WASHINGTON, June 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- RNC Press Secretary Alex
Conant released the following statement today:
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080519/RNCLOGO )
"Barack Obama's campaign of hypocrisy and finger pointing continues this
morning. While Obama and Democrats launch attacks on Republicans, their
silence concerning fundraisers like Jodie Evans and Jim Johnson is deafening.
Obama's hypocritical attacks undermine everything his campaign is supposed to
be about."
Jodie Evans Is The Co-Founder Of The Radical Anti-War Group CODEPINK And
Has Committed To Raise At Least $50,000 For Barack Obama:
Evans Is A Bundler For Obama's Presidential Campaign And Has Committed To
Raising $50,000 To $100,000. (Obama For America Website, Accessed 5/15/08)
Evans Is Co-Founder Of CODEPINK. "When President Bush announced in March
2003 that the invasion of Iraq had begun, Ruzicka was already in Baghdad with
Code Pink, said Jodi[e] Evans, the co-founder of the women's anti-war group."
(Brian Skoloff, "Activist Helping Iraqi Families Dies In Baghdad Car Bombing,"
The Associated Press, 4/18/05)
Evans Blamed 9/11 Attacks On America's Presence In The Middle East And
Said "Sure" It Is A Valid Argument. EVANS: "We were attacked because we were
in Saudi Arabia." (Conscience of Kansas Radio Show, 6/3/08)
* Click Here To Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBvrQ4PWEuY
Outside Of The Republican National Convention In 2004, Evans Said That
America Was Being Violated. Evans: "It's so celebratory. It's people
exercising their patriotic duty, which is to protest when America is being
violated." (CNN's "Daybreak," 8/30/04)
Evans Said That Men Were Dying So People Could Drive Around In Hummers.
"Code Pink founder and leader Jodi[e] Evans rolled out a whole roster of civil
disobedience activities over the next few months, including a plan to
gatecrash a Halliburton shareholders' meeting to highlight war profiteering in
Iraq and a picket of 24 Hummer dealerships -- purveyors of the least
fuel-efficient vehicle on the roads -- to mark Earth Day next month. As Ms.
Evans put it: 'Men are dying in their Hummers in Iraq so you can drive around
in yours.'" (Andrew Gumbel, "Los Angeles Stories," [London] Independent,
3/28/04)
Evans Has Traveled To Iraq At Least Three Times. "In fact, this is
precisely what has happened, says Jodi[e] Evans, the co-founder of Code Pink
for Peace, who returned in February from her third trip to Iraq in the last
year." (Katherine Stapp, "Int'l Women's Day," Inter Press Service, 3/5/04)
* Upon The Return Of Her Third Trip She Said That Women In Iraq Were Worse
Off Than They Were Under Saddam Hussein. "'Women are worse off now than they
were under Saddam,' Evans said flatly. 'One million widows from the Iran-Iraq
War have been evicted from their state-subsidised housing, rape is widespread,
there's a 70 percent unemployment rate and a lot of abuse in the home that
didn't exist before.'" (Katherine Stapp, "Int'l Women's Day," Inter Press
Service, 3/5/04)
In 2003 Evans Called The Invasion Of Iraq A "Global Testosterone
Poisoning." "'When the world is on the brink of being consumed by global
testosterone poisoning, it's time for the women to rise up in a pre-emptive
strike for peace,' CodePink's Jodi[e] Evans said." ("Capital Comment," United
Press International, 3/4/03)
Johnson Is A Bundler For Obama's Presidential Campaign And Has Committed
To Raising $100,000 To $200,000. (Obama For America Website, Accessed 5/19/08)
Jim Johnson, A Former CEO Of Fannie Mae And Top Obama Campaign Adviser,
Received Special Loans From Countrywide:
Jim Johnson, A Former CEO Of Fannie Mae, Received Special Loans From
Countrywide Financial CEO Angelo Mozilo. "Countrywide Financial Corp. makes
mortgage loans through a vast network of offices, brokers and call centers.
But a few customers have gotten their loans a special way: through Countrywide
Chief Executive Angelo Mozilo. These borrowers, known internally as 'friends
of Angelo' or FoA, include two former CEOs of Fannie Mae, the biggest buyer of
Countrywide's mortgages, say people familiar with the matter. One was James
Johnson, a longtime Democratic Party power and an adviser to Sen. Barack
Obama's campaign, who this past week was named to a panel that is vetting
running-mate possibilities for the presumed nominee." (Glenn R. Simpson and
James R. Hagerty, "Countrywide Friends Got Good Loans," The Wall Street
Journal, 6/7/08)
* While CEO Of Fannie Mae, Johnson And Mozilo Worked Closely And
Maintained A "Close Friendship." "From 1991 to 1998, Mr. Johnson served as CEO
of the Federal National Mortgage Association, also known as Fannie Mae, which
worked closely with Countrywide, one of the nation's leading lenders and loan
servicing companies. In 1996, Mr. Johnson named Mr. Mozilo as chairman of
Fannie Mae's national advisory council. A 1999 article in the American Banker
said the two men had a 'close friendship.'" (Josh Gerstein, "Top Talent Scout
For Obama Tied To Subprime Lender," The New York Sun, 6/9/08)
"Property Records Show Mr. Johnson Has Received More Than $7 Million In
Loans From Countrywide Since 1998, The First Coming In The Waning Days Of His
Fannie Mae Tenure." (Glenn R. Simpson and James R. Hagerty, "Countrywide
Friends Got Good Loans," The Wall Street Journal, 6/7/08)
* At Least Two Of The Mortgages Were At Rates "Below Market Averages."
"The Journal said at least two of the mortgages, among a series of loans made
available to people Countrywide officials called 'friends of Angelo,' were at
rates below market averages, though it is difficult to predict a market rate
without access to nonpublic information about a borrower's credit history and
other factors that can reduce interest charges on a loan." (Josh Gerstein,
"Top Talent Scout For Obama Tied To Subprime Lender," The New York Sun,
6/9/08)
As Recently As 2003, Johnson Has Praised Mozilo's Leadership Of Fannie
Mae, Calling It "Remarkably Impressive." "Since leaving Fannie Mae, Mr.
Johnson has lavished praise on Mr. Mozilo's performance, calling it
'remarkably impressive' in a 2003 interview with BusinessWeek. 'By
strengthening servicing in good times, Countrywide has done a brilliant job of
insulating itself for the down cycle,' Mr. Johnson told Fortune in 2003."
(Josh Gerstein, "Top Talent Scout For Obama Tied To Subprime Lender," The New
York Sun, 6/9/08)
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