Saddam Paid For Democrats Trip To Iraq
Saddam Hussein's intelligence agency secretly financed a trip to Iraq for three U.S. lawmakers during the run-up to the U.S.-led invasion, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
The three anti-war Democrats made the trip in October 2002, while the Bush administration was trying to persuade Congress to authorize military action against Iraq. While traveling, they called for a diplomatic solution.
Prosecutors say that trip was arranged by Muthanna Al-Hanooti, a Michigan charity official, who was charged Wednesday with setting up the junket at the behest of Saddam's regime. Iraqi intelligence officials allegedly paid for the trip through an intermediary and rewarded Al-Hanooti with 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil.
Al-Hanooti With McDermott, Boinor, and Thompson
The lawmakers are not named in the indictment but the dates correspond to a trip by Democratic Reps. Jim McDermott of Washington, David Bonior of Michigan and Mike Thompson of California. None was charged and Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said investigators "have no information whatsoever" any of them knew the trip was underwritten by Saddam.
Jim McDermott (D-WA) David Boinor (D-MI)
"Obviously, we didn't know it at the time," McDermott spokesman Michael DeCesare said Wednesday. "The trip was to see the plight of the Iraqi children. That's the only reason we went."
Both McDermott and Thompson are popular among liberal voters in their reliably Democratic districts for their anti-war views. Bonior is no longer in Congress.
Thompson released a statement Wednesday saying the trip was approved by the State Department.
Mike Thompson (D-CA)
"Obviously, had there been any question at all regarding the sponsor of the trip or the funding, I would not have participated," he said.
During the trip, the lawmakers expressed skepticism about the Bush administration's claims that Saddam was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction. Though such weapons ultimately were never found, the lawmakers drew criticism for their trip at the time.
Oklahoma Sen. Don Nickles, then the second-ranking Senate Republican, said the Democrats "sound somewhat like spokespersons for the Iraqi government." Seattle-area conservatives dubbed McDermott "Baghdad Jim" for the Iraq trip.
Don Nickles (R-OK)
Al-Hanooti was arrested Tuesday night while returning to the U.S. from the Middle East, where he was looking for a job, his attorney, James Thomas, said. Al-Hanooti pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign government, illegally purchasing Iraqi oil and lying to authorities. He was being held on $100,000 bail.
Al-Hanooti With Hillary Clinton
Between 1999 and 2006, he worked on and off as a public relations coordinator for Life for Relief and Development, a charity formed after the first Gulf War to fund humanitarian work in Iraq. FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force agents raided the charity's headquarters in 2006 but charged nobody and allowed the agency to continue operating.
Al-Hanooti With Al Gore
McDermott identified that charity as the group financing the Iraq trip. In House disclosure forms, he put the cost at $5,510. Thompson also understood the charity to be financing the trip, spokeswoman Anne Warden said.
Al-Hanooti With John Conyers
Prosecutors said Al-Hanooti was responsible for monitoring Congress for the Iraqi Intelligence Service. From 1999 to 2002, he allegedly provided Saddam's government with a list of U.S. lawmakers he believed favored lifting economic sanctions against Iraq.
Al-Hanooti With Syria's Assad
Thomas said Al-Hanooti would "vigorously defend" himself against the charges but he could not discuss the specifics of the case since he had seen none of the evidence.
Story Here
More Pictures With This Al-Hanooti Guy And Terrorists And Democrats
Was Congressmen's Iraq Trip Financed By Saddam?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YEAH! RIGHT! God only know's how many Democrats Saddam bribed and paid for trips to Iraq. Let's Guess how these guy's voted for or against enforcing Bill Clinton's Iraq Liberation Act Jesus is the Democrat Corruption ever going to stop? Doesnt something seem quite fishy about all this?
The three anti-war Democrats made the trip in October 2002, while the Bush administration was trying to persuade Congress to authorize military action against Iraq. While traveling, they called for a diplomatic solution.
Prosecutors say that trip was arranged by Muthanna Al-Hanooti, a Michigan charity official, who was charged Wednesday with setting up the junket at the behest of Saddam's regime. Iraqi intelligence officials allegedly paid for the trip through an intermediary and rewarded Al-Hanooti with 2 million barrels of Iraqi oil.
