Mark Penn meets with Colombian ambassador on "free trade"

[stevedeshazer]

Clinton Aide Met on Trade Deal

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120726769569388303.html?mod=hps_us_whats_news

Is this really what you Clintonistas want?

<snip>

Hillary Clinton's chief campaign strategist met with Colombia's ambassador to the U.S. on Monday to discuss a bilateral free-trade agreement, a pact the presidential candidate opposes.

Attendance by the adviser, Mark Penn, was confirmed by two Colombian officials. He wasn't there in his campaign role, but in his separate job as chief executive of Burson-Marsteller Worldwide, an international communications and lobbying firm. The firm has a contract with the South American nation to promote congressional approval of the trade deal, among other things, according to filings with the Justice Department.

Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, Mr. Penn's campaign-consulting firm, received more than $10 million in payments from the Clinton campaign as of the end of February, according to federal election filings.

Mr. Penn declined to comment. Howard Wolfson, communications director for Sen. Clinton's campaign, said in an email that "Mark was not there on behalf of the campaign" and referred further questions to Burson-Marsteller. "Sen. Clinton's opposition to the trade deal with Colombia is clear," Mr. Wolfson added.

A Burson-Marsteller spokesman didn't return calls or emails seeking comment.

</snip>

Hillary supporters, can you defend this? I find it revolting.

[DerekJ]

1. Oppose free trade on one side, and work for it on the other.

[FrenchieCat]

5. This might end up being Hillary's downfall.......

since she sold us on that NAFTA bullshit about the Obama campaign for Ohio.....maybe this is her just desserts for Penn!

[ossman]

2. douche-bag

[stevedeshazer]

3. If nothing else, this reveals what a ham-fisted campaign the Clintons have run.

What a joke.

[FrenchieCat]

4. Piece of sweaty millionaire manure.....

[democracy1st]

6. K & R

thanks for the info

[Forkboy]

7. K&R

[1776Forever]

8. This is what I don't get ... HRC says she is for the little guy & then keeps Penn around!

And he is one of the biggest Corporate cheer leaders there is! Then there is Bill selling himself out at will to people in Dubai, India, Saudi Arabia, you name it! HRC ways she isn't going to have lobbyists make deals in her administration but Bill is one of the biggest lobbyists there is around! The Clinton's are saying one thing and doing another.

Here is a video from ABC I posted yesterday - wish it would get one more recommendation so it can go to the greatest page. I haven't seen the info any where on DU yet:


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5371370&mesg_id=5371370

[Window]

9. How much is she paying this idiot and WHY???

[karynnj]

12. You would think with the millions paid, he would at least be working 100% of the time for her

There is a real problem here. He is identified as a top Clinton aide in the eyes of both DC and Columbia. No matter how he sees his role , the fact that he is working for (or with) foreign governments has to be a conflict of interest.

I didn't think Penn could get more unsavory - but he just did.

[Window]

13. Absolutely. Reminds me of NAFTA and the Canadians.

[flpoljunkie]

10. Talkingpointsmemo's Josh Marshall describes Penn well...

Mark, Mark, Mark ...

Just out from the Wall Street Journal ...

Hillary Clinton's chief campaign strategist met with Colombia's ambassador to the U.S. on Monday to discuss a bilateral free-trade agreement, a pact the presidential candidate opposes.

Attendance by the adviser, Mark Penn, was confirmed by two Colombian officials. He wasn't there in his campaign role, but in his separate job as chief executive of Burson-Marsteller Worldwide, an international communications and lobbying firm.

The firm has a contract with the South American nation to help promote congressional approval of the trade deal, among other things, according to filings with the Justice Department.

There are so many reasons why candidates should be paying Mark Penn to stay as far away from their campaigns as possible. But this is yet another. Having your key campaign advisor also be an international man of mystery-cum-PR-lobbyist-cheeseball is fairly problematic. But for Hillary's sake, when her political future is on the line in a state like Pennsylvania, wracked by the loss of industrial jobs for decades, you think he could have waited a few more weeks before prancing off to help get a new free trade pact passed?

--Josh Marshall

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/187264.php

[Coexist]

11. that is the best take on this by far.

[FrenchieCat]

17. Mark, Mark, Mark.......

cheeseball and fairly problematic. Ru rho!

[Vinca]

14. This needs to be publicized in Pennsylvania before another Ohio

"pull the wool over their eyes" election takes place. Hillary won Ohio being "anti-NAFTA," which we now know was just words someone wrote for her.

[nichomachus]

15. Hillary is absolutely positively opposed to campaign advisers meeting with foreign governments

Well, at least she was a month ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6ZbTM3QvV4

Peering at the 50 or so reporters packed into a small hotel conference room here, she added: "I would ask you to look at this story and substitute my name for Sen. Obama’s name and see what you would do with this story ... Just ask yourself if some of my advisers had been having private meetings with foreign governments."

[FrenchieCat]

16. thanks for that!

[backscatter712]

18. Whatever happened to recusing yourself for conflicts of interest?

Clearly, Mark Penn doesn't give a shit about whether he's seen as a turncoat or whether he's seen as a fox guarding the henhouse.