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.
Come on people!!! Do we really believe Hillary did not know about this? Whatever! She is a lair and a phoney! She knew what was going on. We need to vote for Obama, we need a change and a fresh start.
Wizard of Oz: “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.”
Yea, play it like you didn’t know.
Where do you think you got some of your millions? You have sold out the American people!!!!!!!
Wait till you hear what charities she contribute to. The Clinton foundation! Give yourself charity and write it off. Man, the Clintons were right. There are so many uneducated people supporting them, dumb and blind to all their legal and moral issues.
Wait till you see the unethical companies that Bill & Hillary collected from but you guys will vote and contribute to her campaign. What morons.
I am just waiting to see what Hillary is going to do. She stated that Obama should not have people in his campaign speaking to foreign goverments, saying something other that what he stood for. now so, it was not good for Obama, but just watch, she is going to do everything that she can to keep Penn. You reap what you sow. I said it then and I am saying it now.
Hill/bill is so phony, everyday it is something new with them, how can they relate to poor or even middle class people. Yeah! Right Hill/Bill co press, give me a break a quote from Bill. I am going to get on the Obama Drama train see ya don’t even want to be ya!!!!!
what goes around comes aroud…. Hillary should get out of the race by now … if she cant manage her own campaign, there’s no way she can run a country…its over…
Why isn’t the “media” broadcasting this news like they did with Obama’s Canadian situation…..Double standards………I agree the Clinton needs to concede and return to building their bank account…………….Why in the world are the tax payers having to pay for secret service for both clintons and daughter……..don’t they have any shame?
Good way to treat the only good friend the US has now in South America. With friends like that who needs………..
If Hillary reacts this way when she says she’s not aware of what’s happening, what happens at 3:00 A.M. when the phone rings and the woman at the other end of the line asks for Bill?
Penn has received large sums of money as chief strategist and I think he should resign for doing such a disservice to the campaign. It would be the right thing to do. Since it is late into the campaign he should give up his post now to another person who is more capable than him and be a part time consultant on the side. This is very disturbing that he would do this knowing fully well that Sen Clinton was opposed to the deal. I trust Sen Clinton will do the right thing about this issue.