Clinton link in Brazil ethanol probe

[lligrd]

Source: Associated Press

SAO PAULO, Brazil - A team from Brazil's Labor Ministry found "degrading" living conditions for 133 sugarcane workers employed by an ethanol company whose investors include former President Clinton and other high-profile financial players.

At five sites inspected, workers "complained they were suffering from hunger and cold, and all of the locations were overcrowded and with terrible sanitary conditions," according to a statement issued Friday by Jaqueline Carrijo, who led the inspections last month.

The target of the probe, Brazil Renewable Energy Co., known as Brenco, apologized over the weekend and said it is fixing the problems at its rural operations, which turn sugarcane into ethanol.

Clinton's connection is via an investment in Brenco by The Yucaipa Cos., a U.S.-based fund in which Clinton was a senior advisor until last year. His investment in Brenco is valued between $15,001 and $50,000, according to a financial dislosure report submitted last year by his wife, presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080310/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/brazil_ethanol_raid_2

[papau]

1. details

Bill Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna said that the former president's investment made via Yucaipa was small but that he had been assured Brenco was "committed to the highest ethical standard with regard to the treatment of its workforce and of the environment."

"The president finds these allegations deeply troubling and expects Brenco to move swiftly to ensure that those responsible are held accountable," McKenna said, adding that Clinton is "taking steps to ensure that there is an appropriate transition for his business relationships should Senator Clinton become the Democratic nominee."

The Brazilian labor probe focused mostly on living conditions for the workers, including 17 who were paying rent to live in housing overrun by rats and cockroaches, Carrijo said. In addition, trucks lacked special seatbelts for workers who ride atop the vehicles as they throw sugarcane seedlings to the ground, she said.

Brenco chief executive Henri Philippe Reichstul traveled Monday to personally inspect the living arrangements of his company's workers. He said in an interview that the 17 workers cited by Carrijo were not living in company housing, but that the company agreed with labor inspectors that there were housing problems for the remaining 116 workers.

No workers are "in this situation any more," he said. "If there are fines to pay for it, we will pay the fines. We are not breaking the spirit or the confidence that we got from our shareholders to start a project of sustainable growth."

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. so he pulled out so that hillary could run for prez?

hhhhhmmmmmmmmmmm....

[Ysabel]

3. the article says clinton has not pulled out yet...

from the article:

"The president finds these allegations deeply troubling and expects Brenco to move swiftly to ensure that those responsible are held accountable," McKenna said, adding that Clinton is "taking steps to ensure that there is an appropriate transition for his business relationships should Senator Clinton become the Democratic nominee."

- my bold...

[Ian David]

4. Unless Clinton personally toured the factory, this is pretty weak. n/t

[Tempest]

5. No lie

So now we're supposed to personally visit every company and it's facilities in our investment portfolio?

Isn't that the job of the board of directors?

[KittyWampus]

6. this is just one of many example of Clinton making filthy money. There are many more.

[Tempest]

10. In that case

We're all guilty of it.

You really believe the companies your mutual fund retirement money is tied up in are all above board?

[Ian David]

8. The article says Clinton was a "senior advisor," but doesn't say on board of directors.

Unless their advice was "exploit the workers more," then these allegations are still pretty weak.

[Tempest]

9. A senior advisor is an honorary position

With no power or responsibilities.

Just as a senior producer on a movie or TV show is a do-nothing position given to someone who has influence. Back in the 80s and early 90s Warren Beatty was listed as a senior producer on many films and he never once set foot on the set.

[roguevalley]

12. the presidency carries moral authority and he can't do good for

one thing and ignore what is personally inconvenient. Eliot Spitzer anyone? When you are in the public eye, you must be caesar's wife. For him to say he hopes someone will fix it and if Hillary is the dem candidate he will probably move his investments from this to something better is crap. there are firms that do nothing but ethical investing and they check out each company. To be high profile and pursue good things and not have this kind of advice is suicide. Bill is wrong here and he needs to pull out of this stuff and make amends, directly helping those poor people. He also needs to add sweatshops to his list of good deeds for his post-presidential life. he owes those people toiling because without investors, they can't do what they do. right is right. period.

[KittyWampus]

7. You can add in all the other examples of Clinton's filthy money.

[krkaufman]

11. Consistent with Clinton's strong advocacy for NAFTA.

Looks like there's a reason he didn't want enforceable environmental and labor measures in it.


</snark>