…But he’s an elite liberal—a champion of liberalism.
The Wall Street Journal’s OpinionJournal.com is running an editorial right on the edge of what I was writing my next column about (but I don’t think our readership clashes
that much
except possibly among about 13 people so I’ll go ahead and stay with it).
Who was the last politician—particularly of the liberal persuasion—who was fined, jailed, fired (leaving aside Clinton’s impeachment which liberals still deny happened)—or who simply resigned in disgrace? I can think of at least a half dozen in the private, corporate sector who have suffered that fate—whole reputations and lives ruined—as a result of far lesser deeds than that which many politicians including Kofi Annan have done.
Following yesterday’s publication of Paul Volcker’s second interim report on the U.N.‘s Oil for Food program, Kofi Annan issued a statement saying “the inquiry has cleared me of any wrongdoing.” Later, asked if had any plans to resign, he answered, “Hell no!” Question for the Secretary General: How do you define “wrongdoing”?
In the narrowest sense, Mr. Volcker’s Committee found “no evidence” that the Secretary General influenced the U.N.‘s 1998 selection of Swiss inspections company Cotecna for an Oil for Food contract. It also found that “the evidence is not reasonably sufficient to show that the Secretary-General knew that Cotecna had submitted a bid on the humanitarian inspection contract in 1998.”
In a broader sense, however, what Mr. Volcker’s report reveals is an “adverse finding” against the Secretary General: That is, patterns of willful neglect, conflict of interest and incompetence that would have any business CEO out on his ear.
Consider just a few salient details that emerge from the 90-page report.
Why aren’t numerous Liberal Party politicians quitting in disgrace here in Canada over the sponsorship corruption scandal? Because they aren’t disgraced in Canada. They’re honored. They’re elected and re-elected by a plurality of the Canadian people.
PTBC was founded by Mr. Johannesen in 2000.
Contact Mr. Johannesen about this article using this form. Please refer to article's title.
FOLLOW @JoelJohannesen ON X!
- Proud To Be Canadian. But Maybe Not. - Tuesday December 17, 2024 at 2:07 pm
- Say something. - Friday October 25, 2024 at 6:03 pm
- Keep going, or veer right - Monday August 26, 2024 at 4:30 pm
