MICHAEL BROWN, [email protected]
Brown just wrote the piece “Trump ambassador pick vows to pressure South Africa over Gaza genocide case,” which states: “A right-wing media watchdog extremist who isn’t willing to express his viewpoint on whether the United States should reimpose white supremacy and voting limits on Black citizens is likely to become the next U.S. ambassador to South Africa. President Donald Trump’s nominee to be that ambassador, L. Brent Bozell III, spoke before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at his 23 October nomination hearing.
“The interaction did not go well.
“Asked by Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut whether he would support bringing back ‘laws in this country to only allow white people to vote,’ Bozell refused to give a direct answer.
“’Senator, I’m going to serve as ambassador to South Africa, and I’m going to focus on that.’
“Murphy tried again: ‘You will not share your personal views on whether it is right or wrong to reinstitute discriminatory policies in this country to prevent Black people from voting?’
“’Senator, my personal views are irrelevant,’ Bozell argued. ‘I am serving here to do what the president is asking me to do in South Africa.’
“Bozell also would not give his direct, personal view to Murphy on implementing a hypothetical refugee policy that would admit only white refugees. …
“This would-be ambassador, who once likened President Barack Obama, to a ‘skinny, ghetto crackhead,’ may now be responsible for carrying out U.S. policy toward the post-apartheid nation. …
“As president of the National Conservative Political Action Committee, Bozell wrote in a January 1987 letter to The Conservative Caucus that his organization ‘is proud to become a member of the Coalition Against ANC Terrorism,’ calling an ‘impending meeting between Secretary of State [George] Shultz and ANC President [Oliver] Tambo’ an ‘unsatisfactory trend in U.S. policy towards South Africa.’ …
“Bozell also promised in his preliminary remarks to use his position to hammer South Africa for supporting international law with its legal challenge of Israel’s genocidal onslaught in Gaza.
“Expressing his support for Israel, Bozell stated: ‘I would press South Africa to end proceedings against Israel before the International Court of Justice and to pressure the International Criminal Court prosecutor to discontinue this lawfare, which is belied by Israel’s support for the ceasefire in Gaza and commitment to the rules of war throughout the conflict.’”