Obscure Trade Settlement Could Create $480 Million Slush Fund for

[ralps]

White House
The resolution of an obscure trade dispute involving imports of Canadian lumber to the United States could result in a $480 million slush fund for the White House, according to a lawyer familiar with the case.

For years, the United States has been in contentious litigation with Canada over tariffs imposed on Canadian lumber imports. Canada maintained that tariffs imposed on lumber imports to the United States violated the rules of NAFTA and the WTO. Pending the resolution of the litigation, the Department of the Treasury held these tariffs in an account which now contains five billion dollars.

The United States lost virtually every major aspect of the litigation for the last five years, and as a result, a settlement seem elusive. Then, last April, the United States and Canada reached a surprise agreement. Here’s what we know about the deal from public sources:
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– The agreement contains a complicated escrow system that may allow the $480 million to be funneled from the Treasury Department to the White House.

link- http://thinkprogress.org/2006/06/12/white-house-slush-fund/
:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :grr:

[Eric J in MN]

1. This is unconstitutional.

Under the US Consitution, Congress controls spending.

Any settlement won by the federal govt against a foreing nation should go into the treasury for Congress to decide how to spend it.

[ralps]

2. Thanks for commenting Eric J in MN, i agree with you

:hi: :loveya: :hug: :pals: :woohoo:

[LiberalPartisan]

3. Which only makes it more likely

When did this administration ever care about the Constitution? Congress has abrogated their oversight responsibilities - abrogating their spending authority only makes sense. These are a bunch of lapdogs cooing over the fashion sense of a naked emporer.


Sorry if I sound a little piqued.