Bill and Hillary Clinton disagree on Colombia free trade issue

Just when the campaign of Hillary Clinton thought they had the Colombian free trade debacle behind it comes this - Bill Clinton supports the bilateral agreement being pushed through congress by the Bush administration, which Hillary Clinton opposes.

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Clinton spokesman, Jay Carson, said the Senator continues her opposition to the Colombian trade deal. He told the Associated Press this:

”Like other married couples who disagree on issues from time to time, she disagrees with her husband on this issue. President Clinton has been public about his support for Colombia’s request for U.S. trade preferences since 2000.”

A statement by candidate Clinton on her website made clear her position on the Colombian trade deal…

I am disappointed that President Bush has decided to send the Colombia Free Trade Agreement to Congress. As I have said consistently for several months, I oppose signing any trade deal with Colombia while violence against trade unionists continues and the perpetrators are not brought to justice. The United States should be pursuing trade agreements that promote human rights and worker rights, not overlook egregious abuses.

I will vote against the President’s Colombia trade agreement, and will urge my Senate colleagues to do the same.

On Sunday, the Clinton campaign severed ties with Mark Penn, a long time advisor to the Clintons. Penn was working to promote the Colombian trade deal for the Colombian government through his public relations company Burson-Marsteller, who had a $300,000 contract from the South American country.

On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that Penn had met with the Colombian Ambassador to help with the trade deal which left the Clinton campaign with a PR nightmare trying to explain how a top Clinton advisor was helping Colombia navigate Washington to promote a policy issue that the Hillary Clinton opposed.

Hillary Clinton has had strong support among labor unions and blue collar workers, who oppose the trade deal as a job killer.

The Glover Park Group (click for relationship map), which includes many former employees from both Bill Clinton’s time as President and Hillary Clinton’s time as First Lady, is also under contract, for $30,000 a month, with Colombia to help with the trade deal. Clinton campaign spokesman Howard Wolfson is a partial owner of Glover Park Group but has taken a leave of absence from the company while he is working on the Clinton campaign.

On Friday, following news of Penn’s meeting with the Colombians, Teamsters president Jim Hoffa had this to say…

“How can we trust that a President Hillary Clinton would stand strong against this trade deal when her top advisor is being paid by Colombia to promote it? To support this so-called ‘free trade agreement’ is anathema to the labor movement and to anyone who supports working people, social justice or the environment.”

Bruce Raynor president of Unite Now, a union representing more than 450,000 workers had this to say about Hillary Clinton…

A disturbing pattern is emerging in the Clinton campaign. She seems to regularly take positions on important issues which are refuted by her own actions, or those of her top campaign staff.

For example, Hillary said she always opposed NAFTA. But as has recently been documented, she supported NAFTA when it counted, that is, when it was being voted on.

On the Web
Associated Press
Statement from Hillary Clinton on the Colombia Free Trade Agreement
Mark Penn leaves Clinton campaign post
Google News search (Bill Clinton Colombia Trade)
Google Blog search (Bill Clinton Colombia Trade)

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