State Treasurer Jonathan Miller urges Divestment from Sudan

In today's CJ:

State Treasurer Jonathan Miller is urging state retirement systems to sell off investments in some companies that are supporting the government of Sudan, which the U.S. State Department says is waging a campaign of genocide against residents of its Darfur region.

Miller asked the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System and the Kentucky Retirement Systems to consider the action in letters sent Wednesday.

He said the teachers' system, of which he is a trustee, has already sold one such investment, and he's asking staffs of both systems to investigate their holdings further and consider similar actions.

"These holdings are a small percentage of the system's investments, but washing our hands of these companies sends a big statement," Miller said. "The actions of the Sudanese government in Darfur are morally outrageous and I do not want to play any part in supporting them."

I highly agree with State Treasurer Jonathan Miller on this move. What's going on in the Darfur region is wrong and someone needs to step in with regards to stopping the mass genocide.

You can read his letter to Gary L. Hardin, the executive director of the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System here. On this site, you can find some additional links to get more information.

Finally, this excerpt from State Treasurer Jonathan Miller's email:

On Monday, November 20 from 12:30 to 2:00 PM EST, CSPAN will be covering LIVE a panel discussion hosted by the Center for American Progress featuring me and my book, THE COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY: TEN VALUES TO UNITE AMERICA, along with David Kuo, former Deputy Director of the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives under President Bush, and author of Tempting Faith: A Inside Story of Political Seduction. The event is entitled: The REAL Values Voter: What Voters Valued in the 2006 Election.

If you live or work in the DC area, join us at the Center for American Progress
1333 H St. NW
Washington, DC 20005

For specific information on where and when the program will air on CSPAN, go to
http://www.c-span.org/

In Bayh-related news, outgoing Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack expects other candidates to campaign in Iowa.

Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who is preparing to formally launch his 2008 presidential campaign in less than two weeks, said during an appearance Friday on CNN that he will welcome other presidential candidates competing during Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses.

“We need to make sure that the field is wide-open,” Vilsack said during an interview on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.

In 1992, some Democratic candidates, including Bill Clinton, did not campaign ahead of the Iowa caucuses because U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, was running for president.

But this time around, potential contenders such as U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., have signaled their intent to compete in Iowa, even with Vilsack running.

Vilsack said he has spoken to other politicians considering a presidential run and invited them to come to Iowa.