Quote of note:
State Department spokesman J. Adam Ereli said. "As a career employee she may take an active part" in her brother's campaign, he said. But she can't do so during work hours, and she can't solicit contributions at work.
Kerry's Sister Angers Abortion Foes
By Al Kamen
Monday, August 2, 2004; Page A15
A Catholic antiabortion group sharply questioned the propriety of John F. Kerry's sister, Peggy Kerry, giving a speech to "a campaign crowd of feminists" in Boston and telling them that, if elected, her brother would overturn various Bush policies -- such as barring funds for U.N. population control efforts.
Not surprising that she'd be campaigning for her brother, the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute noted, but she "works for George W. Bush" as part of the U.S. mission to the United Nations.
The institute, a nonprofit that works with the United Nations, acknowledged that Kerry, a career civil servant, broke no law in giving the speech, but it questioned how she can represent Bush's policies if she's bashing them.
"At one time, career civil servants, like Kerry, were forbidden to make campaign appearances," the group said, "though that has now changed. What is not yet clear is whether Kerry violated any internal State Department guidelines."
The answer appears to be no.
"In February, Ms. Kerry sought advice from the department on engaging in political activities and received guidance," State Department spokesman J. Adam Ereli said. "As a career employee she may take an active part" in her brother's campaign, he said. But she can't do so during work hours, and she can't solicit contributions at work.
I would just like to add that, in my opinion of course, Republicans would be a lot more credible if the ratio of (actual responses to issue) to (efforts to silence the opposition) was greater than .
333.
