Obama CIA Director Nominee - Panetta

Here we go ... Obama's pick to head the CIA - a fella without any real National Security Experience - has some interesting financial dealings. He's very rich and has ties to banks receiving bailout money and he also has ties with lobbying firms.

It also looks like he's under investigation by The Senate Intelligence Committee regarding relationship to a nonprofit firm called EduCap Inc. that is under investigation by the IRS

Wall Street Journal

The White House's nominee for Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Leon Panetta, has earned more than $700,000 in speaking and consulting fees since the beginning of 2008, with some of the payments coming from troubled financial firms and from a firm that invests in contractors for federal national security agencies, according to financial disclosures released Wednesday.

Panetta received $56,000 from Merrill Lynch & Co. and $28,000 from Wachovia Corp.

Mr. Panetta's forms show that he performed government affairs consulting last year and also sat on the board of a public affairs firm that lobbies Congress. Like Mr. Daschle, who also worked for a firm with lobbying clients, Mr. Panetta doesn't violate Mr. Obama's ban on hiring registered lobbyists.

Panetta won't violate Obamas ban on lobbyists, but that 'ban' isn't really holding anyways now is it? In my opinion if you SIT ON A BOARD of a firm that lobbies Congress, then that is no different then being a lobbyist yourself in this matter. But of course, Obama isn't asking my opinion on this.

Panetta received $28,000 from the Carlyle Group which holds a majority stake in the government consulting arm of Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., which works for the CIA.

Some threads on The Carlyle Group -

www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...


He also received a $60,000 "Governmental Advisor Fee" from the Pacific Maritime Association - a lobby group in regards to dealing with terrorism.

Panetta received $130,000 from lobbying firm Fleishman Hillard,

The Senate Intelligence Committee is seeking information on his relationship to a nonprofit firm called EduCap Inc. that is under investigation by the IRS. EduCap and a sister firm donated $50,000 to Mr. Panetta's institute. It also provided flights on its corporate jet to Mr. Daschle and other Washington figures. So does that mean that Panetta is under investigation by the Senate Intelligence Committee? If they are seeking information on him, I'd say that he IS under investigation.

I hope Panetta remembered to pay his taxes on those flights.

Edited out the word 'billionaire'.
The TV news used it but I'm not finding evidence of it.

[edit on 2/5/2009 by FlyersFan]

No suprise.
Did anybody actually think that Obama would really be any different?
Another rich corrupt politician.
Nothing new to see here.
Move along.

As an Obama supporter I must admit that I am starting to have my doubts about Obama and his message of change.

I have to question the motives of a very wealthy man accepting a relatively low paying position within the government, what would drive a rich man to take a very high stress job, patriotism?

And how is it that Obama thinks this man is the best choice for such a position?

While I will extend the benefit of the doubt to Obama, I am starting to scratch my head over his cabnit choices.

[edit on 5-2-2009 by deepred]

Originally posted by deepred
this billionaire

I had to back off from the billionaire statement. That was said on the TV news and after looking into it I can't back up what they said. It may or may not be true.

The guy is definately rich. Nothing wrong with that. But it's where he's getting his money from that is the issue. The Carlyle Group? Everyone had a fit when the Bush/Carlyle Group connections came out. (rightly so). And it looks like he's under investigation by the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Great scoop on Panetta the classic Clintonista. I am getting to the point of no return with Obama and company. I just wonder when he will start to sell overnights to his cronies in the Lincoln Bedroom.

I am usually in an overall good mood but, I woke up this morning to sub zero temps when I took out the trash and I almost had an overstuffed Diaper Champ spill all over the floor. Now, I read this about Panetta (I was already pissed about his Clintonista status) therefore, I am in a pissing into the wind kind of mood today.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics has raised some concerns about Panetta.

Bloomberg

Panetta should disclose whether he advised or had any interaction with Fleishman-Hillard clients with ties to U.S. intelligence operations, said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a watchdog group.

If he did and is confirmed as CIA director, “he should be recused from those matters” that involved those clients, she said. .....

Panetta also should give the details behind his honorarium from Carlyle Group because of the firm’s work with defense and intelligence agencies, Sloan said. “If he’s going to be indebted to Carlyle in any way, that’s troubling,” she said

Business Week - Panetta's Corporate Connections Payoff

Hundreds of thousands of dollars in consulting and speaking fees from companies and the defense firm Carlyle Group could provoke a bumpy ride for President Obama’s choice to head the Central Intelligence Agency, former Clinton White House chief of staff Leon Panetta. The Senate Intelligence Committee is to consider his nomination at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 5.

A disclosure statement filed with the Office of Government Ethics details paid positions on a number of corporate boards, including BP Corp., and speaking fees from Merrill Lynch and Wachovia. Altogether, Panetta reported $1.2 million in 2008 income from clients, companies and investments. His assets could be worth up to $3.7 million.

