Brown defenders say this was personal, not official, business. And the Commerce Department denies Brown uses his post to help political pals. But in response to a law-suit from an advocacy group, the department has released documents indicating that Brown awarded campaign supporters coveted seats on U.S. trade missions – trips that have generated millions in contracts for American businesses.
One CEO won a last-minute spot after Brown got a note from a Clinton friend pointing out that the businessman was “an early financial supporter of the Clinton/Gore campaign and a very generous donor to the party’s 1992 effort.” In another document, White House staffer Reta Lewis tells the department that Washington lawyer Gerald McGowan should be included on a Far East trade mission, in part because he was a “fellow Clinton classmate, early Clinton supporter and DNC Managing Trustee.” A Commerce spokeswoman denies Brown was influenced by such appeals, and Reno declared his official travel off-limits to the special counsel–for now.
