Mitt Romney Started Bain Capital With Money From Families Tied To Death Squads

[kpete]

Source: Huffington Post



In 1983, Bill Bain asked Mitt Romney to launch Bain Capital, a private equity offshoot of the successful consulting firm Bain & Company. After some initial reluctance, Romney agreed. The new job came with a stipulation: Romney couldn't raise money from any current clients, Bain said, because if the private equity venture failed, he didn't want it taking the consulting firm down with it.

When Romney struggled to raise funds from other traditional sources, he and his partners started thinking outside the box. Bain executive Harry Strachan suggested that Romney meet with a group of Central American oligarchs who were looking for new investment vehicles as turmoil engulfed their region.

Romney was worried that the oligarchs might be tied to "illegal drug money, right-wing death squads, or left-wing terrorism," Strachan later told a Boston Globe reporter, as quoted in the 2012 book "The Real Romney." But, pressed for capital, Romney pushed his concerns aside and flew to Miami in mid-1984 to meet with the Salvadorans at a local bank.

It was a lucrative trip. The Central Americans provided roughly $9 million -- 40 percent -- of Bain Capital's initial outside funding, the Los Angeles Times reported recently. And they became valued clients.


Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/08/mitt-romney-death-squads-bain_n_1710133.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

[livetohike]

1. Down comes the hammer.....wow. Bookmarking this

[The Magistrate]

2. So, Ma'am, He Started Out Laundering Drug Money, And From that Moral Height Has Only Descended....

"Romney loves America like a tick loves a dog."

[Berlum]

21. Now Willard is getting his money from a Las Vegas casino mogul

Sheesh - Republican "Family" Values - right out of the cesspool.

[The Magistrate]

24. Drugs, Gambling, And Whores, Sir: Romney's Holy Trinity

"Romney loves America like a tick loves a dog."

[Berlum]

40. Sigh. I guess Willard is the current Moral Ideal for today's degenerate Republican Party (Cabal)

[nanabugg]

47. And don't forget the RW-evangelical hypocrites . They overlook their disdain for Mormons in favor

of their racist-Christian values. Guess whom they would pick if Obama was running against a certified Muslim?

[bemildred]

79. That has a ring to it, Sir.

Good work.

[BlueToTheBone]

3. he is dispicable. nt

[zeemike]

4. Yep...the love of money is the root of all evil

And those who love it are willing to over look all evil to get it.

[daybranch]

18. actually worse

It is only about money as an avenue to power. Money is only used to gain ultimate power and only provides a measurable benchmark in the success of obtaining increased power by the most powerful over the people.
Accumulation of power and rewarding ego is the goal. There is really little two billion can buy over one billion except as to purchasing power.
Today we do not really have a war of the rich against the rest of us, it is a war of the wealthy who want to increase their power at the expe3nse of everyone else. It is not business, it is personal. Increasing money can occur in many benevolent and socially justified ways but the seeking of more and more power over others is never benign nor socially justified.
Today we ignorant whites cannot see those who would enslave us while they buy more and more political and National power. We whites need to listen to our black brothers and sisters who have experienced this lack of economic and social freedom all their lives and join with them in giving dignity back to the people.
We need to see that phrases like a rising tide raises all boats while a popular democratic mantra are beside the point and outdated. We need to recognize that raising our wealth woud reduce the comparative wealth the rich have, give us more freedom, give us more access to education and reduce the power of those who are gladly enslaving us with inadequate wages, preventing lack of access to universal health care, destroying a social safety net etc. .We should not be fooled accumulation of wealth is only a means to their evil ends.
You believe they are willing to overlook evil to get money, I believe they are getting mney in order to do evil as proof of their power and ego.

[zeemike]

26. Your point is well taken.

Money in today's world is the same road to power as was the sword in our distant past. but far more effective.

[Dustlawyer]

46. This perfectly explains the Koch brothers. Those 2 old farts do not need more money!

Ask yourself, why would they go to the great lengths they have, make their name synonymous with Mud, if not for more power and control over whoever our leaders happen to be. They want to shape the country, then the world, how their Dad dreamed it could be, everything the elites want, and to hell with the rabble, let them eat cake!

[raouldukelives]

51. Well it's the root cause of climate change.

As well as the root cause of denial of climate change.
I'd say making life impossible or miserable for most of the critters on this planet is evil enough. People, eh. The majority of them are still doing the same thing they were before we learned the reality of it. Around the here the answer to it seemed to be drive even larger vehicles and invest more in corporations fueling the coming chaos.
All I've ever really wanted to do with my life was save some trees and animals before I departed and now have watched the ones I have suffering from the changing weather, increasing heat & lack of water. They are dying.
These selfish bastards who run headlong into the abyss are making my pursuit of happiness severely difficult.

