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Congressional Coup Caucus suggesting that Zelaya has drug trafficking ties

July 8, 2009 by Mark Leon Goldberg

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued a press release to announce that she will be meeting with the United States Drug Enforcement Agency to talk about drug trafficking in Honduras.

“Obtaining an assessment from DEA about the situation on the ground is of increasing importance in light of recent developments in Honduras and reports of possible Zelaya drug ties.

“The drug network is like a spider web extending into arms trafficking and used to finance such extremist groups as the FARC. It undermines our regional security and stability. It is critical that we understand the full scope of the problem and the players involved in order to combat it effectively.”  [Emphasis mine]

These “reports of possible Zelaya drug ties” have come from none other than the newly-minted Honduran “Foreign Minister” Enrique Ortez.  He claimed in an interview that “Every night, three or four Venezuelan-registered planes land without the permission of appropriate authorities and bring thousands of pounds … and packages of money that are the fruit of drug trafficking.”

Ortez, as those who have been following this situation are well aware, was dressed down by the United States Ambassador to Honduras for frequently invoking the racially charged pejorative “negrito” to refer to President Obama.  At one point, Ortez described the president of the United States as “this little black man (negrito) who has no idea where Tegucigalpa is.” 

In any case, it would seem that Ros-Lehtinen is interested in highlighting these allegations, and in so-doing she is giving succor to the Congressional Coup Caucus as they widen their campaign of support for a military-backed government in America’s back yard. 

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Friends in High Places

by Matthew Cordell

Following up on Mark’s post yesterday on the Coup Caucus, I decided to do a little digging to see what other foreign entities (and global issues) U.S. Representatives felt needed a good caucusing. My list can be found after the jump, as can some larger maps. The most glaring ommission in my mind: Italy.  The Italian Embassy in D.C. is quite nice and frequently throws parties, if you know what I’m saying.

