RNC: Obama Campaign Worker Co-Founder of Radical Group Code Pink

The Republican National Committee (RNC) published an update at its BarackBook.com website yesterday that accuses Barack Obama presidential campaign bundler Jodie Evans of supporting the insurgency in Iraq. Evans is co-founder of the so-called antiwar group Code Pink.

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The RNC quoted a January 15, 2006 column by Robert Novak that said, "Code Pink, At A Mock War Crimes Tribunal In Istanbul June 27, Signed A Declaration That The Iraqi Insurgency 'Deserved The Support Of People Everywhere Who Care For Justice And Freedom.'" Evans represented Code Pink at the mock war crimes tribunal. In addition to expressing Code Pink's support for the insurgency, Evans published a statement from Istanbul personally endorsing the insurgency that has killed thousands of American troops and free Iraqis: "We must begin by really standing with the Iraqi people and defending their right to resist. I can remain myself against all forms of violence, and yet I cannot judge what someone has to do when pushed to the wall to protect all they love. The Iraqi people are fighting for their country, to protect their families and to preserve all they love. They are fighting for their lives, and we are fighting for lies." (AlterNet, June 26, 2005) Evans has a close relationship with the Obama campaign. She hosted Obama's first Hollywood fundraiser in February 2007, along with Steven Spielberg, David Geffen, Jeffrey Katzenberg and her ex-husband Max Palevsky. According to Evans' Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin, Evans is on a first name basis with Obama and discussed Iraq policy with Obama at another Hollywood fundraiser on June 24, 2008. Evans is listed on the Obama website as having bundled between $50,000 and $100,000. She has also contributed the maximum $2300 to his primary campaign, according to FEC records. In addition to supporting the insurgency in Iraq, Evans recently expressed her agreement with Osama bin Laden's reasons for attacking America on September 11, 2001 in an interview broadcast June 3, 2008: Jodie Evans:..."We were attacked because we were in Saudi Arabia, that was the message of Osama, was that because we had our bases in the Middle East, he attacked the United States." Paul A. Ibbetson: "Do you think that's a valid argument?" Evans: "Sure. Why do we have bases in the Middle East? We totally violated the rights of that country. Why do we get to have bases in the Middle East?" Also in that interview, Evans said Code Pink's goal is to "undermine the war effort (of the United States") and that she wished Saddam Hussein was still in power. Toward that goal, Evans has worked with the governments of Saddam Hussein (in 2003), Hugo Chavez and the Castro brothers, as well as pro-insurgent elements in the Middle East. While supporting the Iraq insurgency abroad, Evans has led a campaign against the Marines at home in Berkeley, where Code Pink has called the Marines "assassins" and she has likened the Marine recruiting office to a "porn shop." The Obama campaign has rejected two requests by pro-troop organizations that Obama renounce Evans. Kristinn Taylor, co-leader of the D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com, an independent grassroots group comprised of veterans, military families and other patriotic Americans, issued the following statement applauding the RNC and reiterating the call for Obama to renounce Evans: "Barack Obama has said he knows he needs to earn the trust of the military. When he speaks before the Veterans of Foreign Wars today, he could take a giant step toward earning that trust by renouncing Jodie Evans and her bundled campaign dollars and denounce her support of the Iraq insurgency. "The RNC is to be commended for speaking out against Evans. We hope that they too will join the call for Obama to renounce Jodie Evans."