Bush library cash-for-access scandal reveals darker foreign relations truth

[babsbunny]

http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/analysis/332

Submitted by AmyW on Tue, 07/22/2008 - 3:23pm. Analysis

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
by Amy Weiss

The recent Sunday Times investigation into Republican lobbyist Stephen Payne's business deals has offered disturbing insight that goes far beyond the funding of the George W. Bush presidential library.

Payne made news last week for essentially offering access to upper-level Bush Administration officials in exchange for a large donation to Bush's presidential library fund and a larger fee for his international consulting firm, Worldwide Strategic Partners (WSP).

A Times reporter went undercover posing as an associate of a Kazakh politician known as Eric Dos who previously worked with Payne. Dos told Payne he was negotiating on behalf of Askar Akayev, the former president of Kyrgyzstan, who is now in exile but wants to return to politics in Kyrgyzstan and believes a friendly relationship with the U.S. government will help.

The Times has video of Payne suggesting prices and explaining how the deal will work, an unfairly edited account according to Payne, and an example of what he calls "gotcha journalism."

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said of Payne:

[Mnemosyne]

1. Needs more knr! n/t