• 2007.07.25: July 25, 2007: Headlines: Congress: Diplomacy: Bend Weekly: Sen. Joseph Biden asked Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in a letter whether politcal briefings inappropriately politicized diplomatic agencies  Friday, July 27, 2007 - 2:26 pm [1]

• 2007.07.25: July 25, 2007: Headlines: Congress: Diplomacy: News and Observer: Senator Lugar says Political briefings given by Bush White House aides to high-ranking diplomats "were probably inappropriate" and should stop  Friday, July 27, 2007 - 2:25 pm [1]

Lawmakers Urge End to Political Briefings



At a Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Peace Corps budget Wednesday, agency director Ronald Tschetter confirmed that a political briefing occurred at Peace Corps headquarters in 2003, with about 15 political appointees attending. Although he said attendance at the briefing was voluntary, Tschetter did question its appropriateness: "I would not encourage that to take place, no," he explained. Senator Dodd, who himself served in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s, urged Tschetter to take action on the issue. "I am deeply, deeply, troubled by it, and would hope that there would be some directive from you to Peace Corps staff and others admonishing anyone from engaging in political activities like this, particularly on Peace Corps property," he added. "The reputation of this institution suffers when that happens." David Kotz, inspector general of the Peace Corps, told the committee that the office of special counsel is investigating.

Lawmakers Urge End to Political Briefings

Lawmakers Urge End to Political Briefings for US Diplomats

By Deborah Tate
Capitol Hill

25 July 2007

U.S. lawmakers are urging the Bush administration to stop giving political briefings to U.S. diplomats out of concern it could politically taint the nation's diplomatic agencies. The Washington Post newspaper this week reported that White House aides have conducted such hearings since 2001. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

The Washington Post reports that White House aides have conducted at least half a dozen political briefings for top U.S. diplomats.

The briefings included a presentation for ambassadors with senior adviser Karl Rove that named Democratic incumbents targeted for defeat in 2008, and a briefing at Peace Corps headquarters after the 2002 midterm elections.

Senator Chris Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, expressed concern Wednesday that the briefings could harm the standing of the U.S. diplomatic corps in the world.

"We have a reputation, and we have built a good one over the years, and to have it soiled, because people want to build it into a political operation is something I am not going to tolerate at all," he said.

The Washington Post cited documents obtained from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee saying the briefings included analyses of the political landscape surrounding key congressional and gubernatorial races. The newspaper said the documents highlight how the White House sought to ensure that political appointees involved in foreign policy were kept apprised of administration election goals.

Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, asking whether the briefings inappropriately politicize the diplomatic agencies or violate bans on political work by most federal employees.

The top Republican on the panel, Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana, urged the White House to end the briefings during a committee hearing Tuesday.

"I would hope that perhaps the administration would cease and desist from that," he said.

At a Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Peace Corps budget Wednesday, agency director Ronald Tschetter confirmed that a political briefing occurred at Peace Corps headquarters in 2003, with about 15 political appointees attending.

Although he said attendance at the briefing was voluntary, Tschetter did question its appropriateness:

"I would not encourage that to take place, no," he explained.

Senator Dodd, who himself served in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic in the 1960s, urged Tschetter to take action on the issue.

"I am deeply, deeply, troubled by it, and would hope that there would be some directive from you to Peace Corps staff and others admonishing anyone from engaging in political activities like this, particularly on Peace Corps property," he added. "The reputation of this institution suffers when that happens."

David Kotz, inspector general of the Peace Corps, told the committee that the office of special counsel is investigating.

The White House played down lawmakers' concerns. Spokesman Tony Snow told reporters that it is perfectly legitimate for the White House to brief appointees on its goals and objectives.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: July, 2007; Congress; Legislation; Peace Corps Library; Peace Corps Directory; Peace Corps History; Bulletin Board; Recent Peace Corps News

When this story was posted in July 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

---

Dodd issues call for National Service Standing on the steps of the Nashua City Hall where JFK kicked off his campaign in 1960, Presidential Candidate Chris Dodd issued a call for National Service. "Like thousands of others, I heard President Kennedy's words and a short time later joined the Peace Corps." Dodd said his goal is to see 40 million people volunteering in some form or another by 2020. "We have an appetite for service. We like to be asked to roll up our sleeves and make a contribution," he said. "We haven't been asked in a long time."

