Cindy McCain Sells Sudan-Related Funds

GOP Candidate's Wife Unloads More Than $2M In Investments

(AP)  Cindy McCain, whose husband has been a critic of the violence in Sudan, sold off more than $2 million in mutual funds whose holdings include companies that do business in the African nation.

The sale on Wednesday came after The Associated Press questioned the investments in light of calls by John McCain, the likely Republican presidential nominee, for international financial sanctions against the Sudanese leadership.

Last year, at least four presidential candidates divested themselves of Sudan-related holdings.

According to McCain's personal financial disclosure, Cindy McCain's investments include two mutual funds - American Funds Europacific Growth fund and American Funds Capital World Growth and Income fund - that are listed by the Sudan Divestment Task Force as targets for divestment.

"Those have been sold as of today," said McCain spokesman Brian Rogers.

Both funds have holdings in Oil & Natural Gas Corp., an India-based company that does business in Sudan. The American Funds Capital World Growth & Income Fund also has holdings in Petrochina, a Chinese government-owned oil company with vast investments in Sudan.

Last year, in a speech on energy policy to the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, McCain cited China's investments in Sudan as an example of regimes that survive off free-flowing petro dollars.

"The politics of oil impede the global progress of our values, and restrains governments from acting on the most basic impulses of human decency," he said. "There is only one reason China has opposed sanctions to pressure Sudan to stop the killing in Darfur: China needs Sudan's oil."

On Wednesday, Rogers said: "Senator and Mrs. McCain remain committed to doing everything possible to end the genocide in Darfur."

For the McCains, the Sudan-related investments are among scores of different investments listed in his financial disclosure documents. Cindy McCain is heiress to a Phoenix-based beer distributing company whose fortune is in the $100 million range.

Sen. McCain is regularly ranked among the richest lawmakers in Congress, but under the terms of a prenuptial agreement, much of the family's assets are in Cindy McCain's name. While the disclosure reports provide the identity of income and assets held by candidates and their spouses, they only offer a range of the amount of the holding. Indeed, the report lists Cindy McCain's investments in the two mutual funds as simply "over $1,000,0000."

In tax returns he released last month, the Arizona senator reported a total income of $405,409 in 2007.

But Cindy McCain files separate tax returns which she has not made public. Last week, she said she would never make her returns public even if her husband becomes president.

Later Wednesday, the Democratic National Committee reiterated its call for Cindy McCain to release her tax returns. "The fact the McCain family was holding Sudan-related investments even as John McCain was out on the campaign trail calling for sanctions is a reminder of why the American people expect and deserve full disclosure from their elected officials," said DNC spokesman Damien LaVera.

The Sudan-related investments illustrate the hazards for wealthy candidates whose vast holdings undergo thorough scrutiny during a presidential campaign.

A year ago, several presidential candidates divested themselves of Sudan-related holdings. Among them were Democrats Barack Obama and John Edwards and Republicans Sam Brownback and Rudy Giuliani.

In 2006, Brownback was among members of Congress who wrote 44 governors to urge them to divest their employee pension funds from businesses linked to Sudan. He is now serving as a top adviser to McCain's campaign.

At the time, Obama placed the total value of his divestitures at $180,000. The sales of the investments were recorded in their financial disclosures.

According to Giuliani's financial disclosure, he invested between $500,000 and $1 million in a Vanguard Wellington Fund. Data compiled by the Sudan Divestment Task Force shows that Vanguard Wellington has a small percentage of stock in Schlumberger Ltd., a French oil field services company that does business in Sudan.

Edwards sold stock he and his wife owned in Schlumberger for between $40,000 and $100,000. He also invested $50,000 to $100,000 in Evergreen Equity Income Fund, another fund identified by the divestment task force as having stock in Sudan-related companies.

[valendug]

I''d hope she had large investments in VIAGRA INC. But then, she''s probably wrinkled shut, too! LOL

[obamasgranny]

She is not running for president,....I bet a lot of Mutual funds have similar investments. I bet Obama''s wife''s employer has something to do with this!! You know it really is no defferent than Michelle Obama dumping her gig at Treehouse foods the day after Obama made that remark about Walmart,...

[david1737]

Howmuch more damage will the Republicans do to American values and safety?

We simply can''t afford to find out.

No more.

[david1737]

"You libs are so f**king lame it would be funny if it weren''t so sad - and dangerous for America.

Posted by LibH8er


Dangerous for America?

The Republican''s have done the following:

Tried to turn over our port security to the Arabs.

Sold $20 billion dollars worth of weapons to the Saudis (this knowing that the Saudis skim "petro dollars" and use it to fund schools which train terrorist.)

Outed a CIA operative.

Attempted to cut anti-terror funding.

Republican Congressman (Mark Delli Siljander) was indicted for giving $130,000.00 to Gulbuddin Heekmatyar a terrorist who was described by authorities as supporting al Qaeda.

And you call the Democrats dangerous to America.

[david1737]

And that just burns your arse doesn''''''''''''''''t it? Just can''''''''''''''''t stand to see other people doing well while you have to wait tables or greet patrons at the door at Wal-Mart. You are a pathetic pile of horse squeeze!
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Posted by LibH8er

How about Walmart''s corporate subsidies? These multi-million dollar give aways to the corporate world undermine free enterprise, so do favorable tax policies.

I for one believe in free enterprise. Until we can all play on a level playing field I say the waiter has a tangible reason to be upset.

[david1737]

"the McCain family(his wife) was holding Sudan-related investments even as John McCain was out on the campaign trail calling for sanctions"


Just like a Republican. Says the right thing(s), but is just too greedy to act on them.

Remember Cheney/Haliburton was doing business with Iraq (Saddam) while the U.S. had imposed sanctions on them.

