Exclusive: Bush US Attorney cut lenient plea deal with company paying terrorists

[kpete]

Source: Raw Story

The Department of Justice, Corporations, Buying the Law – Part II: Strange Bargains
By Larisa Alexandrovna and Muriel Kane

Published: July 21, 2009

Bush US Attorney cut lenient plea deal with company paying terrorists; Lawyer who helped cut plea deal? Obama’s future Attorney General

When the US Justice Department announced in March 2007 that Chiquita Brands had pleaded guilty to “one count of engaging in transactions with a specially-designated global terrorist” and would be paying a $25 million fine, observers were astonished at the lightness of the sentence.

Between 1997 and February of 2004, Chiquita made $1.7 million in payments to a right-wing paramilitary group, the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), in regions where it had banana-growing operations. During that period, AUC conducted a “dirty war” against Colombia’s left-wing FARC guerrillas, marked by widespread murders of union leaders and farmers, as well as trafficking in cocaine and heroin.

“Several American multinational corporations have been accused of essentially underwriting those criminal activities – in violation of U.S. law – by providing cash, vehicles and other financial assistance as insurance against attacks on their employees and facilities in the South American nation,” the Los Angeles Times wrote in July 2007. “But only one such company – Chiquita Brands International Inc. – has been charged criminally in the United States.”



Read more: http://rawstory.com/08/news/2009/07/21/buying-the-law/

[PainPerdu]

1. Carl Lindner and John McCain

I posted a comment and link on another thread here,earlier re: Colombia coal mining.

DU has some superb threads by leveymg about Carl Linder,owner of Chiquita Bananas and his ties to BCCI ;and conviction of Lindner for funding Colombian Death Squads....then having a $25,000 a plate fund raiser for McCain last fall-AFTER his conviction.

If I'm not mistaken it's called the "Crimes and Cover-Ups of John McCain,Reformer",or something similar to that.

[PainPerdu]

2. Some interesting links

Chiquita Brands accused of funding death squads - Democratic ..."Since 1994, Carl Lindner and his Chiquita banana empire have been Exhibit A in the fight to reform campaign finance. Through his insurance company, ...
www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az...all... - Similar

King of the 'christian' Right in Ohio, Phil Burress - Democratic ...The Keating family and Carl Linder are big supporters. Anything to do with right-wing politics in SW Ohio you will find Linder's name coming up. ...
www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az...all... - Similar

Murder and payoffs taint business in Colombia - Democratic UndergroundChiquita was run by Carl Lindner until March of 2002 (the time frame in which these crimes happened). If you are not from the Cincinnati area then you might ...
www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az...all... - Similar

RIGHTS-COLOMBIA: US Firms Face Charges for Aiding Paramilitary ...From his seat as chairman and CEO of American Financial Group (AFG), Carl Lindner oversees nearly $20 billion in assets. AFG, which serves as a holding ...
www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az...all... - Similar

[PainPerdu]

3. Yes,we have a LOT of bananas!

McCain Still Receives Big $$$s from Keating S&L Figure Linked to BCCI and Organized Crime
Posted by leveymg in General Discussion
Thu Aug 21st 2008, 05:18 PM




Carl Lindner, an Ohio billionaire with CIA and underworld connections who owned Chiquita Bananas, was Charles Keating's original partner, banker, and mentor. Lindner got Keating wrapped up with schemes involving the usual cast of BCCI characters, shady Saudi bankers, the Bush family, and Iran-Contra money laundering. Keating was always a sort of pass-through guy, without any real money of his own. But, a lot of money flowed through Keating to McCain and his wife, Cindy, in an Arizona real estate scam. Lindner who was recently convicted of financing Right-wing death squads in Colombia, is still giving big, dirty campaign checks to McCain. Now, that's a story that the American people need to hear.




leveymg's Journal - THE CRIMES AND COVERUPS OF JOHN McCAIN, “REFORMER” Jun 3, 2008 ... Like the Bush Family, McCain had his Hand in the BCCI and S&L Scandals McCain claims that his involvement in the Keating S&L scandal wasn’t ...
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/... - 48k

McCain Backer's Firm Pleaded Guilty To Funding Terrorist Group In Colombia ...Jul 2, 2008 ... Late last week, Lindner co-hosted a $25000-per-person fundraiser for McCain and the Republican Party in the wealthy Indian Hills ...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/02/m... - 146k------Excerpt,leveymg,DU

[Wednesdays]

4. K&R

:kick: