Assassination of Punjab Provincial Governor

By Hillary Clinton

We strongly condemn the assassination today in Pakistan of Punjab Provincial Governor Salmaan Taseer. I had the opportunity to meet Governor Taseer in Pakistan and I admired his work to promote tolerance and the education of Pakistan’s future generations. His death is a great loss. Our deepest sympathies are with Governor Taseer’s wife and children.

The United States remains committed to helping the government and people of Pakistan as they persevere in their campaign to bring peace and stability to their country.

Situation in Cote d'Ivoire

Philip J. Crowley

Assistant Secretary

MR. CROWLEY: Good afternoon and welcome to the Department of State. Just a couple of things to mention before taking your questions. This morning there was a communiqué issued by the African Union and ECOWAS regarding the situation in Cote d'Ivoire. We are evaluating this communiqué, including its highlighting President Gbagbo’s promise to lift the blockades surrounding the Gulf Hotel and President-elect Ouattara’s willingness to ensure a dignified exit for President Gbagbo if he accepts Ouattara’s victory. And we continue, obviously, to support the ongoing diplomatic efforts of the AU and ECOWAS.

It is important to democracy, peace, and security in West Africa that President Gbagbo peacefully yield power, and any resolution to the current standoff must begin with the internationally endorsed acknowledgement that Alassane Ouattara has won the presidential election in November. To date, President Gbagbo has refused to acknowledge that victory. And no resolution should include a power-sharing arrangement between President-elect Ouattara and former President Gbagbo.

QUESTION: Can we stay on this just for a second?

MR. CROWLEY: Sure.

QUESTION: Why – why should no resolution not have a power-sharing agreement?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, that would overturn the --

QUESTION: One of the --

MR. CROWLEY: Okay.

QUESTION: What happened – one of the people who was there on behalf of the AU was a guy named Raila Odinga, who happened to – happened to have been involved in his own election across the other side of the continent --

MR. CROWLEY: Yes, indeed.

QUESTION: -- in Kenya, which ended in a power-sharing agreement after much violence, less violence than I think may have happened in the Ivory Coast. Why is it – why are you ruling out a power-sharing deal here?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, quite simply, the results of the election were clear. To quote a former president, elections have consequences. No one disputes the results of the election besides President Gbagbo. And we believe that for the future of democracy in Cote d'Ivoire and West Africa that he should step down. And that is why we continue to support diplomatic efforts to resolve that with the peaceful transfer of power to Mr. Ouattara.

QUESTION: Well, why is a power-sharing deal okay in Kenya, or for that matter in Zimbabwe, and it’s not here?

MR. CROWLEY: Because you’ve had a clear election result, and we believe for the future of this country this is the best result for Cote d'Ivoire.

QUESTION: Was it --

MR. CROWLEY: Can I finish a couple things first?

QUESTION: Sure, so sorry. But it’s on Cote d'Ivoire.

MR. CROWLEY: Okay.

QUESTION: Was it the French who asked the United States to consider giving Mr. Gbagbo asylum?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, I’m not suggesting that such an offer exists. Another aspect of consequences is the ongoing situation on the ground, which has resulted since the election in the deaths of a great number of people, and much of this violence has been perpetrated at the behest of President Gbagbo.

So one of the things that we’ve made clear is that President Gbagbo has many options for departing Cote d'Ivoire. And as the communiqué makes clear, there is still the opportunity for a dignified exit. But there should be consequences for the – for what has occurred in Cote d'Ivoire and the violence that has resulted from the failure to recognize the results of the election. But so --

QUESTION: Are you --

MR. CROWLEY: But President – nothing is preventing President Gbagbo from leaving Cote d'Ivoire. And as we’ve said, we are – we don’t know where he might go. But we believe at this point it’s important for him to leave soon, and the opportunity for him to leave with a dignified exit is an opportunity that is a – that window is closing fast.

QUESTION: I may have misread, but there’s a New York Times article from Friday quoting you saying that there is an offer for him to come to the United States. Is that – did I misread or is it – could you clarify what is the offer if – I mean, or what is being discussed?

MR. CROWLEY: Maybe I misunderstood the question that you were asking. We have signaled to him that if he wanted to come to the United States, we were prepared to discuss that possibility. A number of countries have made similar gestures to President Gbagbo. But that said, in the intervening time since we made our position known, he is responsible for what has occurred in Cote d'Ivoire over the past few weeks. And anything that might be contemplated would have to take into account what has happened in Cote d'Ivoire since the election.

QUESTION: So from your earlier comment, it makes it sounds as though you think that he should be – if there are charges to be brought or prosecution or anything on the human rights side, that those should follow him to wherever he may end up.

