The White House and I
Going through old emails has turned up several questions I sent, or attempted to send, to the White House or to some office within it. To date, none have been answered. That is, no one in the administration got back to me, and also they have not been answered in the wider press. Readers might find them interesting.
Note: These are NOT all the messages I have sent, requesting information/response. They are only messages I could retrieve easily, after having the operating system on my computer replaced more than once, over the past two years. They are arranged in chronological order:
“Hello. I am working on a freelance article and phoned in three questions week before last.
They pertain to the fact that a brother of the President’s was linked to companies with interests in the World Trade Center, including one which did security work there as well as at Dulles Airport and Los Alamos National Laboratories.
Can you tell me whether the companies’ work will be investigated, and whether any pertinent records will be made public?”January 29, 2003
“Hello. I am a freelance writer in the DC area, and I have a quick question.
Can you confirm or deny that Andrew Card outed the name of CIA operative Plame?
Thank you. Margie Burns” September 29, 2003
“I am a freelance journalist in the DC area, and I have a question regarding the ‘outing’ of CIA operative Plame.
Can you confirm or deny that White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card was involved in the leak to Mr. Novak, either directly or indirectly? Thank you.
Margie Burns” October 9, 2003
“I am a freelance journalist working on an article. Can you tell me whether Engineered Support Systems receives advantage in obtaining federal contracts from the fact that William H. T. Bush is on its board of directors?
Margie Burns” October 28, 2003
Hutchison Whampoa lands security contract, 2006
“Hello. I am a freelance journalist in the DC area, working on an article, and I have a few questions about Cheung Kong’s and Hutchison-Whampoa‘s strategic investment in Critical Path, connected to Marvin Bush, and Grace Semiconductor’s contract with Neil Bush.
1) When these Chinese companies made these deals, were the companies in any way trying to influence White House policy toward China? Is the White House going to comment on the financial benefit to Mr. Bush’s relatives from these deals?
2) Could you clarify the extent of Marvin Bush’s financial interest in Critical Path? Could you clarify whether Purnendu Chatterjee is still manager and general partner of Mr. Bush’s Winston Partners?
3) Could you clarify the exact amounts projected to go from these Chinese companies to the president’s relatives?
4) Did Cheung Kong/HWL or Grace Semiconductor have any influence on recent White House statements about China and Taiwan?
Any information appreciated. My deadline is tomorrow.
Margie Burns” December 13, 2003
“Hello. I am a journalist in the DC area, and I have a question for Dr. Condoleezza Rice, pertaining to a recent article in The Hill. The article suggested that Ms. Rice might become the next president of the Motion Picture Association of America.
Can she confirm or deny the report? Is she considering taking the position, or conversely has she ruled it out?
Thank you very much.” March 9, 2004
“I am a journalist working on an article pertaining to what is called “Arab Road” in Arizona, as discussed by Rep. Tancredo.
Can the White House comment on undocumented aliens from the Middle East who have been seen and sometimes apprehended coming across the Mexican border into Arizona?
Thank you.
Margie Burns” July 30, 2004
Note: previously, the automated reply (Autoresponder@WhiteHouse.gov) came back from the White House with the same subject line: “Question re Andrew Card,” “Question for Dr. Rice,” etc. Now the White House has altered its web site, so that every automated reply comes back from president@whitehouse.gov with “(no subject)” in the subject line.