The lawmakers are not named in the indictment but the dates correspond to a trip by Democratic Reps. Jim McDermott of Washington, David Bonior of Michigan and Mike Thompson of California. None was charged and Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said investigators "have no information whatsoever" any of them knew the trip was underwritten by Saddam.
"Obviously, we didn't know it at the time," McDermott spokesman Michael DeCesare said Wednesday. "The trip was to see the plight of the Iraqi children. That's the only reason we went."
Both McDermott and Thompson are popular among liberal voters in their reliably Democratic districts for their anti-war views. Bonior is no longer in Congress.
Thompson released a statement Wednesday saying the trip was approved by the State Department.
"Obviously, had there been any question at all regarding the sponsor of the trip or the funding, I would not have participated," he said.
During the trip, the lawmakers expressed skepticism about the Bush administration's claims that Saddam was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction. Though such weapons ultimately were never found, the lawmakers drew criticism for their trip at the time.
Oklahoma Sen. Don Nickles, then the second-ranking Senate Republican, said the Democrats "sound somewhat like spokespersons for the Iraqi government." Seattle-area conservatives dubbed McDermott "Baghdad Jim" for the Iraq trip.
Al-Hanooti was arrested Tuesday night while returning to the U.S. from the Middle East, where he was looking for a job, his attorney, James Thomas, said. Al-Hanooti pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of conspiracy to act as an unregistered agent of a foreign government, illegally purchasing Iraqi oil and lying to authorities. He was being held on $100,000 bail.
Between 1999 and 2006, he worked on and off as a public relations coordinator for Life for Relief and Development, a charity formed after the first Gulf War to fund humanitarian work in Iraq. FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force agents raided the charity's headquarters in 2006 but charged nobody and allowed the agency to continue operating.
McDermott identified that charity as the group financing the Iraq trip. In House disclosure forms, he put the cost at $5,510. Thompson also understood the charity to be financing the trip, spokeswoman Anne Warden said.
Prosecutors said Al-Hanooti was responsible for monitoring Congress for the Iraqi Intelligence Service. From 1999 to 2002, he allegedly provided Saddam's government with a list of U.S. lawmakers he believed favored lifting economic sanctions against Iraq.
Thomas said Al-Hanooti would "vigorously defend" himself against the charges but he could not discuss the specifics of the case since he had seen none of the evidence.
Story Here
More Pictures With This Al-Hanooti Guy And Terrorists And Democrats
Was Congressmen's Iraq Trip Financed By Saddam?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
YEAH! RIGHT! God only know's how many Democrats Saddam bribed and paid for trips to Iraq. Let's Guess how these guy's voted for or against enforcing Bill Clinton's Iraq Liberation Act Jesus is the Democrat Corruption ever going to stop? Doesnt something seem quite fishy about all this?
Labels: Bribes, Democrat Corruption, Nitwits, Saddam
posted by Marie's Two Cents | 9:54 AM
30 Comments:
Al-Hanooti sure greases the political skids. For photos of him with US Attorney Jeffry Collins (Bush appointee) & US Attorney Steven Murphy (Bush Appointee) see the article
"Islamic Outreach" Run Amok: Entire U.S. Attorney's Office Recused From Hanooti Iraqi Spy Case" at:
http://www.debbieschlussel.com/
Al-Hooti is in thick with both sides of the aisle. Fool one, fool them all....
BB,
I just looked at that LOL
It doesnt say a word about Saddam paying for a trip for the US attorney to go to Iraq.
Good one though :-)
As a matter of fact BB, the US Attorney cozied up with this guy and the FBI was involved because one of the men was a spy for us against Saddam.
I bet they obtained a ton of information.
Thank's for bringing this to my attention :-)
Marie, your note "one of the men was a spy for us against Saddam."
doesn't click in light of the Schussel article. I read it four times now. The FBI wants to award
Hamad, if that is the US 'spy' you refer to, but we learn elsewhere
"A month ago, the New York Post ran my column on FBI Director Robert Mueller's pending national award to terrorist sympathizer and 22-year terror suspect Imad Hamad.