[blm]

5. Sounds like a GHWBush operation, which would mean Rev Moon in the background, as well.

http://www.consortiumnews.com/2006/122706.html
----------
During this time of transition, Sun Myung Moon brought his evangelical message to South America. His first visit to Argentina had occurred in 1965 when he blessed a square behind the presidential Pink House in Buenos Aires. But he returned a decade later to make more lasting friendships.

Moon first sank down roots in Uruguay during the 12-year reign of right-wing military dictators who seized power in 1973. He also cultivated close relations with military dictators in Argentina, Paraguay and Chile, reportedly ingratiating himself with the juntas by helping the military regimes arrange arms purchases and by channeling money to allied right-wing organizations.

“Relationships nurtured with right-wing Latin Americans in the [World Anti-Communist] League led to acceptance of the [Unification] Church’s political and propaganda operations throughout Latin America,” the Andersons wrote in Inside the League.

“As an international money laundry, … the Church tapped into the capital flight havens of Latin America. Escaping the scrutiny of American and European investigators, the Church could now funnel money into banks in Honduras, Uruguay and Brazil, where official oversight was lax or nonexistent.”
--------

[Berlum]

23. No wonder Willard wants his tax returns to remain OCCULT

[hobbit709]

6. I'm shocked shocked I tell you.

[warrior1]

7. this should be the end of romney as we know him

he's toast

[russspeakeasy]

11. He should be toast, but money has a way of protecting people,

[heaven05]

38. never happen

won't make it to the boob tube-for the faux news and MSM news junkies. just won't happen.

[progressivebydesign]

73. I think with Portman's ties to Dictators, as a lobbyist, they'd be a perfect pair.

Corrupt and Corrupter.

[goclark]

8. And the beat goes on ~

The Godfather in sheeps clothing.

[Swede]

9. This is getting uglier every day.

Rather,he is getting uglier.

[moondust]

10. Rmoney<->HSBC?

Partners in laundering drug cartel and terrorist money in the Caymans?

moneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoneymoney

[3feetofsnow]

12. Anything

People with great wealth are always tied to something sinister. Or most of them anyway.

These people would cut off their left hand if it meant an easy money haul.

[Justice wanted]

13. So basically Rmoney's money DOES IN FACT come from illegal activities.

I would like more sources on this but see this article makes me think Reid's attention drawing to Rmoney's taxes is helping to uncover this stuff.

[Richard D]

14. Wow.

He should resign.

[JEB]

15. For Mitt,

greed out weighs any vestigial ethics. Filthy lucre is his God.

[Old and In the Way]

16. Too funny.

Can't wait for Mitt to explain this one. Amazing how this kind of stuff didn't get vetted during the past 2 Republican primaries. Even more amazing that Mitt would think he could stop people from learning about his past.

[barbtries]

17. the means justify the ends

the end is to get rich so who cares if the means comes from mass murderers?! that's so republican.

[Kablooie]

19. It must have been nicely laundered so all the blood stains had been washed off.

[SmittynMo]

20. Nah Nah Nah Nah

Hey, Hey, Hey, GOOOOODBYE!!!!!

[hue]

22. I'd like to see the press cover this over & over!! Too much supression of the facts!!

[patrice]

25. Surprised? Not I. Look at Iraq. Money from blood & death is okay with Republicans. Who's next?

Last edited Wed Aug 8, 2012, 12:36 PM - Edit history (1)

[G_j]

27. K&R

[valerief]

28. Romney the Hood certainly fits him. nt

[northoftheborder]

29. OMG. This revelation proves the worst of Rmoney's abslolute total lack of principle whatsoever.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

30. If I hear one more Democrat or liberal pundit claim that "Romney is a good man..."

I don't know what I'm going to do.

I hear Obama and Biden say things like this: "Romney is a nice guy. A good family man." I don't give a damn about how nice he is to his family. He's NOT a nice guy! He's NOT a decent man. He's a pathological liar! As I learn more about him, I would even go as far as to assert that he is an EVIL man! He *deliberately* lies to the American people. He *deliberately* distorts what the president says. He *deliberately* stokes anger, bigotry and hatred, a la the "welfare queen" ad, saber rattling in the Middle East to start another war with Iran, Syria, even Russia! That is NOT a good man!! He doesn't care how his policies or those of the Republican Party hurts poor people, the working and middle classes. All he cares about is enriching his own wealth and that of his crony, billionnaire friends. That is NOT a good man!! He *deliberately* ships jobs overseas, bankrupting companies and getting rich off the suffering of others. That is NOT a good man!!!!

The more I get to know him, the more I believe that he is a despicable man who will say and do absolutely ANYTHING to become president. ANYTHING!!

That, my friends, is NOT a "good man!"

