Questions Raised about Obama’s Nominee for U.S. Ambassador to the UN for Management and Reform

Brett Schaefer / November 04, 2009

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is holding confirmation hearings this afternoon for five nominees. One of the nominees, Jide J. Zeitlin, is being nominated to be Representative of the United States to the United Nations for U.N. Management and Reform and to hold the rank of Ambassador. There are a number of issues the Committee should explore during their deliberations on Zeitlin’s nomination.

As discussed in an article today in The Washington Post, Zeitlin “has faced some financial setbacks and clashes as a private investor, including legal complications involving a telecommunications start-up he owns in India and the bankruptcy of a pharmaceutical company he helped finance.” Specifically, an Indian firm is accusing his company of reneging on a contract to pay for wireless towers in India. An Indian court has ordered the liquidation of his firm to pay for the contract.

The matter is still being litigated not necessarily unusual—after all, a number of businessmen encounter financial difficulties and wrongfully undergo court action. However, there are other troubling issues in Zeitlin’s background. (more…)