---

---

July 9, 2007: This Month's Top Stories O'Hanlon says "soft partition" occurring in Iraq 9 Jul Eric R. Green writes on coming oil crisis 8 Jul Why Dodd joined the Peace Corps 5 Jul Jim Doyle positioned for third term 5 Jul Michael Adlerstein to direct UN Master Plan 3 Jul Shalala says Veterans report will be solution driven 1 Jul Blackwill says: No process will make up for stupidity 30 Jun Allan Reed creates a Diaspora Skills Transfer Program 29 Jun State Dept apology ends hold on Green nomination 28 Jun Call for stories to celebrate PC 50th Anniversary 25 Jun Michael Shereikis is singer and guitarist for Chopteeth 25 Jun Christopher R. Hill Visits North Korea 22 Jun Tschetter at JFK Bust Unveiling Ceremony 21 Jun Kiribati too risky for PCVs 17 Jun James Rupert writes: US calls for free Pakistani elections 17 Jun Colin Cowherd says PCVs are losers 7 Jun Tony Hall Warns of Food Shortages in North Korea 7 Jun Youth Theatre performs Spencer Smith's "Voices from Chernobyl" 7 Jun Ifugao names forest park after Julia Campbell 6 Jun Anissa Paulsen assembles "The Many Colors of Islam" 5 Jun Obituary for Nepal RPCV Loret Miller Ruppe 2 Jun Forty PCVS to arrive in Ethiopia 2 Jun

---

Public diplomacy rests on sound public policy When President Kennedy spoke of "a long twilight struggle," and challenged the country to "ask not," he signaled that the Cold War was the challenge and framework defining US foreign policy. The current challenge is not a struggle against a totalitarian foe. It is not a battle against an enemy called "Islamofascism." From these false assumptions flow false choices, including the false choice between law enforcement and war. Instead, law enforcement and military force both must be essential instruments, along with diplomacy, including public diplomacy. But public diplomacy rests on policy, and to begin with, the policy must be sound. Read more.

---

Ambassador revokes clearance for PC Director A post made on PCOL from volunteers in Tanzania alleges that Ambassador Retzer has acted improperly in revoking the country clearance of Country Director Christine Djondo. A statement from Peace Corps' Press Office says that the Peace Corps strongly disagrees with the ambassador’s decision. On June 8 the White House announced that Retzer is being replaced as Ambassador. Latest: Senator Dodd has placed a hold on Mark Green's nomination to be Ambassador to Tanzania.

---

June 1, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Returned Volunteers and Staff honor Warren Wiggins 15 May Tom Seligman curates "Art of Being Tuareg" 26 May PCV Marilyn Foss dies in China 25 May Poet Susan Rich writes: The Women of Kismayo 22 May Christopher Hill considers visit to North Korea 18 May Peter Hessler talks about time in Fuling as PCV 18 May Murder charges filed in death of PCV Julia Campbell 17 May David Pitts claims JFK offered PC to Lem Billings 16 May Niki Tsongas announces candidacy for Congress 16 May James Rupert writes: Pakistanis talk of Musharraf's departure 16 May Chris Matthews writes: Jerry Falwell's Political Legacy 15 May Ron Tschetter visits volunteers in Botswana 14 May Which assignment to take? Africa, Europe, or Central Asia 14 May Willy Volk writes: New way to keep mosquitoes at bay 14 May Jim Walsh takes special interest in Nepal 13 May NPCA offers podcasts of social entrepreneurs 10 May Gaddi Vasquez showcases food aid work in Central America 10 May Donna Tabor dreamed up Cafe Chavalos 8 May Tom Bissell writing book about Jesus' 13 Apostles 8 May Jody Olsen praises PCV blogging 7 May PC responds to missing volunteers in 2001 and 2007 2 May

---

Peace Corps Funnies A PCV writing home? Our editor hard at work? Take a look at our Peace Corps Funnies and Peace Corps Cartoons and see why Peace Corps Volunteers say that sometimes a touch of levity can be one of the best ways of dealing with frustrations in the field. Read what RPCVs say about the lighter side of life in the Peace Corps and see why irreverent observations can often contain more than a grain of truth. We'll supply the photos. You supply the captions.