This led the FBI to rescind the award, last week. But in the week since, FBI Headquarters, Detroit FBI Special Agent in Charge Willie Hulon, and Detroit's U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins have floundered in multiple, contradictory press releases, photo opportunities, and other politically correct pandering to Hamad and other terror supporters.
Unfortunately, in the heart of Islamic America, it's emblematic of how those who support terrorism often co-opt those who are supposed to investigate and prosecute it.
When I first contacted FBI officials in Washington, they assumed Hulon--who nominated Hamad for the award—had vetted him. But after checking the federal law enforcement database, FBI sources said they discovered Hamad was a subject of "over a dozen open investigations" involving terrorism and related matters. Most of the probes were conducted by Hulon's own Detroit-based agents. An indictment of an FBI national awardee could prove embarrassing, the sources said."
You weren't thinking of Amed Chalibi? here: http://dir.salon.com/story/news/feature/2004/05/04/chalabi/
The lawmakers are not named in the indictment but the dates correspond to a trip by Democratic Reps. Jim McDermott of Washington, David Bonior of Michigan and Mike Thompson of California. None was charged and Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said investigators "have no information whatsoever" any of them knew the trip was underwritten by Saddam.
This is the best part of the entire article. No evidence, no information, no records. Kind of sounds like they caught on to the Dick Cheney "delete your e-mail" tactic.
Did any of these guys know that Republican congressman who was convicted on 56 counts of aiding terrorism? He was from Michigan and was in Reagan's cabinet.
You won't hear about this guy on this blog...lol...that's for sure.
According to Marie, corruption only flows one way and it includes ALL Democrats regardless if there's evidence or not! Go Marie!
Facts are for terrorists!
Veering off again are we?
The post is about Democrats that had a trip to Baghdad paid for by Saddam knowingly or not.
None of this other stuff has anything to do with it.
Just pointing out the same corruption you Liberals thrive on pointing out from Republicans.
If the shoe fits......I'm sure they make it in the same size to fit any corrupted poloticians foot.
Back on course...oh no Marie! Not again! Does it ever stop???
updated 2:03 p.m. MT, Fri., March. 28, 2008
WASHINGTON - An aide to President Bush has resigned because of his alleged misuse of grant money from the U.S. Agency for International Development when he worked for a Cuban democracy organization.
Felipe Sixto was promoted on March 1 as a special assistant to the president for intergovernmental affairs and stepped forward on March 20 to reveal his alleged wrongdoing and to resign, White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Friday. He said Sixto took that step after learning that his former employer, the Center for a Free Cuba, was prepared to bring legal action against him.
So sorry Marie...Renzi, Stevens, Vitter, Craig, Siljander, Delay, Ney, RNCC...this is all CONGRESSIONAL level and in the last 365 days!!!!
Disgrace!
Now, I'll wait for you to reply with all of your mayors, presidents of school boards, ex-lieutenant governors, town councilmen...but nothing compares to federal corruption!
This is getting to be a habit. I won't post it anymore since it's really not news.
;-)
Federalist,
Felipe Sixto................
Felipe Sixto?
Well by golly gee ya got me there I had no Idea Saddam paid for a Trip for Felipe, and I'm alway's the last to find out things like for instance we are at war with Cuba!!
Isn't Marie cute when she plays coy???
LOL...
Here you go Marie!
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23847990
The beat goes on...
Federalist,
You Dufuss!
I know who Felipe Sixto is.
But what on earth does he have to do with trip to Baghdad paid for by Saddam on the run up to the war?
...Federalist,
You Dufuss!
Marie, you're being redundant
I'm with you marie ... are we talking about Sadaam or Castro?
I am shocked that there is corruption by either party in office. They hold positions with holy reverence.
