AP:

An aide to President Bush has resigned because of his alleged misuse of grant money from the U.S. Agency for International Development when he worked for a Cuban democracy organization.

Felipe Sixto was promoted on March 1 as a special assistant to the president for intergovernmental affairs and stepped forward on March 20 to reveal his alleged wrongdoing and to resign, White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Friday. He said Sixto took that step after learning that his former employer, the Center for a Free Cuba, was prepared to bring legal action against him.

Stanzel said the alleged wrongdoing involved the misuse of money when Sixto was an official at the center.

The matter has been turned over to the Justice Department for investigation, Stanzel said. He said Bush was briefed on the case and felt that the appropriate action was being taken.

The Center for a Free Cuba describes itself as an independent, nonpartisan institution dedicated to promoting human rights and a transition to democracy and the rule of law in Cuba. ...

(Thx to DI).

Update: A reader who prefers to go without attribution notes:

... My quick education on the issue has told me that the "Center For A Free Cuba" is a little more than a policy advocacy organization.

Anyway, I was looking at the Center's accountant address (where the books are) - 911 Duke Street in Alexandria.
http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990_pdf_archive/522/522060954/522060954_200412_990.pdf

It says the books are in care of IDS at 911 Duke, which I'd assume is the "Institute For Democratic Strategies" something run by R Bruce McColm.

That address stood out in my mind, because I was reading some of your old posts about Boxwood, the pass thru for the INC:
http://www.warandpiece.com/blogdirs/000793.html

And 911 Duke is their address too.

911 Duke also comes up as home to "International Decision Strategies, Inc" http://www.ids-us.com/ which is McColm's profitmaking "consulting" business.

911 Duke also brings up hits for the Iran Policy Committee, which I think is McColm affiliated.

Anyway, just some stuff I found interesting.

Indeed. I have been to 911 Duke Street to interview one of the then-INC accountants, Margaret Bartel. Specialists in these groups being administered US government funds. The INC and free Cuba folks certainly. But the Iran Policy Committee is an avowedly pro-MEK group. (And the MEK and several affiliates are designated by the State Department as a terrorist group). Is the Iran Policy Committee also getting US government funds?

Posted by Laura at March 28, 2008 03:27 PM