---

PCOL serves half million PCOL's readership for April exceeded 525,000 visitors - a 50% increase over last year. This year also saw the advent of a new web site: Peace Corps News that together with the Peace Corps Library and History of the Peace Corps serve 17,000 RPCVs, Staff, and Friends of the Peace Corps every day. Thanks for making PCOL your source of news for the Peace Corps community. Read more.

---

May 2, 2007: This Month's Top Stories Tschetter flew to Manila to support search for missing PCV 15 Apr Michael O'Hanlon writes: A ruthless foe 24 Apr Dodd calls for 'surge of diplomacy' on Iraq 13 Apr Tony Hall works with Opportunity International 22 Apr Mark Gearan Calls for Service, engaged constituency 20 Apr Timothy Obert sentenced in molestation case 20 Apr Moyers indicts news media on Iraq reporting 19 Apr Chris Matthews to moderate May 3 GOP debates 18 Apr Garamendi votes to kill LNG terminal 10 Apr Scheper-Hughes receives William Sloan Coffin Award 7 Apr Petri outraged at Student Loan Corruption 6 Apr Dodd wants to expand Peace Corps to 100,000 4 Apr John Sherman's opera "Biafra" now on web 2 Apr Peter Navarro writes "The Coming China Wars" 30 Mar Carl Pope writes: 2% solution for global warming 28 Mar Philippe Newlin lectures on wine 28 Mar DRI launches program to improve Healthcare in Ghana 26 Mar Gabriela Lena Frank's Compadrazgo debuts in Columbus 26 Mar Reed Hastings appointed to Microsoft Board of Directors 26 Mar Shays supports National Public Service Academy 23 Mar Margaret Krome writes: Peace vigil appropriate response 21 Mar Al Kamen writes: Clinton fired Prosecutors too 21 Mar

---

Suspect confesses in murder of PCV Search parties in the Philippines discovered the body of Peace Corps Volunteer Julia Campbell near Barangay Batad, Banaue town on April 17. Director Tschetter expressed his sorrow at learning the news. “Julia was a proud member of the Peace Corps family, and she contributed greatly to the lives of Filipino citizens in Donsol, Sorsogon, where she served,” he said. Latest: Suspect Juan Duntugan admits to killing Campbell. Leave your thoughts and condolences .

---

Warren Wiggins: Architect of the Peace Corps Warren Wiggins, who died at 84 on April 13, became one of the architects of the Peace Corps in 1961 when his paper, "A Towering Task," landed in the lap of Sargent Shriver, just as Shriver was trying to figure out how to turn the Peace Corps into a working federal department. Shriver was electrified by the treatise, which urged the agency to act boldly. Read Mr. Wiggins' obituary and biography, take an opportunity to read the original document that shaped the Peace Corps' mission, and read John Coyne's special issue commemorating "A Towering Task."

---

The Peace Corps Library The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory or leave a message on our Bulletin Board. New: Sign up to receive our free Monthly Magazine by email, research the History of the Peace Corps, or sign up for a daily news summary of Peace Corps stories. FAQ: Visit our FAQ for more information about PCOL.

---

Chris Dodd's Vision for the Peace Corps Senator Chris Dodd (RPCV Dominican Republic) spoke at the ceremony for this year's Shriver Award and elaborated on issues he raised at Ron Tschetter's hearings. Dodd plans to introduce legislation that may include: setting aside a portion of Peace Corps' budget as seed money for demonstration projects and third goal activities (after adjusting the annual budget upward to accommodate the added expense), more volunteer input into Peace Corps operations, removing medical, healthcare and tax impediments that discourage older volunteers, providing more transparency in the medical screening and appeals process, a more comprehensive health safety net for recently-returned volunteers, and authorizing volunteers to accept, under certain circumstances, private donations to support their development projects. He plans to circulate draft legislation for review to members of the Peace Corps community and welcomes RPCV comments.

---

He served with honor One year ago, Staff Sgt. Robert J. Paul (RPCV Kenya) carried on an ongoing dialog on this website on the military and the peace corps and his role as a member of a Civil Affairs Team in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have just received a report that Sargeant Paul has been killed by a car bomb in Kabul. Words cannot express our feeling of loss for this tremendous injury to the entire RPCV community. Most of us didn't know him personally but we knew him from his words. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. He was one of ours and he served with honor.

Read the stories and leave your comments.