This blog calls Panetta - Lobbiest Lite. I have to agree.

I'm not against people making a living. Heck, I'm all for it. I'm not against rich people. I think it's great that people are enterprising and make a ton of money. (getting $150,000 for a 'consulting fee' for letting someone use your name, like Panetta did, is VERY enterprising! )

But the problem is the lobbiest connections. Panetta isn't a registered lobbyist. He's ONE DEGREE OF SEPARATION from being a lobbyist so legally he doesn't have to call himself one. But franky, he sure looks like one to a lot of us.

His Carlyle Group connection makes me uneasy. Sure, the obama followers will say 'it's just a speaking fee'. But when even independent watchdog groups think something might not be right ...

How stupid to these individuals think we are?
Wait... don't answer that.

In another story:

Today the MSM categorically denied pumping euphoric toxins into the masses while crooked sadists fondled innocent Americans with reach around politics.

The previously unknown pandemic otherwise known as "obamaphelia" is being treated in facilities across the country.

While supplies were limited during the first stages of the outbreak, millions of doses of reality are quickly being distributed, and first responders are confident that many can still be saved.

[edit on 5-2-2009 by lernmore]

OMG!! THIS is the guy who will be running our CIA???

Here is some info on Panetta's ties to the marxist think tank - Institute for Policy Studies AND his part in the ChiCom COSCO deal.

God help America.

The New American - The Trouble With Leon Panetta

In April 1985 Panetta joined with 13 of his leftist congressional colleagues — including Ron Dellums, Don Edwards, George Miller, Christopher Dodd, and Les Aspin — in sponsoring a 20th anniversary fund-raising gala for the pro-Marxist Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), which had been described by Brian Crozier, director of the London Institute for the Study of Conflict, as the "perfect intellectual front for Soviet activities which would be resisted if they were to originate openly from the KGB." The IPS was originally funded with millions of dollars from the Faberge perfume magnate and Communist Party member Samuel Rubin and his wife.

On April 30, 1987, Rep. Panetta cast a highly suspect vote for one who would direct our nation's top foreign intelligence agency. On that day, he was one of 183 members of the House to vote against the withdrawal of Most Favored Nation (MFN) status for communist Romania. Romania, at the time, was run by Nicolae Ceausescu, one of the most brutal dictators in the entire Soviet bloc.

And in addition to his Institute of Policy Studies connections, we have his handing over of the Long Beach Naval Shipyard to the Communist Chinese. HERE is the Congretional Record about how this handover was a threat to America. A threat thanks to Leon Panetta.

Even the most unbiased of observers may legitimately ask: Why on Earth is an individual who helped negotiate the turnover of the Long Beach Naval Shipyard to the communist Chinese, thereby creating the threat to U.S. national security described in the Washington Times article by Rowan Scarborough and inserted into the Congressional Record by Rep. Solomon, being considered for a top position at one of our nation's most critical intelligence agencies?

In 1983 while in Congress, Panetta supported the IPS's "Coalition for a New Foreign and Military Policy Line" . He was also one of the congressmen who bienially commissioned IPS to produce an alternative budget that dramatically cut defense spending.

Obama to defend Panetta pick - even though some top democrats question it.

The Post Chronicle

Two senior Democrats, California Sen. Dianne Feinstein and West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller, raised questions on Monday about Panetta's limited intelligence expertise after word leaked out that Panetta had been picked by Obama for CIA.

"I have the utmost respect for Leon Panetta," Obama told reporters when asked about the criticism of Panetta. "He brings extraordinary management skills, great political savvy, an impeccable record of integrity."

IMPECCABLE RECORD OF INTEGRITY . Impeccable, eh?
Pretty strong words. I wouldnt call the Institute of Public Studies
connection to be 'impeccable'. But then again, Obama hung with
Ayers and Wright and Auchi ... so perhaps IPS is just fine with him.
And the ChiCom COSCO deal as well. And the lobbyist connections ...

Impeccable.

So far none of Obama's appointees have any credibility and honesty at all.

One of the things that I look into anybody that deals with public and public affairs is their background.

My hopes of a better government and a better administration is just no there anymore with all the recycle trash that Obama is surrounding himself with.

Nothing more than traitors to this nations citizens, constitution and well being.

They all fat rats looking for a buck at the expenses of tax payers in this nation.

Shame.

Originally posted by lernmore
How stupid to these individuals think we are?
Wait... don't answer that..

Considering how many people bought into the 'hope and change' rhetoric that Obama took from Alinsky ... I'd say that ' these individuals' think we are very stupid and they'd be right. We are a nation of suckers.