Clinton Camp Furious Over Strategist’s Meeting With Colombian Officials on Trade Deal
Sources in the Hillary Clinton campaign told FOX News Friday that staff “outrage” is hitting a boiling point over senior strategist Mark Penn’s meeting Monday with Colombian officials to discuss passage of a trade deal that Clinton vehemently opposes.
Penn has apologized to Clinton, who knew nothing of the meeting until it was revealed Friday in The Wall Street Journal. Sources said Clinton discussed the matter directly with Penn and expressed displeasure.
“The meeting was an error in judgment that will not be repeated and I am sorry for it. The senator’s well-known opposition to this trade deal is clear and was not discussed,” Penn said in a public statement.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Penn met Monday with the Colombian officials as part of his job as chief executive of the lobbying and public relations firm Burson-Marsteller Worldwide.
Other Clinton officials are furious Penn would divert attention from Clinton’s campaign to curry favor with the Colombian government on behalf of the free trade deal. One chief concern is that Penn’s meeting conflicts with Clinton’s statements denouncing Colombia for using violence against union organizers.
“It makes me sick to come here hour after hour and fight for this campaign while Penn is off doing something that hurts the campaign and makes him a bunch of money,” said one aggravated Clinton loyalist.
Penn’s campaign position, however, seems secure.
Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said earlier Penn’s meeting does not reflect the campaign’s stance on Colombia.
“Sen. Clinton’s opposition to the Colombian trade deal remains pretty clear,” he said. Penn’s “meetings were not in any way on behalf of her campaign. … It does not affect her opposition whatsoever to the trade bill.”
Both Clinton and Barack Obama oppose the Colombian trade deal. Colombian President Alvaro Uribe earlier in the week called Obama’s opposition the product of “political calculations.”
The Colombian government is trying to secure congressional passage of the agreement signed in 2006 by Uribe and the Bush administration. According to Justice Department filings, Colombia last year agreed to pay Burson-Marsteller $300,000 to help “educate members of the U.S. Congress and other audiences” about the trade deal and secure continued U.S. funding for the $5 billion anti-narcotics program Plan Colombia.
In economic terms, the deal would largely open up the Colombian markets for American goods without many of the duties that now exist. Colombia is already able to send most products to the United States duty-free, but the deal would cement that preferential access.
Penn has come under criticism for other Burson-Marsteller clients, including tobacco giant Philip Morris and corporate clients accused of union-busting activity. While Penn says he does not personally work on any accounts that could be construed as anti-labor, labor leaders including Teamsters president James Hoffa have publicly expressed concern about his involvement with the campaign.
Penn’s political consulting firm, Penn, Schoen & Berland, has been paid $10.8 million so far by Clinton’s campaign.
Click here to read the story about the Colombia trade deal talks in The Wall Street Journal.
FOX News’ Major Garrett, Aaron Bruns and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
You assume Hillary knew nothing of the meeting - but do you know? The Clintons are obviously money-grubbing, corrupt politicians.
When a questionable report had someone from Obama’s campaign talking with the Canadians, you were all over it.
So get all over it and stop playing politics!
One thing this should tell people is that Penn must not be a very good lobbyist because Hillary voted AGAINST the trade deal.
Obama talking about his grandmother: She had a “typical white person” reaction.
Obama on Hardball with Chris Matthews on 4/2/08: I do not stereotype people or lump them in groups before I make a judgement. Why did Matthews not immediately ask Obama how he could expect people to believe that statement after calling his grandmother a typical white person a week before?
What does Obama call saying his grandmother reacted like a “typical white person”? Sounds like he lumped his grandmother into a group of stereotyped typical white people to me.
Words matter and I wish the MSM would start holding Obama accountable for a change. FACT CHECK at the moment he messes up an watch his eyes start twitching and listen to him stutter.
It’s 3 A.M., do you know where your husband is?
HILLARY GO TO YOUR ROOM. YOU ARE LIKE SO NOT ELECTABLE. You know you gonna keep the Columbian’s in mind because they are your supplier in New York. You know you want to give them “Favorite Nation Status for Trade” just like Slick Willy did for Wal-Mart and China.