Full List

  1. African Great Lakes Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Brad Miller and Rep. Edward R. Royce
  2. Bi-Partisan Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Eliot L. Engel and Rep. Christopher H. Smith
  3. Bipartisan Congressional Refugee Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. John Conyers, Rep. Christopher Smith, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, and Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart
  4. Caucus for Congressional World Bank Dialogue
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Betty McCollum and Rep. Kevin Brady
  5. Caucus on International Religious Freedom
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Trent Franks and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II
  6. Children’s Environmental Health Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Rush Holt and Rep. Frank Lobiondo
  7. Congressional African Partnership for Economic Growth Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Bobby L. Rush and Rep. Donald M. Payne
  8. *Congressional Algerian Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and Rep. Ed Royce
  9. *Congressional Azerbaijan Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Solomon Ortiz and Rep. Bill Shuster
  10. Congressional Caribbean Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Donald M. Payne and Rep. Dan Burton
  11. *Congressional Caucus of the Netherlands
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Pete Hoekstra and Rep. Chris Van Hollen
  12. *Congressional Caucus on Albanian Issues
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Eliot L. Engel and Rep. Mark Steven Kirk
  13. *Congressional Caucus on Bosnia
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Russ Carnahan and Rep. Christopher H. Smith
  14. *Congressional Caucus on Brazil
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Eliot Engel and Rep. Devin Nunes
  15. *Congressional Caucus on Bulgaria
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Ellen Tauscher and Rep. Joe Wilson
  16. *Congressional Caucus on Central and Eastern Europe
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Daniel Lipinski and Rep. Thaddeus McCotter
  17. *Congressional Caucus on Central Asia (CCCA)
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Eni F.H. Faleomavaega and Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon
  18. *Congressional Caucus on Cote d’ Ivoire
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. G.K. Butterfield
  19. Congressional Caucus on Human Trafficking
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Christopher H. Smith, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, Rep. Kay Granger and Rep. Robert C. Scott
  20. *Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Jim McDermott and Rep. Ed Royce
  21. *Congressional Caucus on Indonesia
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Robert Wexler and Rep. Dan Burton
  22. *Congressional Caucus on Korea
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Diane Watson, Rep. Ed Royce, Rep. Michael Capuano and Rep. Dan Burton
  23. *Congressional Caucus on Poland
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Daniel Lipinski and Rep. Christopher Smith
  24. Congressional Caucus on Refugees
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Zoe Lofgren
  25. Congressional Caucus on Sovereignty Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Thaddeus McCotter and Rep. Doug Lamborn
  26. *Congressional Caucus on Tibet
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and Rep. Neil Abercrombie
  27. *Congressional Caucus on Taiwan
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Robert Wexler, Rep. Shelley Berkley, Rep. Lincoln Diaz‐Balart and Rep. Phil Gingrey
  28. *Congressional Caucus on US-Turkey Relations and Turkish Americans
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Robert Wexler, Rep. Ed Whitfield and Kay Granger
  29. *Congressional Caucus on Vietnam
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Loretta Sanchez, Rep. Christopher Smith, Rep. Zoe Lofgren and Rep. Anh “Joseph” Cao
  30. Congressional Children’s Health Care Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Dave Reichert and Rep. Kathy Castor
  31. *Congressional China Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Madeleine Z. Bordallo and Rep. J. Randy Forbes
  32. Congressional Contaminated Drywall Caucus (CCDC) ….just kidding
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Robert Wexler and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart
  33. Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. James R. Langevin and Rep. Michael T. McCaul
  34. *Congressional French Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. James L. Oberstar, Rep. John Boozman, Sen. Mary Landrieu and Sen. Susan Collins
  35. *Congressional Friends of Canada Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Henry E. Brown, Jr., Rep. James Oberstar, Rep. Don Manzullo and Rep. Michael Michaud
  36. *Congressional Friends of Denmark
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Steny Hoyer and Rep. Howard Coble
  37. *Congressional Friends of Jordan Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Adam B. Schiff and Charles Boustany
  38. *Congressional Friends of Liechtenstein Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. John Sullivan and Rep. Joseph Crowley
  39. *Congressional Friends of Spain Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Pedro R. Pierluisi and Rep. Mario Diaz Balart
    Staff Contact Name and Information:
  40. *Congressional Georgia Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz and Rep. Bill Shuster
  41. Congressional Global Health Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Betty McCollum, Rep. Vic Snyder, Rep. David Reichert, Rep. Michael Simpson, Rep. Joe Wilson and Rep. Donna Christensen
  42. Congressional International Anti-Piracy Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Adam B. Schiff, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Senator Orrin Hatch
  43. *Congressional Israel Allies Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Eliot L. Engel and Rep. Mike Pence
  44. *Congressional Nuclear Security Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Adam Schiff and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry
  45. *Congressional Pakistan Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Dan Burton, Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee and Rep. Mike Conaway
  46. Congressional Port Security Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. C. A. Ruppersberger and Rep. Henry Brown
  47. Congressional Pro-Trade Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Henry Cuellar
  48. *Congressional Romania Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Solomon Ortiz and Joe Wilson
  49. *Congressional Serbian Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Melissa L. Bean and Rep. Dan Burton
  50. *Congressional Singapore Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Solomon Ortiz and Rep. Cliff Stearns
  51. Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Sam Farr and Rep. Roy Blunt
  52. *Congressional Ukrainian Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, Rep. Sander Levin and Rep. Jim Gerlach
  53. *Congressional United Kingdom Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. John Campbell and Rep. Diane Watson
  54. Democratic Israel Working Group
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Rep. Gene Green, Rep. Alcee L. Hastings and Rep. Linda T. Sanchez
  55. *Friends of Kazakhstan Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Shelley Berkley and Rep. Robert Aderholt
  56. *Friends of New Zealand Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher and Rep. Kevin Brady
  57. *Friends of Paraguay Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Robert Wexler and Rep. Dan Burton
  58. *Friends of Scotland Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Mike McIntyre and Rep. John Duncan
  59. *Friends of Switzerland Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Tammy Baldwin and Rep. Wally Herger
  60. Green Schools Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Michael T. McCaul and Rep. Jim Matheson
  61. House Baltic Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich and Rep. John Shimkus
  62. *House Bangladesh Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Joseph Crowley, Rep. Peter T. King, Rep. Gary Ackerman and Rep. Mark Steven Kirk
  63. House Caucus for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Joseph Crowley, Rep. Kevin Brady, Rep. Wally Herger and Rep. Rick Larsen
  64. House Missile Defense Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Trent Franks, Rep. Jim Marshall, Rep. Pete Sessions, Rep. Parker
  65. House Oceans Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Sam Farr, Rep. Vernon Ehlers and Rep. Jay Inslee
  66. House Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Vernon J. Ehlers
  67. *Hungarian American Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich and Rep. Steven C. LaTourette
  68. *Iran Human Rights and Democracy Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Bob Filner and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher
  69. *Iran Working Group
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Robert Andrews and Rep. Mark Steven Kirk
  70. Iraqi Women’s Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher and Rep. Kay Granger
  71. Nuclear Issues Working Group
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. John Spratt and Rep. Zach Wamp
  72. Organization of American States (OAS) Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Gregory Meeks, Rep. Albio Sires, and Rep. Joe Wilson
  73. Religious Minorities in the Middle East Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Anna G. Eshoo and Rep. Frank Wolf
  74. *Russia Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Rep. Tom Price
  75. *Sudan Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Michael E. Capuano, Rep. Donald M. Payne, Rep. Michael T. McCaul and Rep. Frank R. Wolf
  76. Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Jay Inslee and Rep. Steve Israel
  77. Task Force on Terrorism & Proliferation Financing
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Stephen F. Lynch and Rep. Ed Royce
  78. Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Eric Cantor
  79. *U.S.-Afghan Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and Rep. Joe Wilson
  80. *U.S.-China Working Group
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Rick Larsen and Rep. Mark Steven Kirk
  81. *U.S. Mongolia Friendship Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Joseph R. Pitts
  82. *U.S.-Phillipines Friendship Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Bob Filner and Rep. Brian Bilbray
  83. Unexploded Ordinance (UXO) Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Earl Blumenauer, Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite, Rep. Sam Farr and Rep. Donald Manzullo
  84. Victory in Iraq Congressional Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Joe Wilson and Rep. Jeff Miller
  85. Water Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. John Linder, Rep. Jim Costa, Rep. George Radanovich, Rep. Bart Stupak and Rep. Grace Napolitano
  86. World Economic Forum Caucus
    Chairs & Co-Chairs: Rep. Brian Baird and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry

