Ex-employee alleges mistreatment by Bolton
Describes clash over US policy
By Farah Stockman, Globe Staff April 24, 2005
WASHINGTON -- In a new allegation against President Bush's nominee for United Nations ambassador, a woman who worked under John Bolton in the early 1980s has complained that he tried to fire her after they clashed over US policy on infant formula in developing nations.
Lynne D. Finney, now a therapist in Utah, wrote to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Friday, saying Bolton mistreated her when they worked in the General Counsel's Office at the US Agency for International Development. Her accusation is the latest salvo in a pitched battle over Bolton's nomination.
...Yesterday, Senator Barbara Boxer of California, a Democrat on the committee, distributed Finney's letter to reporters. An aide to Boxer said Democrats will push to include Finney's allegations in the list of claims to be probed.
In the letter, Finney said she was an attorney-adviser in the General Counsel's Office working on policies involving the UN Development Program when Bolton called her into his office in late 1982 or early 1983. She wrote that Bolton asked her to persuade delegates from other countries to vote with the United States to weaken World Health Organization restrictions on marketing of infant formula in the developing world.
Finney said she refused because improper use of the formula can be deadly. For example, mothers in the developing world sometimes mix it with contaminated water or dilute it to make it last longer, humanitarian groups say.
Finney said that Bolton "shouted that Nestle was an important company and that he was giving me a direct order from President Reagan." The Swiss company is among the top makers of formula.
"He yelled that if I didn't obey him, he would fire me," she wrote. "I said I could not live with myself if even one baby died because of something I did. . . . He screamed that I was fired."
...Finney, a therapist who has written about "recovered memories" in childhood sex-abuse cases, said Bolton was not allowed to fire her, but he moved her to a basement office in retaliation. She said that the top USAID administrator at the time, Peter McPherson, came by after the clash to assure her that her career wasn't over.
McPherson, who is now head of the Washington-based Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa, could not be reached for comment about the letter. But in an interview Friday, before Finney's allegations surfaced, McPherson said he could not recall any negative incidents between Bolton and his staff.
"He's a man of strong views, but he listened to people that worked for him," McPherson said.
I can just picture Barbara Boxer distributing this latest "proof" that Bolton is a nutjob to reporters.
Who is really the nutjob here?
From Lynne Finney's website:
On Home Page:
New discoveries in quantum physics, psychology, and spirituality are revealing ways to create wonderful new realities. It's estimated that more than 14 million people have already become enlightened or Self-realized. Some are visible but most lead ordinary lives. Each time someone reaches Self-realization, it affects the collective Mind. Things are heating up. Like popcorn, we are all popping faster and are reaching enlightenment at a rapid rate. At times, it may be challenging to keep your faith and to realize that God/Love/Truth/Beauty/ Universe/Light/ Spirit/Energy/your true Self are in control and all is well. Go inside in silence and know that it is true. All the answers you need are inside you.
You are spirit, energy, light, consciousness, a divine creation, powerful beyond imagining, perfect, and part of all that is. I can only offer insights from my journey to help you remember what you already know. All answers and healing come from the infinite power of your own mind. My intention is to help you overcome limiting beliefs and discover who you really are - and have fun along the way.
On About Lynne:
Lynne spent many years clearing out limiting beliefs and self-defeating patterns from the past and learning forgiveness, compassion, connection with our inner power,and Self-realization. She discovered a life-changing truth: that everyone and everything in our lives is a gift designed to bring us to enlightenment. One of her main messages is that no matter what has been done to you or what you have done, you can heal. There are no exceptions. In fact, you are already pure, healed, and whole - a divine spirit. You are atoms and molecules, tiny particles spinning around, more space than matter, strings of energy. How can energy be sick or injured? Go inside and realize who you are. All the answers you need are inside.
...When she began recovering memories of having been abused by her father, Lynne went back to graduate school to earn a masters degree in clinical social work and became a psychotherapist, in order to heal herself and others. For many years, she studied the most effective psychological and spiritual techniques for overcoming challenges, such as trauma, illness and pain, and for healing and transformation.
During her recovery process, Lynne began to have spiritual experiences that opened her to new perceptions of reality. She studied the scriptures of many religions, explored the teachings of spiritual masters, and emerged from a world she perceived as hell into a world of miracles. She now works to help others out of suffering, into their true power, and to realization of their true Selves.
...Lynne is finishing a new self-help book, The Zen of Pain, about techniques for transcending pain and finding the gifts it brings. She is also writing a novel and children's book.
She still finds time to play in Utah's mountains.
_____________________________
Is the account of Lynne Finney, a New Age specialist in recovered memories, to be taken seriously?
Do you think Voinovich feels comfortable with Lynne "Like popcorn, we are all popping faster and are reaching enlightenment at a rapid rate" Finney? Does she pass his "kitchen test"?
It should be noted that Finney contacted the committee. Was Finney's memory of Bolton's allgeded abuse over twenty years ago conveniently recovered while she was playing in the Utah mountains, with hopes of shining the spotlight on herself?
Is Finney credible? I have no way of knowing whether her account is true and neither do the senators on the committee. That doesn't keep Boxer from scurrying to hand out the latest disparaging "facts" on John Bolton.
The Dems' "death by a thousand cuts" strategy might work. They are hoping the stories of Melody Townsel and Lynne Finney will cut deep enough to damage Bolton.
In my opinion, these are superficial paper cuts.
Republicans need to boost their blood platelets and coagulate to support President Bush's nomination--NOW!
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