21165: Allouard: Black Groups Call for Investigation of Congressional Black Caucus (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Allouard <allouard@libertysurf.fr>

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=102-04072004



Black Groups Call for Investigation of Congressional Black Caucus; Details
of Black Lawmakers' Relationship with Deposed Haitian Leader Sought

4/7/2004 6:00:00 AM


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To: National Desk

Contact: David Almasi of the National Center for Public Policy Research,
202-371-1400 ext. 106 or Project21@nationalcenter.org

WASHINGTON, April 7 /U.S. Newswire/ -- In response to actions and comments
by members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) regarding American policy
toward Haiti, the African-American leadership network Project 21 endorsed a
letter to Chairman Joel Hefley (R-Colo.) asking the U.S. House of
Representative's Committee on Standards of Official Conduct to conduct a
formal investigation of the CBC.

The letter was originally sent on April 1, 2004, by the Brotherhood
Organization for a New Destiny, a family-focused, community-based
organization in Los Angeles, California founded by Project 21 member
Reverend Jesse Lee Peterson.

The call for an investigation comes after members of the CBC alleged the
Bush Administration forced Haitian president Jean- Bertrand Aristide from
office and called Undersecretary of State Roger Noriega a "Haiti-hater."
Additionally, the letter to Chairman Hefley calls attention to the CBC's
apparent close relationship to the former Aristide regime that included
several member trips to the island, former members lobbying of behalf of the
regime and recent appearances abroad with the deposed Aristide.

The letter to Hefley states: "We are seriously concerned about the
inflammatory language and tone of (the CBC's) accusations. By
misinterpreting the truth about what happened in the last few hours before
(former Haitian president) Aristide left office, these lawmakers are
inciting hatred, suspicion and possibly violence towards the White House,
State Department officials and the new administration in Haiti."

Reverend Peterson adds: "It's disturbing that the Congressional Black Caucus
is backing a corrupt and brutal man like Aristide. Over the past decade, the
United States sent nearly $1 billion in aid to Haiti, yet it is still the
poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Why are black lawmakers up in
arms over the removal of this dictator?"

In particular, the request for an investigation asks for the Committee to
determine the exact nature of the relationship between Aristide and the CBC
and if current and former members of the CBC, their families or associates
have a financial or political interest in the continuation of the Aristide
regime.

Project 21 has been a leading voice of the African-American community since
1992. For more information, contact David Almasi at 202-371-1400 ext. 106 or
Project21@nationalcenter.org , or visit Project 21's website at
http://www.project21.org/P21Index.html .