Posted on 05/18/2006 5:37:16 PM PDT by wjersey
The US Senate is looking into allegations that a former US senator urged Baghdad to give a US company lucrative contracts under the much-criticised United Nations oil-for-food programme.
This is the first time that a leading US lawmaker has been linked to the controversial UN programme, whose shortcomings have been an important element of the Bush administration's critique of the UN.
The investigation involves one of the most vivid figures in US east coast politics, former senator Robert Torricelli, a New Jersey Democrat who was forced to pull out of the 2002 election after being "severely admonished" by the Senate ethics committee for accepting expensive gifts from David Chang, a campaign contributor. Mr Chang, a Korean-American businessman, was found guilty in 2002 of conspiring to violate federal campaign laws and was jailed for 15 months.
Senator Norm Coleman, the Republican chairman of the US Senate permanent sub-committee on investigations, said: "We take these allegations seriously and will continue to investigate in a bipartisan manner allegations of wrongdoing under the oil-for-food programme. We have investigated the illicit conduct of politicians in Russia, France, and the UK. We have a similar interest in preserving the institutional integrity of the US Senate, so we take these allegations regarding former Senator Torricelli seriously and will continue our investigation into them and will refer our findings to the appropriate agencies." The British, French and Russian politicians investigated by the subcommittee deny the allegations.
The allegations are based on Iraqi documents, including diplomatic cables, retrieved after the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iraq's former president.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
presumably he is the scapegoat for whatever other US lawmakers would have been involved since he is already history.
A similar principle might help explain the bipartisan love affair with China, at least as far as trade goes.
Money talks, and governments (some individuals in governments, more correctly) are for sale for the right price.
http://www.politicsnj.com/kornacki092602_DOJ.htm
(snip)
Chang told prosecutors that over a several-year period he plied the Torricelli with gifts of "antiques, jewelry, clothing, electronic equipment and decorative items as well as thousands of dollars of cash payments." According to the memo, Chang told the prosecutors that while he was showering gifts on Torricelli, the senator "provided many forms of assistance to Chang and his companies, including recommending Chang's companies for government contracts, introducing Chang and his business associates to foreign business leaders, and attempting to enlist the assistance of State Department and National Security officials" in recovering a debt from the North Korean government.
In the memo, the prosecutors said that when news of Chang's cooperation leaked to the news media two years ago, the businessman was subjected to a campaign from Torricelli and his supporters designed to "vilify and discredit" him as "a delusional perjurer."
And her team are the Vultures of Corruption, too ... hang all the crooks .. no matter what party!! It's passed time for TERM LIMITS.
Eeeeeeeeesh. That article makes me think he'll slip by again.
The trip that McDermott, Bonoir and another Rep took to Baghdad just before the war was paid for by a minion in Detroit? I think that was an Iraqi and had ties to Saddam. They also each got a $5,000 campaign donation which they returned after the story broke. Just wondering if they could be tied to this.
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50D14FD3E5F0C7A8CDDAC0894D9404482&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fG%2fGrain
DISPLAYING FIRST 50 OF 1615 WORDS -Soon after Senator Robert G. Torricelli began his relationship with David Chang, the wealthy political contributor who says he gave the senator unreported gifts and cash, Mr. Torricelli intervened in an international business deal to help Mr. Chang recover a debt of more than $70 million. Mr. Torricelli, a.
IMHO our Jury system does a great job carrying out justice and I believe they would legislate just as well
A good look needs to be taken at all politicians, especially Senators, present and former.
In case you missed this....
My NKorea / Iraq / Clinton / Torricelli / Chang timeline at post 74
It needs updating since the Qadeer Khan network thing is barely hinted at here but the timing of Iraq's actions and N Korea's actions relative to Chang's visits with US politicians is curious even on this sparse timeline...
Thanks, StarFan. I'll read it tomorrow (too tired now).
Thanks for the ping, great timeline
My hypothesis on this is that if we (the sheeple) were to see the depth of corruption in our government, with all the details, there would be, among others things, an immediate tax revolt and possible constitutional convention.
Many countries are far more open about it (and more superficial as well in how much they ask for), but the smoke of so many items that I have seen in my lifetime pretty much tells me that at, at least at the congressional level, the cabinet level, and the executive high bureaucrat level, it is the norm. This is without mentioning pardongate, the cox report, etc.
It is the human reality that governments invariably serve their own interests, including the personal interests of their more influential members. No getting around it.
ditto. Seems to be a systemic problem in the US Senate. It appears they're all on the take and certainly the immigration issue has brought that to light.
"To question my integrity is beneath contempt!" - The Torch
Nah, the (D)s are infected with a Culture of Criminality.
Thanks for the ping and link!!
But the Torch won't go quietly....
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