| By Admin1 (admin) on Monday, November 05, 2001 - 9:14 am: Edit Post |
The Senate Confirmation Hearings for Gaddi Vasquez are being scheduled for next week - probably for Wednesday, November 14. Hundreds of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers signed this petition which was delivered to Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee last week opposing Mr. Vasquez's appointment as Peace Corps Director. If you oppose Mr. Vasquez's confirmation, here's what you can do now to help stop his appointment:
Call the office of Senator Chris Dodd, the only Returned Peace Corps Volunteer serving in the Senate, at 202-224-2823. Tell his staffer that you are a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer and that you oppose the confirmation of Gaddi Vasquez as Peace Corps Director.
It's your call.
| By Admin1 (admin) on Monday, November 05, 2001 - 1:42 pm: Edit Post |
If you want to do more, then call Senator Boxer at 202-224-3553 and tell her the same thing. Her support is key to stopping the appointment.
For the truly committed, call Senator Feinstein at 202-224-3841, Senator Rockefeller at 202-224-6472, Senator Helms at 202-224-6342, Senator Allen at 202-224-4024, Senator Sarbanes at 202-224-4524, Senator Wellstone at 202-224-5641, and Senator Feingold at 202-224-5323 and tell them you are opposed to Gaddi Vasquez as Peace Corps Director.
| By Admin1 (admin) on Monday, November 05, 2001 - 4:22 pm: Edit Post |
Here is the latest news on the nomination from Ari Fleischer's White House Press Conference this afternoon. Columnist and legendary reporter, Helen Thomas, asked Bush's Press Secretary about the Vasquez appointment. The exchange can be found at:
White House Press Briefing
Q Ari, is the President going to pursue the nomination, the appointment, of Mr. Gaddi as Peace Corps director when he has no foreign relations experience, when he presided over the nearly $2 billion bankruptcy of Orange County, when he is opposed as unqualified by several previous Peace Corps directors?
MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, as you know, anybody that the President has announced for an appointment, he of course supports. And in the case of anybody else who has not yet announced --
Q But he's not qualified, and in these particular times, wouldn't you want someone who knew the world?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, you're saying in your opinion he's not qualified, others may differ.
| By Betsy Campisi on Monday, November 12, 2001 - 1:40 pm: Edit Post |
This is just another example of the contempt the the President has for international assistance programs. He has now let the position be bought by someone who is obviously corrupt and incompetent, and has NO international experience. I am highly insulted by all of this. I am a resident of the NY Metro area and after all the pain of the Sept 11 attacks, I would have hoped that the President would reconsider such an insensitive action. This just highlights the TRUE character of our President.