* denotes representation on the map. As most of these Caucuses don’t maintain a website. I had to do some guessing work on some of the regions. And, no, I’m not being lazy. The vast majority don’t maintain Web sites.

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Easterly’s pessimism on the MDGs

by John Boonstra

It’s not surprising that William Easterly has pronounced the Millennium Development Goals dead.  S-G Ban Ki-moon himself cautions that “progress has been too slow for most of the targets to be met by 2015.”  What might be more surprising is that Easterly calls the activism surrounding the MDGs “a success in global consciousness-raising.”  Yet not without flaws — his post on the subject concentrates on the inability of the MDG movement to identify an appropriate target, reason, and policy prescription (the WHO, WHY, and WHAT, in Easterly’s terms) for their activism.

Some of Easterly’s points are certainly well made — it is difficult, for instance, to pinpoint an actor to blame for the MDGs’ struggles, or who needs to be galvanized to action, when 189 countries have signed on to the agreement.  But how could the MDGs have emerged in any other way, least of all without attracting the label of “colonialism” had they been prerogatives solely of the developing world?  The MDGs were set up to be difficult to achieve — that they set specific goals should not be reason to qualify the campaign to reach them as a failure “on its own terms.”

Furthermore, the MDGs have not been utter failures.  They have achieved tangible benefits for millions of human beings, in alleviating poverty, reducing disease, increasing access to education, improving women’s health.  That they have not reached their intended milestones, or that the global economic crisis has put a further damper in their prospects, is not a reason to abandon them.  So while their certainly is reason to investigate aid agencies, and to ensure that funds all reach the poor whom they are supposed to reach, I disagree with Easterly that we shouldn’t “waste any more effort” in pushing countries to meet their commitments by 2015 and in coming as close to achieving the MDGs as possible.  To fall short of that would be unfair both to the poor and to our own principles.

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The newest member of the Congressional Coup Caucus…

by John Boonstra

…appears to be South Carolina Republican Senator Jim DeMint, who, as ThinkProgress documents, compared the military ouster of Honduran President Manuel Zelaya — while in his pajamas! — to the democratic election of Minnesota Senator Al Franken.

Richard Nixon may have been a crook, but he certainly was not hauled out of the White House by the U.S. military.

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UN Human Rights chief speaks on on Urumqi, Xinjiang violence

by Mark Leon Goldberg

UN Spokesperson Michelle Montas relays a statement from the UN’s top human rights official Navi Pillay expressing concern about the loss of life in Urumqi.

Here is Pillay’s statement.  What’s interesting here is the focus it places on the “right of demonstrators to exercise freedom of expression in a peaceful manner.”  This jives with similar statements she’s made regarding the situation in Iran.

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Meet your new UN envoy in Iraq

by John Boonstra

Replacing Staffan de Mistura will be the current deputy head of the UN Development Program, Dutchman Ad Melkert.  Some praise:

U.N. spokeswoman Michele Montas said Melkert would bring to the Iraq job “a unique combination of extensive political experience … and economic and development expertise.”

“As a result he enters with a deep understanding of the nature of the challenges and priorities that face Iraq at this phase of its transition,” she told a news briefing.

He’s got his work cut out for him.

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