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Former White House Aide Pleads Guilty To Bilking Government-Funded Group
Felipe Sixto -- the former aide to President Bush charged with stealing from a government-funded agency that works for democracy and human rights in Cuba -- pleaded guilty today to theft from a federally aided program, reports the Associated Press
Sixto resigned in March from his White House job as special assistant to the president for intergovernmental affairs.
Before that, he had worked as chief of staff of the Center for a Free Cuba, from which he stole more than $579,000 by overcharging the center for radios and flashlights, according to the Justice Department.
His sentencing is set for March.
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Josh
Zachary
The GOP has a big umbrella. Whether you're a small-time crook or a Bernie Madoff-style skimster, there's a place in the Republican Party (and the Bush White House) for YOU.
December 20, 2008 7:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Before we let this go as just another Bush crony corruption, consider the logistics. I am assuming that the radios and batteries are to distribute to Cubans, and that the Cuban government is not cooperating. One can estimate the tonnages involved in a number of ways, but most of my simple calculations showed about 50 tractor trailer loads delivered to a hostile island nation over a relatively limited number of years. Even if that estimate is 50% off, it's way more than can be carried in cigarette boats across the Strait. How does our government do this? The backhauls would have to be blended into other trade - what does Cuba ship to the US in such volume or what does Cuba buy from other nations friendly to the US that one could hide 50 tractor trailer loads in this mix? The only commodity I can think of is drugs, which is all the more likely since distribution in Cuba would also be a criminal enterprise. Was a White House Aide piggybacking government sponsored programs on drug smuggling?
December 20, 2008 9:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
You mean, like during the Bush 1/Noriega era?
Or Iran/Contra?
No wonder the R's are so bent against legalizing or decriminalizing natural drugs.
They own the synthetic pharmy industry AND they "weed" out the worst kinds of rogues to handle their back-door diplomacy.
Why would they want to change that very convenient status quo?
December 20, 2008 11:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Steal from the poor to give to the rich.
December 21, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Gosh. You mean the White House had a crook under its roof?
Shocking.
December 21, 2008 7:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sixto, you're doing a heck of a good job. Heh-heh...
December 21, 2008 11:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sixto, you're doing a heck of a good job. Heh-heh...
December 21, 2008 11:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
I smell a congressional medal of honor!
December 22, 2008 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink