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Politics : Stockman Scott's Political Debate Porch -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: lurqer who wrote (32673)	12/12/2003 10:33:29 PM
From: Rick Faurot	Respond to of 89467

White House: No Conflict for Baker in Iraq Role Fri December 12, 2003 05:40 PM ET (Page 1 of 2) By Caren Bohan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House said on Friday that presidential envoy James Baker, a lawyer with a long list of international clients, has taken steps to ensure there are no conflicts of interest as he begins his globe-trotting role to reduce Iraq's debt. President Bush took umbrage at any suggestion that Baker's efforts for the government would be compromised by his work for an investment company, the Carlyle Group, or his law firm, Baker Botts. "Jim Baker is a man of high integrity. He's a man of enormous experience. And it makes sense for him to serve our country on an important mission," Bush told reporters at an event to announce Alphonso Jackson as his new housing secretary. When asked about an editorial in the New York Times on Friday that called on Baker to sever his private-sector connections, Bush made a point of saying he does not read the newspaper's editorial page, which has a liberal bent. "I don't read those editorials," he said. But he went on to tout Baker's qualifications for his job. The Times, one of the nation's most influential newspapers, said the Carlyle Group has done business with the Saudi royal family and that Halliburton Co. has been among the clients of Baker Botts. A Pentagon audit of Halliburton, the oil services firm once run by Vice President Dick Cheney, found the company may have overbilled the U.S. government by $120 million on contracts related to the war and reconstruction in Iraq. Critics often question how far the Bush administration's ties to large businesses influence policy. "Businesses like Carlyle and Baker Botts make their living by flaunting their connections to the politically powerful. To perform honorably in his new public job, Mr. Baker must give up these two private ones," the Times said. reuters.com

To: lurqer who wrote (32673)	12/12/2003 10:51:29 PM
From: Rick Faurot	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 89467

I agree. Good overview. I don't mind relying on the foreign media and the internet to get the real story. It works. And I am willing to do my part in spreading the news. The internet works.