[taddles-2009]

"You libs are so f**king lame it would be funny if it weren''''''''t so sad - and dangerous for America.

Posted by LibH8er at 08:23 AM : May 15, 2008"


Crawl back into your dumpster you Republiscum tool.

[taddles-2009]

"It is a good thing that she got out of those stocks before her husband ran for president. It might make him seem like a hyprocrite if he was running for president

Posted by zerato at 03:43 PM : May 15, 2008"


It might also make her look like idiot arm candy...good thing they got out from under this now before people started calling her a home wrecking wh0re and a useless t1t support system.

[zerato-2009]

It is a good thing that she got out of those stocks before her husband ran for president. It might make him seem like a hyprocrite if he was running for president

[parrot123-2009]

She sold them and libs whine. If she didn''''t sell them, libs would whine. I think she should tell libs and the LAMEstream media where to go and quit trying to please a bunch of bedwetting libs who would still hate them no matter what they do.
Posted by LibH8er at 08:20 AM : May 15, 2008

Was it ever confirmed - how much she''d been donating to Planned Parenthood e.t.c ??? Anyone ????

[omaar-101]

If this were Michelle or Barack Obama, with Investments in the Sudan, these Obama Haters, would be Calling them Hamas, Al Queda, Oil Money & Harboring & Financing Terrorist !!!


When your White, Its ...Alright !!!

If your Afro American...You had better not have Oil investments in the Sudan or Africa or near any Arabic Country.

But, if your White...Overlook, Excuse & No Accusations of Terrorism or lack of Patriotism !!!

[homespunlady]

Like it states above ALL THE OTHER CANDIDATES checked and divested anything even questionable a YEAR AGO!

The "GOLLY GEE GEORGE I''M JUST STUPEEED just DOESN''T FLY - RONNIE had an excuse -ALZHEIMER''S for his "forgetting".

I DON''T think PLASTIC BARBIE does - MAYBE she''ll claim a "valley girl moment" but that kind of LACK of POLITICAL ASTUTENESS from BOTH of the McCains is right up there with King George''s "Mission Accomplished" claim.

GREED for KEEPING a "profitable fund" WITHOUT acknowledging or supposedly (which I doubt) CHECKING WHY it was "profitable" is tantamount to Marie Antoinette''s alleged "let them eat cake" comment - TOTALLY OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY!!

Empty WORDS WHILE HIS WIFE PROFITS is a TYPICAL SMOKE AND MIRRORS PROFITEERING PLOY!

HOW MUCH DID THEY MAKE ON THIS DECEPTION???

ARROGANT, ELITIST, NON-CARING, SELFISH and INEPT.

[hungry1968]

Tell you what.....if McCain is Bush''''s third term, then Ubama is Jimmah Carter''''s 2nd term. Fair enough?
You libs are so f**king lame it would be funny if it weren''''t so sad - and dangerous for America.

Posted by LibH8er at 08:23 AM : May 15, 2008





Proving your stupidity again, eh?

McSame is considered Bush''s third term, because their policies are nearly identical.

Carter and Obama don''t share any political ideals, and Carter was a president almost 30 years after Obama will be one - do you really think the world is the same place today, that is was then? If the problems are so vastly different, then how can the solutions be exactly the same?

[dinkydog1]

And that just burns your arse doesn''''''''t it? Just can''''''''t stand to see other people doing well while you have to wait tables or greet patrons at the door at Wal-Mart. You are a pathetic pile of horse squeeze!
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Posted by LibH8er at 08:25 AM : May 15, 2008
+ report ab
............

What''s really pathetic is that this woman who neaver worked for any of these millions will probally enjoy a lower tax rate than the greeter or waiter.

[Gary Kempf]

And that just burns your arse doesn''''t it? Just can''''t stand to see other people doing well while you have to wait tables or greet patrons at the door at Wal-Mart. You are a pathetic pile of horse squeeze!




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Posted by LibH8er at 08:25 AM : May 15, 2008
+ report ab

In reality you are the one that can''t deal with life.
You are the one in all probability asking the customers "If they would like fries with their meal"
But would like to pretend you are something else. You may even be able to do something about your bed wetting problem...

[abbe91]

"if McCain is Bush''''s third term, then Ubama is Jimmah Carter''''s 2nd term. Fair enough?
Posted by LibH8er at 08:23 AM : May 15, 2008"

Why not ... We would have been better off with a couple of more Carter terms than any of Bush.

[libh8er]

I am wealthy and do what I want. I have different laws and moral responsibilities, being of silver spoon breeding.
Posted by navpro at 07:04 AM : May 15, 2008

And that just burns your arse doesn''t it? Just can''t stand to see other people doing well while you have to wait tables or greet patrons at the door at Wal-Mart. You are a pathetic pile of horse squeeze!

[libh8er]

McSame
Posted by ObamasLady at 06:10 AM : May 15, 2008

Tell you what.....if McCain is Bush''s third term, then Ubama is Jimmah Carter''s 2nd term. Fair enough?
You libs are so f**king lame it would be funny if it weren''t so sad - and dangerous for America.

[libh8er]

She sold them and libs whine. If she didn''t sell them, libs would whine. I think she should tell libs and the LAMEstream media where to go and quit trying to please a bunch of bedwetting libs who would still hate them no matter what they do.

[skyk-2009]

So What? Obama''''s tribe is from Sudan and nobody

says anything about that.


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Posted by truthyness at 05:46 AM : May 15, 2008
+ report abuse

Now I think the TRUTH is more like ONE of his Parents came from Sudan or something like that wasn''t it? Kinda like some of my wifes people on her mom''s side came from GERMANY! Does that mean she''s a NAZI? I''m serious I have a hard time following you Obama haters sometimes.