MR. CROWLEY: I mean, leaders are responsible for the security of their country and the safety of their people. And where there have been violations of human rights, of course, leaders should be held accountable in whatever country that might occur, including Cote d’Ivoire.

QUESTION: So any dignified exit that might be contemplated for him would be essentially, potentially, an exit into a court?

MR. CROWLEY: Again, let me reiterate what we’ve said all along. We want to see a peaceful transition of leadership to President-elect Ouattara. We continue to support all efforts to see President Gbagbo leave Cote d’Ivoire. If he is interested in coming to the United States – and quite honestly, there’s no indication that he is – we would entertain that as a means of resolving the current situation. But any consideration of travel to the United States would have to take into account what has happened on the ground in the past few weeks.

QUESTION: I don’t understand the urgency of him – for him – it’s important for him to leave and as soon as possible, soon. What is the urgency here, where you have a situation in Zimbabwe where a man – President Mugabe – has reaped far more repression and havoc on his country? Why aren’t you – why don’t you call for him to leave?

MR. CROWLEY: Well, I --

QUESTION: Why don’t you call for – I don’t understand – this is hypocrisy.

MR. CROWLEY: We have many times said that Zimbabwe is certainly entitled to a more responsible leader than President Mugabe. I think you would have – I would avoid – I mean, we the United States support democratic elections and peaceful transfers of power. We acknowledge that in various parts of the world there are despotic leaders who are clinging to power through the manipulation of the existing system, and President Mugabe certainly is guilty of that. We want to see the expansion of political opportunity in Zimbabwe, just as we do in many other countries.

At some point you’ve got to start somewhere, and we have an election in Cote d’Ivoire. The international community, from the United Nations to the United States, has recognized the results. The leaders in the region, demonstrated by the delegation that was in Abidjan yesterday representing the AU and ECOWAS, is making it clear that in West Africa they are standing for democracy, and we support that effort.

QUESTION: So does that communiqué that you just referred to – sorry I don’t know this – include power sharing? Is that what they’re saying?

MR. CROWLEY: It does not mention power sharing.

QUESTION: Is anyone at this point proposing power sharing?

MR. CROWLEY: I believe ECOWAS has been on the record, as have we; we do not favor a power-sharing arrangement in Cote d’Ivoire.

Let me – I just wanted to mention a couple of things. Acting Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Frank Ruggiero will travel later this week to those countries, a trip that Ambassador Richard Holbrooke had planned to make after the new year. He will meet with government officials, representatives of civil society, and the media. And it will focus on preparations for the upcoming U.S.-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral meeting scheduled to take place in Washington next month. He will reaffirm the United States commitment to the people of Pakistan and will continue to support Pakistan’s efforts to ensure greater peace, security, and stability in the region, now and in the future. And he will also reiterate in Afghanistan the President’s commitment to a transition to full Afghan lead for security that will begin this year and conclude in 2014.

Former Wealth Manager Pleads Guilty to Causing a Presidential Campaign Committee to Submit False Statements to the Federal Election Commission

WASHINGTON—A former principal of a wealth management firm pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to causing the Hillary Clinton for President Committee unwittingly to submit false statements to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division. The guilty plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman.

Evan Snapper, 46, of Fairfield, Conn., was charged in a one-count criminal information filed on Dec. 3, 2010, which alleged that he knowingly and willfully caused the committee unwittingly to file materially false reports with the FEC. The information charged that those reports falsely showed that 21 individuals known to Snapper had contributed $2,300 each to the committee when, as Snapper admitted, the contributions had actually been made by one individual.

According to court documents, the individual was a client of the firm where Snapper had served as a principal. In that capacity, Snapper had authorized access to bank accounts associated with the individual. Snapper admitted that in March 2008, he informed the individual that Elton John was scheduled to perform a concert in New York City on April 9, 2008, and that the proceeds from the ticket sales would be contributed to support the committee. Snapper admitted knowing that the individual supported the candidate and that when the individual asked Snapper what could be done to help the committee, Snapper suggested that the individual could find people to buy tickets to the concert. According to court documents, the individual suggested that the individual would call family members and friends and reimburse them for the tickets that they purchased for the concert. Snapper admitted that when this suggestion was made, he knew that reimbursements of political contributions violated campaign finance regulations.

