Another update on the Melody Townsel/John Bolton saga: she's produced a witness who can corroborate at least a portion of her story. He wasn't there for any of the throwing, but can verify that Bolton tried to smear Melody's reputation and claim she was under investigation.
The Dems have interviewed him, as did the Dallas Morning News. Here's a link to their story (free subscription required): http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/washington/stories/041905dnintbolton.24a7a2ce.html">http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/washington/stories/041905dnintbolton.24a7a2ce.html.
(Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to hyperlink this.)
There's a vote scheduled for today, and unless there's sufficient pressure on the Republicans to delay it, the nomination is likely to sail through to the floor.
Given that, she's also talking to more media than she had originally planned to.
Anyway, here's an excerpt from the DMN story: p>
Woman: Bolton bullied me
Foes hope e-mail from Dallas consultant sways U.N. ambassador vote
By ROBERT DODGE / The Dallas Morning News
WASHINGTON - An e-mail by a Dallas public relations consultant alleging abusive behavior by John Bolton is being used by Democrat opponents to question his qualifications to be U.N. ambassador.
Melody Townsel, who manages Townsel Communications, said she was bullied by Mr. Bolton in a Moscow hotel for two weeks in 1994. She described her experiences to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in an e-mail circulated by ranking Democrat Joe Biden of New Jersey.
...
Ms. Townsel, who describes herself as a liberal Democrat, said the confrontation occurred while she was working on a public relations contract with the U.S. Agency for International Development in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan. Ms. Townsel was working for a subcontractor, the public affairs and lobbying firm of Republican Charles Black.
...
Mr. Black said he doubts Ms. Townsel because she did not raise the concern at the time. "She had an obligation to report anything like this, and she didn't," Mr. Black said.
...
Ms. Townsel disputed Mr. Black, saying she spoke of Mr. Bolton's behavior during subsequent meetings about legal issues raised about the project. And she referred a reporter to former colleague Uno Ramat to confirm part of her story.
Ms. Townsel disputed Mr. Black, saying she spoke of Mr. Bolton's behavior during subsequent meetings about legal issues raised about the project. And she referred a reporter to former colleague Uno Ramat to confirm part of her story.
Mr. Ramat, who worked for Business International, said Mr. Bolton visited Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and made disparaging remarks about Ms. Townsel. "He announced to the whole staff that Melody was under investigation and she was being accused of various things, including stealing money," Mr. Ramat said.