[hue]

52. I'm soo with You on this! Rmoney & his ilk are EVIL INCARNATE!!

[dawn frenzy adams]

62. Tell it like it is.

Well said, my friend.

[cosmicone]

31. This will make him even more endearing

to tea party thugs.

Sad.

[Gregorian]

32. Bush was ignorant, whereas Romney is dangerously mad.

[Javaman]

36. +1000.

his laugh at very inappropriate times, is what really creeps me out.

[krawhitham]

33. I read about this months ago, why is it getting traction now

http://www.salon.com/2012/01/20/the_roots_of_bain_capital_in_el_salvador/

[catbyte]

34. The Almighty Green Jesus was too powerful for him to resist

I wonder what the real Jesus would say. I think I know.

[Javaman]

35. This just in...

Romney eats virgin mice to keep skin vitalized.

yeah, duh, it's a joke, but given everything else we know about this sociopath, would you really put it past him?

[Chiyo-chichi]

37. The Los Angeles Times reported on this last month.

The Nation picked it up (http://www.thenation.com/blog/168967/bain-capitals-ties-salvadoran-death-squads#) but it hasn't gotten much traction.

[annabanana]

39. This does not surprize me the least bit.

He is not unethical. he is an-ethical. He has none of any description. He always goes for the Main Chance without any consideration, thought or interest in implications or effects.

[alp227]

41. Not exactly breaking news. Thom Hartmann first poured this out on 7/19.

[MADem]

72. Perhaps not breaking, but breaking to the surface. And the more people who see this, the better.NT

[Aviation Pro]

42. What's next?

That Lurch the Fucking Stiff^TM was in cahoots with Gustavo Fring and Madrigal Elecktromotooren?

Hey, fuckstick, answer the fucking door Tucker and Jesse have your 'prescription.'

[heaven05]

43. surprised?

no. really not a man with principle or morals. They talk about his reluctance. I don't believe it for a moment, you say money, that little jumps. Ugly, ugly despicable man.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

44. Here we go!

Now it is beginning to ooze out

[skypilot]

45. "...pallin' around with terrorists".

[freshwest]

48. To which Mitt says: Hehehe.

[bayareaboy]

49. Do you ever get the feeling that ...

Perhaps Mr. Mittens is not quite the successful business kind of guy that the Repugs and Mr. Mittens purports to be. I mean Mr, Bain whoever he is, had Mitt go around and get backers. So to me both did not have funds to do it themselves or they were attempting to cut a fat hog down the road.

Kind of once more, we find Mitt-Man just being a cheap suit.

[vlyons]

50. shades of Nazis stealing Jewish assets

When I 1st read (in June) that Romney got his seed money from "South American investors," my 1st thought was money laundering. My 2nd thought was where did the investors get THEIR money? Drugs? Arms? Now we need some credible journalists to break this open.

[DionDem]

53. Aww, he's just like a little Reagan

Shady deals with Central American drug dealers and tyrants?

Maybe its just the GOP equivalent of a gang initiation ritual.

[wordpix]

54. more evidence he's the moral equivalence of a flea

[Uncle Joe]

55. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.

[Roland99]

56. Following in St. Ronnie's footsteps

[Botany]

57. So Mitt and company set up a "shell corporation" to hide where Bain capital was getting its $ from?

"The first outside investor in Bain was a leading London financier, Sir Jack Lyons, who made a $2.5-million investment through a Panama shell company set up by a Swiss money manager, further shielding his identity. Years later, Lyons was convicted in an unrelated stock fraud scandal."

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jul/19/nation/la-na-bain-creation-20120719

[The Magistrate]

59. Certainyl, Sir: Tax Evasion is One Of the Services Bain Provides Its Investors

"Romney loves America like a tick loves a dog."

[Botany]

60. So in order to get the drug money from central America "cleaned up" so it

..... could then be used to set up Bain Capital Romney and Company
created a shell corporation in Panama in order to launder the dirty money.




And after Bain was up running it made money by screwing the workers in the
companies they bought out and then they hid that money in off shore and over-
seas bank accounts.

I can now understand why Romney doesn't want to release his taxes, his history
@ Bain, his Olympic times (see Romney / Mattel / Olympics), or for that matter
his record as governor of Massachusetts. For the life of me w/ Mitt's history
why is he running for POTUS?

[The Magistrate]

61. Pretty Much, Sir

Panama shell companies were state of the art for that in those days. The country was in essence a money laundering ring....

[lindysalsagal]

58. "The never told me their drugs were illegal." "Just because you sell drugs, it doesn't necessarily m

mean you have to kill innocent people in the course of business."

Like Shrub, he's playing idiot in chief.

[Octafish]

63. El Salvador was were untold thousands died for Bain.

Ironic that Gold. Bain, Romney, Spooks and Death Squads.

