Dear Mr. Madia:
Can your campaign comment on your feelings of the support you receive from Gavin Sullivan and his blog. Here are some excerpts from his blog of his self-proclaimed repeated harrassment of Erik Paulsen and his campaign:
http://gavinsullivan.blogspot.com/2008/04/getting-in-touch-with-erik.html
http://gavinsullivan.blogspot.com/2008/05/backstory-on-that-video-clip.html
How would your campaign feel if I emailed you everyday asking you if as an Edina resident I resided in CD3. Would you respond to me?
What if I emailed your campaign on a daily basis asking for clarifications on various issues with the intent to use your comment against you. Would you respond?
As a CD3 voter, I am interested to know if the tactics of Gavin Sullivan are endorsed by your campaign?
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Norm Coleman on Darfur
Dear Mr. Sullivan:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007.
You will be pleased to know that the Senate passed the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act (S. 2271) with my support on December 12, 2007, and was signed into law by the President on December 31, 2007. This bill allows state governments, asset, and pension fund managers to divest from companies that do business with Sudan. I applaud the passage of this legislation and will continue my efforts to end the genocide in Darfur.
In fact, I have cosponsored similar legislation, the Sudan Divestment Authorization Act of 2007 (S. 831), as well as the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act (H.R. 3127/S. 1462), which became law on October 13, 2006. That bill tightens sanctions against the government, denies visas for and blocks assets belonging to persons implicated in the genocide, and authorizes U.S. assistance for the peacekeeping mission. As we look towards funding needs for the peacekeeping mission in Darfur, I will continue to support the levels that are necessary to ensure that peace is actually kept.
Because the Government of Sudan continues to play games with representatives of the U.N. and the entire international community, President Bush decided to impose further sanctions on it on May 29, 2007. These sanctions target specific individuals in the Government responsible for the genocide and companies that are directly benefiting the Government. I support these sanctions, as well as continued efforts to obtain stronger cooperation from our allies on pressuring the Sudanese Government to end its genocidal activities.
I have been a strong supporter of high-level U.S. engagement to end the genocide in Darfur, as well as continued humanitarian assistance to relieve the suffering of the Sudanese. I am looking forward to working with Richard Williamson, the President's newly appointed Special Envoy for Sudan who will continue the efforts of former envoy Andrew Natsios to arrive at a peace agreement that will end the fighting among the numerous groups. I have also worked with my fellow Senators to voice our concerns and suggestions regarding the situation in Darfur through other letters and legislation to members of the Administration and foreign leaders. These letters include one to the Government of China, signed by 96 members, to call for its leaders to play a more constructive role in ending the genocide.
With the recent transition from the African Union-led peacekeeping force in Sudan (AMIS) to the hybrid United Nations/African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) there is now an expanded peacekeeping effort in place that will hopefully facilitate greater success in the region. Since 2004, in total the U.S. has provided more than $450 million in support of AMIS, including the construction and maintenance of all AMIS base camps in Darfur, training and equipping personnel from AMIS troop contributing countries, and provision of strategic airlifts to AMIS personnel. To make possible a smooth and swift transition from AMIS to UNAMID, on January 1, 2008 the U.S. transferred all base camps and related peacekeeping assets in Darfur to the United Nations. While I have been at times critical of the UN's management, accountability structures and other flaws, I tend to believe that peacekeeping is perhaps the most valuable aspect of the United Nations.
Please know that as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I will continue to follow these developments closely to ensure that this move is an expeditious one that properly contributes to current efforts in Darfur.
Thank you once again for contacting me. I value your advice. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of further assistance to you.
Sincerely,
Norm Coleman
United States Senate
Thank you for taking the time to contact me regarding the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007.
You will be pleased to know that the Senate passed the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act (S. 2271) with my support on December 12, 2007, and was signed into law by the President on December 31, 2007. This bill allows state governments, asset, and pension fund managers to divest from companies that do business with Sudan. I applaud the passage of this legislation and will continue my efforts to end the genocide in Darfur.
In fact, I have cosponsored similar legislation, the Sudan Divestment Authorization Act of 2007 (S. 831), as well as the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act (H.R. 3127/S. 1462), which became law on October 13, 2006. That bill tightens sanctions against the government, denies visas for and blocks assets belonging to persons implicated in the genocide, and authorizes U.S. assistance for the peacekeeping mission. As we look towards funding needs for the peacekeeping mission in Darfur, I will continue to support the levels that are necessary to ensure that peace is actually kept.
Because the Government of Sudan continues to play games with representatives of the U.N. and the entire international community, President Bush decided to impose further sanctions on it on May 29, 2007. These sanctions target specific individuals in the Government responsible for the genocide and companies that are directly benefiting the Government. I support these sanctions, as well as continued efforts to obtain stronger cooperation from our allies on pressuring the Sudanese Government to end its genocidal activities.
I have been a strong supporter of high-level U.S. engagement to end the genocide in Darfur, as well as continued humanitarian assistance to relieve the suffering of the Sudanese. I am looking forward to working with Richard Williamson, the President's newly appointed Special Envoy for Sudan who will continue the efforts of former envoy Andrew Natsios to arrive at a peace agreement that will end the fighting among the numerous groups. I have also worked with my fellow Senators to voice our concerns and suggestions regarding the situation in Darfur through other letters and legislation to members of the Administration and foreign leaders. These letters include one to the Government of China, signed by 96 members, to call for its leaders to play a more constructive role in ending the genocide.
With the recent transition from the African Union-led peacekeeping force in Sudan (AMIS) to the hybrid United Nations/African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) there is now an expanded peacekeeping effort in place that will hopefully facilitate greater success in the region. Since 2004, in total the U.S. has provided more than $450 million in support of AMIS, including the construction and maintenance of all AMIS base camps in Darfur, training and equipping personnel from AMIS troop contributing countries, and provision of strategic airlifts to AMIS personnel. To make possible a smooth and swift transition from AMIS to UNAMID, on January 1, 2008 the U.S. transferred all base camps and related peacekeeping assets in Darfur to the United Nations. While I have been at times critical of the UN's management, accountability structures and other flaws, I tend to believe that peacekeeping is perhaps the most valuable aspect of the United Nations.
Please know that as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I will continue to follow these developments closely to ensure that this move is an expeditious one that properly contributes to current efforts in Darfur.
Thank you once again for contacting me. I value your advice. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of further assistance to you.
Sincerely,
Norm Coleman
United States Senate
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