And the unicorns will take away all the bad people of the Earth.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Good post, Marie. We know there is corruption on both sides. There always has been and there probably always will be. We don't have any perfect humans on this planet. But when you post about specific politicians who have been in the news recently because of allegations of wrongdoing, wouldn't it be nice if all of your readers could stick to that subject? I know... I'm dreaming again. ;)
One thing that really flips my trigger though, is that many people claim that there were no WMD's found in Iraq. What the heck do they think poisonous gas is, perfume? There has been a lot of poisonous gas found in Iraq and Sadaam happily killed 5000 Kurds with it. I would say that's "mass destruction"!
http://www.informationclearinghouse
.info/article1779.htm
I know I veered off-subject too, but it's because of this sentence in the article you posted: "Though such weapons ultimately were never found, the lawmakers drew criticism for their trip at the time." ARRRGGGHHHH!
I am suppose to be getting ready for big junk pick up day but my body says NO!
You didnt actually stray off Gayle, you stuck with Saddam in this post not some dude from Cuba!
Or someone else related to something else besides this story, but since when have I ever been able to keep a story contained to the subject anyway? lol
Yeah that's strange how the gas never gets brought up. I think people thought we were going to rush in there and find all this stuff contained in one huge place and say we found 'em, we found 'em.
And if we would have they would have said they were planted and Bush lied and if there was nothing there they would have claimed Bush lied so win or lose Bush to them was a crackpot anyway!
However most people forget Bush was enforcing a law already on the books, that's why they cant (Even if they wanted to) Impeach him.
Obob,
I want to see the little unicorns :-)
Jenn,
Well I just cant bring myself to be more expletive, but he may make me mad enough to one day lol
I think everyone but the libtards knew that these Democrats were in league with Saddam. Now, we have even more proof.
P.S. Marie: When you comment on Haloscan, you have inserted a "," wher the "." should be for the link to your page:
http://mariestwocents.blogspot.com/
I thought you were offline yesterday, but checked the link you are leaving on comments.
Marie,
You had mentioned corruption so I felt the topic was very appropriate.
Have faith: it only took your lad Sixto 19 days to get into trouble.
Aarrgghh...the Republican corruption never ends!
There is still no evidence that anyone on the trip (including one congressman McDermott who is a medical doctor as was there to discuss children's health issues) ever knew it was underwritten by Saddam.
Lastly, in such a heightened state of security (remember those silly color/terror warnings) how could the Bush Administration's State Department authorize such a trip to Iraq?? The country they had planned to invade since 2000?
But, Marie, I should know better. Facts not needed. Enough said.
As the Department of Justice says very clearly:
"Dean Boyd, a spokesman for the Department of Justice, said no member of Congress was aware of al-Hanooti's alleged activities. "None of the congressional representatives are accused of any wrongdoing, and we have no information whatsoever that any of them were aware of the involvement of the Iraqi Intelligence Service," he said."
Crap! Wily liberals pointing out facts...dadgamit!
YEEEEE HAAAWWWW!
Mike,
I will fix that. I wonder if I did it on all Haloscan and will I have to fix them all. UGH!
Federalist,
You had mentioned corruption so I felt the topic was very appropriate.
It really doesnt matter no one ever seems to stick to the subject anyway lol
Have faith: it only took your lad Sixto 19 days to get into trouble.
Gee the guys on my side must not be as slick as the guys on your side, it takes months sometimes years to find out the corupption on your side because they are MASTERS at covering things up.
There is still no evidence that anyone on the trip (including one congressman McDermott who is a medical doctor as was there to discuss children's health issues) ever knew it was underwritten by Saddam.
Oh No of couse not LOL! Only a picture to prove it!
Lastly, in such a heightened state of security (remember those silly color/terror warnings) how could the Bush Administration's State Department authorize such a trip to Iraq?? The country they had planned to invade since 2000?
Ha! Well for one Bush never planned on invading Iraq until after 9-11, as a matter of fact Bill Clinton did when he signed the Iraq Liberation Act Of 1998
Maybe Bush's administration authorized the trip for the anti-war Democrats not ever knowing it was finaced by Saddam to begin with gathering as much information as he could from all perspectives, funny if we had never gone in we would never know what all the "Oil For Food Program" Paid for ya reckon? Instead of feeding his own people Saddam spent the money trying to arm himself and convince others he was a saint!
