CHALLENGER GERRIE SCHIPSKE CHARGES CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER (R-CA46) ILLEGALLY NEGOTIATED WITH TALIBAN
If only Dana were a Democrat... then I'm sure this would send paroxysms of outrage through Blogistan.
Recently released financial disclosure forms and news accounts in the Arab press confirm that Republican Congressman Dana Rohrabacher conducted secret and illegal negotiations with the Taliban in April 2001 while on a trip paid for by Islamic and Egyptian support organizations, charges his Democratic challenger, Gerrie Schipske.
“Rohrabacher traveled to the United Arab Emirate of Qatar and conducted secret, unauthorized negotiations with Osma Bin Laden’s protégé -- Taliban Foreign Minister Walid Ahmad Mutawakel in April 2001,” says Schipske. The Arab news media reports that Rohrabacher pressured the Government of Qatar to set up a private meeting between him and the Taliban’s Foreign Minister.
“Rohrabacher met with Mutawakel and gave him a document that outlined his own ‘personal peace plan’ and told Mutawakel to take it back to the Taliban,” Schipske explains. “It is simply outrageous that this rogue Congressman engaged in negotiations with the Taliban. He needs to explain why he tried to cut a deal on his own and what he promised the Taliban during the meeting.” Schipske urged Rohrabacher to release whatever documents he handed to the Taliban leader.
Rohrabacher’s secret dealings came to light after his 2001 Financial Disclosure was released in late July 2002 showing a trip to Qatar paid for by both the Egypt International Forum and the Islamic Institute. A quick search of the Arab press turned up several news accounts about Rohrabacher’s “unofficial meeting” with the Taliban. The same press accounts indicate that Rohrabacher admitted his secret meeting with the Taliban was “his own initiative” and did not “represent the position of the U.S. government.”
“Then why was Rohrabacher secretly negotiating with the Taliban?” asks Schipske. “If he had no authority to make a deal with the Taliban, then his negotiations were not only illegal but dangerous to our country.” Federal law – commonly referred to as the Logan Act -- makes it a felony for a citizen to negotiate with any foreign government or agent of a foreign government with the intent to influence the conduct of that foreign government. ...
I'm sure Congressman Surfboard is safe.
True Story: Dana was in Huntington Beach for a July 4 parade. Due to various runoff problems, swimming was banned that day. Dana went surfing anyway.
With the recent redistricting, there's a small chance Dana could get the boot. Dare to dream...Though with both him AND Dornan gone, Orange County would never be the same..
UPDATE: Just wanted to add that someone should at LEAST see if any "arab sounding people from out of state" donated to him. THAT would be damning indeed!!