Snapper admitted that he and 20 people agreed to purchase a ticket to the concert, with the understanding that they would be reimbursed by the individual. Snapper admitted having direct or indirect contact with all of these people to coordinate the ticket purchases and reimbursements. Snapper admitted that, believing he was authorized to do so, he caused the 21 reimbursements to be made from the funds of the individual. He admitted that he took steps on his own initiative to conceal the true purpose of the payments as reimbursements for political contributions. These steps included causing some of the reimbursements to be made in amounts that were not multiples of $2,300; to be made in part by check and in part by cash; and to be misrepresented in the individual’s financial account ledgers as payments for purposes other than reimbursements for political contributions. In total, Snapper caused the source of $48,300 in individual contributions to the committee to be falsely reported to the FEC.

In addition, Snapper admitted that in 2007, at the individual’s request, he and his wife made total contributions in the amount of $4,600 and $9,200 to the Jim Gilmore for President Committee and the Gilmore for Senate Committee, respectively. Snapper admitted that, believing he was authorized to do so, he caused reimbursements for those contributions to be made from the individual’s funds. In total, Snapper admitted that he caused the source of $13,800 in individual contributions to the Gilmore Committees unwittingly to be falsely reported to the FEC.

At sentencing, scheduled for Apr. 7, 2011, Snapper faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Daniel A. Petalas and Edward T. Kang of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section. This case is being investigated by the FBI.

Church Bombing in Egypt

Mark C. Toner

Acting Department Spokesman

Washington, DC

January 1, 2011

The United States strongly condemns the bombing attack that occurred at a church in Alexandria, Egypt last night. We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and loved ones of those injured and killed from both Christian and Muslim communities. The Department of State continues to gather information regarding this heinous act.

LP Monday Message: New Year, New Goals

January 3, 2011

Dear Friend of Liberty,

Happy New Year! It's 2011, and that means a new two-year election cycle is underway.

The Libertarian National Committee adopted five goals at a recent meeting. You can help us get started achieving all five of those goals today.

Goal 1. Membership: 20,000 sustaining members by April 15, 2012.

We currently have about 14,400 sustaining members.

Action:

* If you are not a current dues-paying member, please join or renew today.

* Please ask a friend to join the Libertarian Party today.

Goal 2. Organization: Operational affiliates in at least 48 states.

It's absolutely critical that we get more people serving in leadership roles in our state and county affiliate parties. You can help.

Action:

Please visit our volunteer page and type "I'm willing to serve in a county or state leadership position" in the Other box below the Outreach section.

Goal 3. Fundraising: $1.4 million revenue for 2011.

In 2010 we raised over $1.4 million, but that was an election year with a national convention, which tends to boost revenue. Achieving $1.4 million in 2011 will be tough, but I think we can make it.

Action:

Donate today. Your contributions help fund these other activities.

Goal 4. Training: Several seminars around the country in 2011

We want to train people on how to win elections when winning is feasible. When candidates run for offices where winning is unlikely, we want to help those candidates efficiently and effectively promote the Libertarian Party and our policies.

Action:

Sign up to run for office. (See next goal.)

Goal 5. Political: 200 U.S. Represenatative candidates in 2012, 200 elected Libertarians, and at least 30 state ballot access by April 15, which puts us in position for 45 or more state ballot access by election day 2012.

Action:

Please sign up to run for office. You should be contacted shortly either by your state party affiliate, or by Bob Johnston, our new Candidate and Affiliate Support Specialist.

With enough help from you and other Libertarians like you, we can make 2011-2012 the most successful years the LP has had.

Sincerely,

Wes Benedict

Executive Director

Libertarian National Committee

P.S. If you have not already done so, please join the Libertarian Party. We are the only political party dedicated to free markets, civil liberties, and peace. You can also renew your membership. Or, you can make a contribution separate from membership.

Yemen Parliamentary Procedure

By Mark C. Toner

Acting Department Spokesman

Washington, DC

The United States has seen reports regarding the apparent decision by Yemen’s ruling General People’s Conference to vote on a package of Constitutional reforms at a parliamentary session on Saturday, January 1. Previously, we consistently welcomed and supported the commitments of both the government and the opposition to address issues related to Constitutional reforms and other election reforms through the National Dialogue.

We continue to believe that the interests of the Yemeni people will be best served through that process of negotiations. In that regard, we welcome reports that President Saleh has decided to appoint a new team from the ruling party to re-engage with the opposition in a new effort to reach a mutually agreeable conclusion. For that reason, we urgently call on all parties to delay parliamentary action and to return to the negotiating table to reach an agreement that will be welcomed by the Yemeni people as well as Yemen’s friends.

Weekly Address: The New Year

By Jesse Lee

The President resolves to do all he can to get the economy growing and create jobs, and encourages Republicans to embrace their new responsibility to govern.  See the address at http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/01/01/weekly-address-new-year?utm_source=010111&utm_medium=intro&utm_campaign=daily.