Congressman Rohrabacher, Huntington Beach, Ca. who replaced B-1 Bob Dornan, has an axe to grind at the expense of the poor people in Ethiopia. In the Daily Pilot today(7/7/05)by Dave Brooks: U.S. Foreign aid to Ehiopia could be cut off unless the country makes good on a deal with the family of one of Dana Rohrabacher's surfing buddies. The H.B. Republican Rep. said he is ready to block all funding to Ethiopia unless it's officials agree to repay Gebremedhin Berhane for an alchohol factory taken from him under the 1970's Communist regime of Mengitsu Halle Mariam. Activists are criticizing Rohrabacher for playing brinkmanship with people's lives to help one single family.
Rohrabacher argues that the United States should not be providing foreign aid to nations that don't conduct honest business with American citizens. "You have to send a message to corrupt governments, that you can't trust them with aid," he says,"if people's lives are on the line it's not because Mr.Berhane is trying to get his alchohol factory back." Rohrabacher's bill, an attachment to a larger foreign policy bill, easily passed the House in June and is expected to have little oposition in the Senate.
Ethiopia has already offered Berhane between $300,000 and $400,000 but Rohrabacher said "the offer is a joke,and an insult." Rohrabacher said, "the factory could generate $20 million."
Congressman Rohrabacher was involved in the 90's with arms supply in Afghanistan and (I believe) Central America. I think that calls to our Senators regarding this Foreign Aid package might help to correct this Congressman's view that 'all politics is local' and that you can play God over the poor people in Ethiopia,at least the ones he does not surf with. The last time Rohrabacher was involved in anything in Congress was when he signed on with a Republican Congressman to draft a provision so that a foreign born "Ahnold of Cawleefonia" could run for higher office. Stop Him! He has run without anyone's oversite for far too long and now wants to deprive the poor of Ethiopia so his surfing pal's family can get millions (I imagine they will thank him with a contribution).