Obama Nominee for Chair of the NIC is Being Probed For a Conflict of Interest

  Another day, another problem with a an Obama administration nominee. If this keeps up I may just have to start writing posts on the days when there are no controversies, to commemerate such a memorable and rare event.

  This latest investigation involves Chas Freeman, who has been tabbed by the Obama administration as the chairman of the National Intelligence Council. He is now being investigated for his ties to foreign finances. So far he is refusing to release his financial disclosure forms. These forms are required for those seeking high level cabinet posts. What is he hiding?

 Perhaps this:

Among the areas likely to be scrutinized in the vetting process are Mr. Freeman’s position on the international advisory board of the China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC). The Chinese government and other state-owned companies own a majority stake in the concern, which has invested in Sudan and other countries sometimes at odds with the United States, including Iran.

 Or maybe it is this:

Mr. Freeman is also president of the nonprofit educational organization Middle East Policy Council (MEPC), which paid him $87,000 in 2006, and received at least $1 million from a Saudi prince.

 Or this:

He also has chaired Projects International, a consulting firm that has worked with foreign companies and governments.

  Or maybe, and probably, all of the above. This sure as hell seems like a conflict of interest to me. But Hillary Clinton was still approved as Secretary of State even though her husband has made millions of dollars in speaking fees oversees and she will be meeting with the very same leaders that her husband has made the money from. That was a conflict of interest and it  was casually brushed aside. So I am sure this will also be judged as no big deal.

  Sooner or later somebody has to start paring attention to all of the crooks and conflicts of interest in the Obama administration, don’t they?