Funny little colored coated warnings? You think that was funny? Us in the beginning of a war trying to scramble this Nation to be prepared for anything giving warnings so no other Americans on this soil would be killed by Islamo-Fascists?
You think it has been funny trying to get this Country out of a cold war mentality into an Islamo-Fascist mentality litteraly from top to bottom? Do you think that happens overnite? Do you not think it takes years after being attacked and finding out slowly what and who our enemy is?
You honestly think this has been fun for anybody? All departments? The American People?
However we are getting better at it year by year and thankfully whoever the next President is who takes office wont have to deal will all the bullshit Bush has had to over the last 7 years.
But, Marie, I should know better. Facts not needed. Enough said.
Well yeah you should since you have a closed mind and think this terrorist threat is over, the truth be damned as far as you are concerned.
As the Department of Justice says very clearly:
"Dean Boyd, a spokesman for the Department of Justice, said no member of Congress was aware of al-Hanooti's alleged activities. "None of the congressional representatives are accused of any wrongdoing, and we have no information whatsoever that any of them were aware of the involvement of the Iraqi Intelligence Service," he said."
YET! Oh there's alot more to this story.
Crap! Wily liberals pointing out facts...dadgamit!
YEEEEE HAAAWWWW!
Oh it stings when Republicans point out Liberal corruption doesnt it since you are so willing to point out Republican corruption which doesnt even measure up to the Liberal corruption.
Liberals just try to get it off the front page as soon as possible and point out Republican this and Republican that and deny everything because they think they are worthy of even being elected dog catcher.
I guess DaNile isnt a River that runs through Egypt anymore is it?
That has to be embarrassing for the Democrats.
Daniel,
Taking a trip to Iraq through the State Department cannot be as embarrassing as having an ex-Republican member of congress be indicted on over 45 counts of aiding terrorism (Siljander, who worked under Reagan).
That's embarrassing, and disgraceful...and UNAMERICAN! I had to throw that last one in for all of your traitors!
Marie,
The color-coated warnings were a joke as even Fox News stopped showing them.
And the joke was never funny. Kind of like when they put the Iraqi leaders on a deck of cards so ALL Americans could play along in the Shock and Awe game!
Still no evidence of wrongdoing by those congressmen who took that trip. I really hate to report the FACTS Marie...but there they are!
Don't you hate it Marie when you're wrong?
Getting better at it? We're not any closer to finding Bin Laden than we were on September 12, 2001. That's definitely not funny.
But, I can understand. We find Bin Laden and the support to continue the war would drop like Larry Craig's pants at a San Francisco Gay Pride Parade.
Marie, don't you know that Dems always side with our enemies when a Republican is in office?!?!?!
faux guy reports...I really hate to report the FACTS Marie...
Looks like you hold true to your own standards, gotta give ya credit where credit is due.
J_G,
I just feel sometimes like I'm the party crasher. Everyone is at the party having a good time pretending, living in a fantasy and playing dress up, and then I come barging in and remind them of these silly things called "facts" and "truth".
I know you and your side really despise it. I mean, wouldn't it be much easier if we all just put our flag lapel pins on and put blind faith in and gave unlimited power to our president?
Perhaps Bush was right when he said, "a dictatorship would be a lot easier."
Shouldn't you be watching your talking points right now? I thought Hannity was on in this hour.
Har har, got faux guy pounding his keyboard.
Yeah, I got Shawn on while I'm cleaning my 357. I'll watch reruns when I go to the basement to put a new scope on my M4
Atta girl! Nothing spells s-e-x-y like gun cleaning!
What happened to this story?
Awww...another attempt at "truthiness"...
Too bad...keep trying, I'm sure there's another blog out there claiming to have secret, inside information on how Obama actually caused the Challenger explosion in '86. Wasn't Obama working for Morton Thiokol at that time?
What are you waiting for Marie? Check it out!
LOL...
Federalist,
It's been buried as usual.
Buried? But what about Pastor Wright Channel (Fox News)? Are they not helping you? Gosh, it really must be unimportant if Fox News is not reporting it.
Guess it was just an empty story of allegations with no facts or evidence...sorry Marie...better luck next time!
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