Fox News: Oil-for-food kleptocrat Benon Sevan indicted in Manhattan
posted at 9:59 am on January 16, 2007 by Allahpundit
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In federal district court, on the very day that Bush is set to meet with the new U.N. Sec-Gen for the first time. Sweet.
If you don’t know who Sevan is, Wikipedia has its usual concise summary. See-Dubya was even pithier in a post at Patterico’s site earlier this year:
Benon Sevan was the man as close to the center of the Oil-for-Food Scandal as it is possible to be–and who is accused of taking bribes to look the other way and let Saddam exploit the system. He has retreated to Cyprus and lurks in an apartment he inherited from his aunt–an aunt who, he says, gave him the $140,000 that is accused to be a bribe from Saddam. An aunt who fell down the elevator shaft of this building and died when the story came to light.
Claudia Rosett, who did more to break the oil-for-food story than any other reporter, knocked on Sevan’s door in Cyprus earlier this year — and much to her surprise, was invited in for Turkish coffee.
Cyprus has no extradition treaty with the U.S. so the indictment’s mostly for show, to nudge the U.N. along towards reform. Don’t hold your breath, writes Eric Shawn, who reported the Sevan story this morning for Fox:
Ban Ki-moon bears little resemblance to the legendary Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley — but appearances can be deceiving. The new United Nations secretary-general has been in office barely three weeks and has already shown himself a worthy successor to the time honored political tradition of patronage, favors and ducking.
The horse-trading on the 38th floor of the Secretariat is evident in Ban’s new appointments, all heralded and praised by the U.N. chorus; upon closer examination they recall the best traits of a Chicago ward heeler, Tammany Boss, or political machine. Everybody got a piece of the action.
Update: The Sevan story is up at FoxNews.com.
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It’s about damn time. If only Kofi was next.
ReubenJCogburn on January 16, 2007 at 10:14 AM
Eric Shawn from FNC used to virtually stalk Savan - it was hilarious - he’d sidle up to him on the sidewalk out of the blue and just start asking questions with cameras rolling. Of course, Savan denied everything, but you could tell the guy was a crook. I’d not heard the story about his aunt falling down the elevator shaft. Geez. That’s not suspicious or anything. Maybe Savan will face justice one day, in this life or the next.
The news about Ban Ki-Moon is, of course, disappointing, but not surprising. The UN Diplomatic Club continues to thrive.
CP on January 16, 2007 at 10:15 AM
AP, link now available.
RightWinged on January 16, 2007 at 10:36 AM
Pardon the unlinkable memory, but when asked by Hugh Hewitt to grade the selection of Ban Ki-moon, it was either Frank Gaffney or Claudia Rosett said “D-”, pretty much for the reasons above. I hope Rosett and the purged John Bolton will continue to their wield their UN boil lancets.
eeyore on January 16, 2007 at 10:42 AM
Pelosi wants to talk to him about a committee chairmanship.
right2bright on January 16, 2007 at 10:43 AM
Eric Shawn deserves a Pulitzer for his work on this case, but since he works for FNC, he’ll just have to settle for the occasional ogling of Julie Banderas.
Not a bad tradeoff if you ask me.
JammieWearingFool on January 16, 2007 at 11:18 AM
Pulitzer Schmulitzer, I dont’t know if there is anything that tops ogling Julie Banderas (except maybe ogling Banderas, Chetry, and Gomez all at once)
RightWinged on January 16, 2007 at 11:26 AM
The Oil for Palaces program get ZERO play in the MSM. That and the Sandy Burglar story.
BohicaTwentyTwo on January 16, 2007 at 11:53 AM
Bohica is right.
The MSM couch every single ’stroy” in the ‘look what we found out for you…aren’t we cool’ mantle.
There are THOUSANDS of stories out their they won’t touch because it will ‘make evil Americans mad’.
Limerick on January 16, 2007 at 12:36 PM
I wonder if other “news” outlets will give this some air time.
darwin on January 16, 2007 at 1:08 PM
The MSM aren’t going to hang their friends out to dry. Instead, they will go after the true corrupt menace - BUSH.
Rick on January 16, 2007 at 1:20 PM
FINALLY, a little justice in this case. Now, for the person who hand-picked this scoundrel- Kofi Annan…
NTWR on January 16, 2007 at 1:55 PM
The first of many indictments that should but sadly won’t come down in this case. But, this is a good day, I’ll take what we can get in this scandal……..
ritethinker on January 16, 2007 at 2:12 PM
Turkish coffee is very good - I’m surprised it wasn’t poisoned. She did an incredible job. Much admired!
No hope for the U.N., which has little to show for the investment in it, both monetary and in human nothingness.
Entelechy on January 16, 2007 at 5:00 PM
hahahahahaha! Sure they will, as soon as they give credit to Bush for the economy.
right2bright on January 16, 2007 at 5:58 PM
This might be the case, but if a warrant were issued, couldn’t Interpol pick him up? I guess that would mean he would have to be traveling, but still….
As for the drive-by media covering it, if they did, would that mean Kofi’s #2 guy would get to bad-mouth middle America again? sniveling about Rush talking bad about the UN with no one to counter him?
…or did Kofi’s #2 get booted when Kofi left?
91Veteran on January 16, 2007 at 11:11 PM