Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
WaPo tries to help Mitt's case on Iran, Obama campaign responds by bringing up Mitt's investments
Obama associate got $100,000 fee from affiliate of firm doing business with Iran
By Tom Hamburger and Peter Wallsten
David Plouffe, a senior White House adviser who was President Obama’s 2008 campaign manager, accepted a $100,000 speaking fee in 2010 from an affiliate of a company doing business with Iran’s government.
A subsidiary of MTN Group, a South Africa-based telecommunications company, paid Plouffe for two speeches he made in Nigeria in December 2010, about a month before he joined the White House staff.
Since Plouffe’s speeches, MTN Group has come under intensified scrutiny from U.S. authorities because of its activities in Iran and Syria, which are under international sanctions intended to limit the countries’ access to sensitive technology. At the time of Plouffe’s speeches, MTN had been in a widely reported partnership for five years with a state-
owned Iranian telecommunications firm.
There were no legal or ethical restrictions on Plouffe being paid to speak to the MTN subsidiary as a private citizen. But for a close Obama aide to have accepted payment from a company involved in Iran could prove troublesome for the president as the White House toughens its stance toward the Islamic republic. In recent weeks, Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney has accused the administration of being soft on Iran.
- more -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-associate-got-100000-fee-from-affiliate-of-firm-doing-business-with-iran/2012/08/05/5e6888a2-dda2-11e1-8e43-4a3c4375504a_story.html
By Tom Hamburger and Peter Wallsten
David Plouffe, a senior White House adviser who was President Obama’s 2008 campaign manager, accepted a $100,000 speaking fee in 2010 from an affiliate of a company doing business with Iran’s government.
A subsidiary of MTN Group, a South Africa-based telecommunications company, paid Plouffe for two speeches he made in Nigeria in December 2010, about a month before he joined the White House staff.
Since Plouffe’s speeches, MTN Group has come under intensified scrutiny from U.S. authorities because of its activities in Iran and Syria, which are under international sanctions intended to limit the countries’ access to sensitive technology. At the time of Plouffe’s speeches, MTN had been in a widely reported partnership for five years with a state-
owned Iranian telecommunications firm.
There were no legal or ethical restrictions on Plouffe being paid to speak to the MTN subsidiary as a private citizen. But for a close Obama aide to have accepted payment from a company involved in Iran could prove troublesome for the president as the White House toughens its stance toward the Islamic republic. In recent weeks, Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney has accused the administration of being soft on Iran.
- more -
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-associate-got-100000-fee-from-affiliate-of-firm-doing-business-with-iran/2012/08/05/5e6888a2-dda2-11e1-8e43-4a3c4375504a_story.html
So Plouffe gives a speech in 2010 that had "no legal or ethical restrictions" and that has what to do with Mitt's claim that "the administration of being soft on Iran."?
Plouffe isn't running for President, but Mitt is.
Obama Campaign: Romney Has Iran Business Ties, Too
Ben LaBolt, the spokesman for the Obama campaign, responded to a Washington Post story about White House adviser David Plouffe taking fees from a firm with ties to Iran by accusing Mitt Romney of having similar ties, reports BuzzFeed.
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/obama-campaign-romney-has-iran-business-ties-too
Ben LaBolt, the spokesman for the Obama campaign, responded to a Washington Post story about White House adviser David Plouffe taking fees from a firm with ties to Iran by accusing Mitt Romney of having similar ties, reports BuzzFeed.
“Mitt Romney is the same candidate who failed to keep his promise to get rid of any investments in companies that do business with Iran – his trust remained invested in these companies for years after his pledge to divest,” said Obama campaign press secretary Ben LaBolt. “Mitt Romney had a financial interest in Turkcell which is attempting to advance its business interest in Iran. We’re happy to have a debate over what clients Mitt Romney’s advisors have chosen to advise – from human rights abusers to Chinese oil companies – but what is more significant is Romney’s own failure to keep his word when it came to Iran divestment.”
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/obama-campaign-romney-has-iran-business-ties-too
Yeah, let's talk about Romney's investments:
Romney lied to GOP about his investments
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021081574
4 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