[bitchkitty]

68. 75,000 known and many more thousands disappeared. n/t

[warrprayer]

64. Thanks kpete

I guess you could call it "permanant outsourcing"

[smirkymonkey]

65. No, no - you have it all wrong. The funds weren't from families tied to death squads...

they're called "Angel Investors". You have to know the proper business lingo if you're going to make it in this world.

[amuse bouche]

66. The big red title was startling

'ROMNEY WAR PROFITEER"

[northoftheborder]

67. I'm stunned that this story has not been mentioned on MSNBC yet, maybe Rachael will talk about it.

[Wolf Frankula]

69. You have to understand that Willard rMoney will do anything for money.

He claims to be a Mormon. His god is really the Almighty Dollar, maker of heaven and earth. Don't worry, he won't swear his oath on the Book of Mormon, or the Bible. He'll do it on a Cayman Islands bank book or a Hundred Dollar Bill

Wolf

[Judi Lynn]

70. Families of Bain Capital's original investors had ties with El Salvador's infamous death squads

Wed Aug 08, 2012 at 01:09 PM PDT.

Families of Bain Capital's original investors had ties with El Salvador's infamous death squads

by Meteor Blades

When Mitt Romney decided to take up the offer to launch Bain Capital in 1983, he initially found financing difficult to come by. And so, after some initial misgivings were conveniently overcome, he flew to Miami to meet with some Salvadorans. And he returned with pledges of $9 million, 40 percent of Bain's start-up capital. Thus did the Bain buccaneer lay the foundation for his fortune.
The families of some of those investors had ties to the death squads that plagued El Salvador at that time. Ryan Grim and Cole Stangler at the Huffington Post are the latest reporters to take on the story of those investors, following on the heels of reporting by Joseph Tanfani, Melanie Mason and Matea Gold at the Los Angeles Times in mid-July, by Justin Elliott at Salon in January and by Mitchell Zuckoff and Ben Bradlee Jr. at the Boston Globe in August 1994.

When Romney first sought the presidency in 2007, he was back in Miami, and he took note of those early investors:

"I owe a great deal to Americans of Latin American descent. When I was starting my business, I came to Miami to find partners that would believe in me and that would finance my enterprise. My partners were Ricardo Poma, Miguel Dueñas, Pancho Soler, Frank Kardonski, and Diego Ribadeneira."

More:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/08/1117948/-Families-of-Bain-Capital-s-original-investors-had-ties-El-Salvador-s-infamous-death-squads?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29

[Judi Lynn]

71. No one should ever forget the horrific level of sadistic violence the El Salvador death squads

inflicted upon the desperately poor indigenous citizens of El Salvador.

From an article found in a quick search. The specific scene of a family mentioned has been discussed in many other articles available on line:

For Iraq, "The Salvador Option" Becomes Reality
By Max Fuller
06/03/05 "Centre for Research on Globalisation"

~snip~
.............In El Salvador US ‘advisors’ were few in number and prohibited from taking part in combat. Nevertheless, it is towards this model that the US is attempting to move, hoping to farm out the sordid business of occupation to Iraqi auxiliaries. But, in many ways it is contemporary Colombia that offers the closest analogy: not for the disposition of US forces, but because here the same process of asset-stripping, impoverishment and conquistador-like plundering is both deeply entrenched and ongoing. It is here that is to be found that clearest pattern for the assaults on academics, independent trade unionists and peasant organisations that will increasingly characterise Iraq for those prepared to look beyond the fireworks. This is the second dimension that any model must address, but in essence the pattern is repeated time after time in every imperialist so-called counter-insurgency war; for behind each and every one lurks the reality of exploitation and class war, and, as successive imperialist powers have shown, the bottom line in combating the hopes and dreams of ordinary people is to resort to spreading terror through the application of extreme violence. In Iraq, the Salvador Option may mean returning home to find your entire family seated at table with their own severed heads served to them and a bowl of blood for relish.

*One of the worst atrocities was committed in December 1981 at the village of El Mozote in the department of Moraz‡n by the Atlacatl Battalion, an elite counter-insurgency force trained by US advisors and regarded as one of El Salvador’s best fighting units. Over 200 men, women and children (the entire village) were systematically tortured and murdered over the course of a day.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article12102.htm

[villager]

74. So the "religious" zealots support a man who's money came from generals who rape and murder nuns

Figures.

[avaistheone1]

75. Shout out to Thom Hartmann who first reported on this story to weeks ago on his radio show.

Way to go Thom!

[Solly Mack]

76. K&R

[grasswire]

77. and the Bushies do business with the bin Laden family

Crooks, ghouls, vampires all of them.

[cantbeserious]

78. Dirty Rmoney = Romney & Republicans

eom