2007.07.25: July 25, 2007: Headlines: Congress: Legislation: Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Senator Dodd asks Ron Tschetter about political meetings at Peace Corps Headquarters
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2007.07.25: July 25, 2007: Headlines: Congress: Legislation: Senate Foreign Relations Committee: Senator Dodd asks Ron Tschetter about political meetings at Peace Corps Headquarters
Senator Dodd asks Ron Tschetter about political meetings at Peace Corps Headquarters
Dodd: "In my experience, the idea that the Peace Corps Director and senior people at the Peace Corps would be involved in a political briefing prior to the elections would never have been tolerated in the past. I am not aware of any circumstance in the past where that has happened. I am pleased with your response this morning regarding it. I think all of us regardless of political persuasion up here think this is just not appropriate activity for the Peace Corps. We have tried over forty years to maintain the reputation of this organization and almost every administration without exception has made an effort to do that until this administration. I am deeply, deeply troubled by it and I would hope that there would be, maybe some directive to Peace Corps staff and others admonishing anyone from engaging in political activities like this on Peace Corps property. The reputation of this institution suffers when that happens. We have a reputation and we have a good one over the years and to have it soiled because people want to turn it into a political operation is something that I am not going to tolerate at all and I will call for heads if there are still people there involved in this. They should know better than this, to engage in that kind of activity."
Tschetter: "Thank you and I concur with your opinion that this should not have happened and I will not condone it and I will look into the possibility of having the General Counsel send out a directive that will be appropriate at this time."
Dodd: "And I would like to know if there are people at the Peace Corps today who were involved in those meetings. I would like to know who they were and I would like some explanation from them on why they attended."
Tschetter: "Let me go to work on that and I will get back to you."
Senator Dodd asks Ron Tschetter about political meetings at Peace Corps Headquarters
Photo: Courtesy of the office of Senator Dodd taken by Adam Wells
Dodd: "The Washington Post reported yesterday that following the 2002 elections the White House conducted political briefings for ambassadors and peace corps personnel. Senator Biden confirmed that a political briefing took place at Peace Corps Headquarters and it was approved by senior government officials. It was not approved by the General Counsel.
I would like to know who specifically approved this briefing. Was it the Peace Corps Director? Was it the Chief of Staff? Did either of these two individuals attend the briefings? Was there guidance available from the office of the General Counsel? Was the General Counsel aware of the briefing at the time? Did he attend?"
Tschetter : "I am aware of the situation. Obviously it was before my time. When the letter was received from Senator Biden, I asked my Chief of Staff to research it. There is no list of who attended. I asked for that. No roster was kept or anything of that nature. This was a meeting for information, a courtesy meeting that was held, voluntarily for whoever wanted to attend. Most of them were people who were appointed politically to roles in the Peace Corps."
Dodd: "Was the General Counsel aware of this?"
Tschetter: "I don't know."
Dodd: "Has that question been asked?"
Tschetter: "That question has not been asked of me."
Dodd :"Was the General Counsel aware of the meeting?"
Tschetter: "Yes he was aware of the meeting."
Dodd : "Did he approve of it?"
Tschetter: "I don't know."
Dodd: "Did the Director participate in the meeting?"
Tschetter: "I believe that the Director did participate in the meeting, yes."
Dodd: "...and the Chief of Staff?"
Tschetter: "I don't know about that one. I have asked who attended but the answer is that we do not have a list. A couple of people have told me that they were at the meeting."
Dodd: "Who else was at the meeting?"
Tschetter: "The Director's executive assistant. I have talked to her and she was at the meeting and there were approximately fifteen people that were at the meeting from Peace Corps personnel."
Dodd: "Do you think this was an appropriate use of Peace Corps personnel?"
Tschetter: "It was a voluntary courtesy meeting. It was not a required meeting. It was held at the Peace Corps building, that is correct."
Dodd: "What is your idea of a political meeting held on Peace Corps property?"
Tschetter: "My view is that I would not condone that. I would not encourage that to take place, no."
Dodd: "In my experience, the idea that the Peace Corps Director and senior people at the Peace Corps would be involved in a political briefing prior to the elections would never have been tolerated in the past. I am not aware of any circumstance in the past where that has happened. I am pleased with your response this morning regarding it.
I think all of us regardless of political persuasion up here think this is just not appropriate activity for the Peace Corps. We have tried over forty years to maintain the reputation of this organization and almost every administration without exception has made an effort to do that until this administration.
I am deeply, deeply troubled by it and I would hope that there would be, maybe some directive to Peace Corps staff and others admonishing anyone from engaging in political activities like this on Peace Corps property. The reputation of this institution suffers when that happens.
We have a reputation and we have a good one over the years and to have it soiled because people want to turn it into a political operation is something that I am not going to tolerate at all and I will call for heads if there are still people there involved in this. They should know better than this, to engage in that kind of activity."
Tschetter: "Thank you and I concur with your opinion that this should not have happened and I will not condone it and I will look into the possibility of having the General Counsel send out a directive that will be appropriate at this time."
Dodd: "You might want to send a letter to Senator Biden or to me expressing those views.
Tschetter: "Ok"
Dodd: "And I would like to know if there are people at the Peace Corps today who were involved in those meetings. I would like to know who they were and I would like some explanation from them on why they attended."
Tschetter: "Let me go to work on that and I will get back to you."
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