed the woman portrayed in the photo, what's she doing living in Oak Cliff? Not that there aren't some white people living there, it's not a good place to be white. At least to my knowledge. I could be wrong.
Thanks for the post.
Sounds like he is clear to be a Democratic President.
"Dan Rather probably could have put them in touch with somebody"
Dan is out of work these days, he could probably have done it hisself... :-)
Heads up....
just checked that Townsel-communications web site.
The Folks Who Pay us section that listed Adrovett, who Amy Boardman Hunt worked with ....is now under construction.
It still shows in the section that is marked "Our Dance Partners"
I figured I would post this as a matter of record
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