Hillary you make me wanna turn gay you just a PLAIN DOGGED LAIR. YOU CANT EVEN SAY. I LIED TO SELL MY BOOK. Gee whiz maybe you should try chez whiz its at least bends when it hits a hard spot.
I cant vote for you… Anyone too dam proud to say I made a mistake or I lied is not worth voting for.
After Hillary “Snipergate”, I have no more turst in her ..any American who has an ounce of trustworthiness and dignity should not trust her either.
No wonder Mr.William Safire said Hillary is a Congenital Liar almost 12 years ago and still hold true till today.
Mark Penn contact with Colombian Official ? who knows that was Hillary’s own idea? by using Penn as scapegoat.. she wanted to show to her supporter that she is really in control of her campaign. which she is not…
She was emotional in this morning speech about MLK….come on, Give Me A Break… Remember her fake emotional broke down in New Hampshire?
You have Slick Willy lied and cheat and using race card, you have Hillary following his foot steps of lying, inventing stories, joinning the Marines?
compare her to Rocky? which Rocky lost his first fight? I have a new name for you Hillary, after you lose the nomination: Mrs.Rambo Rocky Rodham, because Slick Willy will no longer be with you, he has no more usage for you in politics and vice & versa…Chelsea? she started looking just like you: an arrogant, obnoxious and mean spirited woman when answering people legitimate questions of her father past….you 3 deserve each other…
David
This is getting ridiculous…..
1. Her SENIOR STRATEGIST doesn’t have the sense to know this meeting conflicts with one of her positions. Has he been missing meetings or do they just not have any.
2. She isn’t paying staffers or paying for the benefits because money ran out.
3. She had to loan her own campaign $5 million because money was mismanaged.
4. She isn’t paying venues where she held rallies.
5. Her campaign can’t think of anything except 3am ads. To the point where the made a 3am ad about answering the phone in the middle of the night about the economy. Like anyone is answering the phone at 3am about the economy, with the exchanges, banks etc closed. Couldn’t come up with an idea that at least made logical sense?
6. Her campaign didn’t have ground troops in any of the states who held primaried past the first Super Tuesday.
7. Her campaign is so disorganized she has gotten creamed in virtually every caucus.
She can’t run a campaign, how is she going to run a country. Jeez, she is one of the most well known women in the world and has been for almost 20 years and she is getting beaten by a guy so new to the scene that almost everyone admits they don’t know much about him. She has managed to blow the surest political thing in decades. Why would anyone want her as President? Spare me the experience argument or “solutions business” stuff. None of that has helped her beat an upstart like Obama. If she is in the “solutions business” why can’t she solve her biggest problem right now…losing to a neophyte?
Hillary has gone from #1 seed to pure bottom of the barrel. GEE THINK oh they don’t. Hillary just really needs to go away for the good of the country. Hillary just dont have any backbone no wonder Bill had to go to Monica. We all know what you cant get at home you can to over the tracks and get it.
CHEERLEADER FOR OBAMA, Rant on brother! You’re over the top with the hate! She can’t control everyone
24/7. Penn did what he did, she didn’t. You’re a maniac for the lies of Obama, so you’re
opinion is worthless and just nasty. She’s not a liar. There, that makes it so, because I said it’s
so. Obamaism is evil and ridiculously ignorant. Her name is Hillary, not Billary. None of us can
control anyone else but ourselves. Isn’t that Obama’s reasoning about his “old uncle”?
Clinton is not furious over Penn’s meeting with the Columbians. She is furious he got caught. She most definitely knew about this and he did it with her blessing. Just like NAFTA. She just doesn’t want the voters to know she is doing this behind your back - giving your jobs away AGAIN!!!. If she plays dumb, then she thinks she can honestly face you and deny it.
Don’t be fooled. She doesn’t care about you or your futures. She just wants back in the white house. Not as your elected leader but to stroke her ego. Don’t give it to her.
PLEASE PA VOTERS, WAKE UP BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!!!!!
With all the Clinton income, can all trade agreements be bad? Not for the Clinton machine. Would you prefer regular or unleaded?