Edwards OK'd Home Sale to Saudi PR Man

[arcos]

Edwards OK'd Home Sale to Saudi PR Man

The public relations specialist hired by Saudi Arabia to influence Congress and the public after the Sept. 11 attacks struck a deal to buy the home of Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards last year as he and other Senate Intelligence Committee members were investigating Saudi and U.S. terrorism lapses.

Edwards, D-N.C., told The Associated Press he learned sometime during the course of the proposed $3.52 million purchase — months after the initial offer was signed but before the deal fell apart — that registered foreign agent Michael Petruzzello worked for Saudi Arabia.

<snip>

The Senate ethics manual says lawmakers are obligated to avoid financial transactions that create even the "possibility or appearance" of a conflict of interest or if "they have personal financial stakes in the outcome of their official duties." Discretion is left to the senator.


Edwards, a critic of Saudi Arabia, said he handled the transaction through real estate agents and doesn't believe he had any obligation to try to learn about Petruzzello's clients. He said he never had any suspicions, even after learning of the Saudi connection while he and other Intelligence Committee members were still investigating Saudi Arabia's possible complicity in the Sept. 11 attacks.

<snip>

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&e=5&u=/ap/20031101/ap_on_el_pr/edwards_saudis

[Speed8098]

1. And your point is?????

Why should he care WHO buys his house?

In the past when I've sold my home, I never asked the history of the potential buyer. I asked if they had the ability to make the purchase.


If he had given the home in question as a gift, that would be a story.

This is not.

[arcos]

2. I don't have a point...

since it is not my opinion or my investigation. I am just posting NEWS in LATEST BREAKING NEWS.

jeez! chill!

[Speed8098]

4. Well, your choice of news is suspect

It looks like you posted this to raise doubts about Edwards.

If I'm wrong, I apologize.

[arcos]

5. If I find something that could be interesting to people here...

I check to see if it was posted. If it isn't, I do it. Why do you think is suspect?

I think most people here are interested in knowing EVERYTHING that is been said about candidates.

I really like Edwards, and don't have much against him... there's no reason for me to "raise doubts" about him.

[DUreader]

7. I'm curious if you checked with the search feature, this is a dupe

[dkf]

3. Yuck. What an unlucky break for Edwards

I like the guy and felt pretty sick when I came across this story at the American Prospect blog yesterday. This is their take:

http://www.prospect.org/weblog/

"TRAIL MIX: JOHN EDWARDS' BAD DAY, PART II. A long wowser of a story on John Edwards just came across the wires. "

"I'm not sure I can even count the number of ways all this knocks Edwards off-message. But, boy, is this not the kind of story you want if your narrative is that you're a working-class-friendly opponent of lobbyists who's tough on national security issues. "

--Garance Franke-Ruta

Posted at 06:40 PM

[Robb]

6. I don't get it

When the heck did we start seeing a phrase like "Saudi Arabia's possible complicity in the Sept. 11 attacks"? I thought only progressives and people who read the overseas press thought that way.

This is a weird GOP message, if that's where it comes from.

[TahitiNut]

8. duplicate

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=193968

I'm locking this thread. Interested DUers are welcome to continue discussing this in the referenced thread.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation,
TahitiNut - DU moderator