Clinton Emails Joke About Backroom Deals, Arresting Castro, 'Little Havana'

ashley.rae | July 2, 2015
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A newly released Clinton email exchange reveals the former secretary of state kidding with a United States Department of State legislative assistant about what was required in order to convince a Republican senator to lift his block on an Obama nominee. The conversation includes a quip about selling souls, a joke mocking Floridians' attitudes towards Castro, and a mention of giving more money to “Little Havana.”

In 2009, former Republican Florida Sen. George LeMieux led the campaign to hold President Obama’s nominee for United States ambassador to Brazil, Thomas Shannon. Then, according to the email, after Clinton made “the calls,” the hold was lifted.

The email exchange between then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former State Department Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs Richard Verma began with Verma forwarding Clinton an email from LeMieux’s office titled, “We have informed our cloakroom that we lift the hold on Shannon nomination.”

Verma added, “Hold on Tom was lifted. Thanks for making the calls. Trying to get him thru as quickly as possible before another hold emerges.”

Clinton responded to Verma, “What took them so long? Did you promise your first born?”

“Yes, I sold my soul to George Lemieux today. I am not proud of it,” Verma replied.

Clinton asked Verma, “Does this mean you have to go to Cuba and arrest Castro or just shovel more $ into Little Havana?”

Verma confirmed, “I suspect they would prefer more $ for Little Havana.”

The “Little Havana” mentioned in the emails refers to an area of Miami that is home to a large number of Cuban immigrants who escaped the Castro regime.

The Clinton emails were released just hours prior to the White House announcing changes in diplomatic relations with Cuba.

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