PR Machine Aruban Strategic Task Force goes to Washington, meet with Congressman Spencer Bachus regarding Natalee Holloway

From the AP: Congressman, Aruban officials discuss teen’s disappearance

Subtitled: More of the same old promises by Aruban officials and in a show of good will, Aruban’s deny access to a family member representative.

What more really be said? Long before Scared Monkeys followed the Natalee Holloway story, we were a political blog. We still do from time to time. So to actually think that a US Representative would actually do anything was pretty much wishful thinking or a pipe dream. How soon we forget. In typical political fashion; have a meeting, shake some hands, say some useless things, make some idle promises and call it a successful meeting. Does that just about cover it representative Bachus?

The most telling comment in the entire AP article was the fact that the Aruban delegations did not want a family representative present during the meetings. What is up with that? One of the biggest problems with this case has been a lack of communication, not being on the same page and the appearance of a cover up. So the Aruban delegation goes to Washington and does the same thing? What do you have to hide? Why couldn’t you say what you had to in front of a family representative? Shame on you Representative Bachus. This is American, not Aruba. We have full disclosure in this country and get to confront our accusers and are allowed and privy to information and comments in full disclosure. Representative Bachus, who do you represent? You would actually deny access of a legal representative of a family that you are the Representative of? What are you thinking?

You had a great opportunity to close the gap between the family and Aruba in a meeting on US soil. With that opportunity you allow a Police chief and two hired gun PR consultants to dictate rules. One of your constituents has lost a daughter and your choice when given it, is to deny access to their legal representative so that they might monitor the meeting.

John Quinlan Kelly, a New York-based attorney for the Holloway family, said Natalee Holloway’s parents wanted him to attend the meeting, but the lawmaker’s office told Holloway’s family the Arubans objected to that.

After meeting with two of the best spin-misters of The Aruba Strategic Communications Task Force, Rep. Spencer Bachus is pleased with his meeting.

Rep. Spencer Bachus said he came away from a Friday meeting with Aruban officials with the sense that they plan to vigorously pursue leads in the disappearance of American student Natalee Holloway.

Bachus, R-Ala., whose district includes Mountain Brook, where Holloway is from, divulged little about the substance of the meeting, saying only it was a “frank and open discussion” and that Aruban authorities have devoted “tremendous resources” to the case.

“Their intention going forward … is not to shut this case down, but to continue to pursue it vigorously,” Bachus told reporters. “They do not consider it a closed case nor do they consider that they have a dead end. They continue to develop information and pursue leads.”

Bachus met with three state prosecutors from Alabama and at least three officials from Aruba, including Aruban Deputy Police Chief Dolf Richardson. Other than a whole lot of the same talk it would be nice of Rep. Bachus to maybe share something with us of what may have been said.

Bachus met with three state prosecutors from Alabama and at least three officials from the Dutch Caribbean island, including Aruban Deputy Police Chief Dolf Richardson, for more than two hours. He said the Aruban officials planned meetings with FBI officials while in Washington.

David Barber, district attorney for Jefferson County, Ala., said he offered his assistance to the Arubans but added that in order for them to contact people in Alabama who may have more information about Holloway, they must go through international protocols.

To just say that it is his “sense that they plan to vigorously pursue leads” borders on as useless a statement as the investigation has been. What was the point of this meeting? For two Aruban consultants to from the Task Force and Richardson to say we are going to investigate and don’t boycott because even though we have not done anything we plan to? Even though there have been reports we were going to close the case done, we don’t plan to either?

Seriously, WHAT WAS THE POINT OF THIS MEETING? While you are at it Rep. Bachus seeing that you have such a great sense that all of a sudden things are going to change in the investigation because some one who’s job it is to save Aruban tourism told you so, maybe you may want to explain these statements from early on. You do still represent the area that Natalee Holloway came from, correct? By the way since you have such a great feeling that Arubans will investigate this case diligently, what did you mean by the following?

U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, said Saturday there were circumstances surrounding Holloway’s disappearance that warranted the FBI being heavily involved. He declined to give details.

“The circumstances were disturbing,” said Bachus, who formally requested the FBI’s involvement. “I can’t get into it, but it’s something the family is aware of. There was an immediate recognition that this was not simply a teen who wandered off.”

So in the end it was nothing more than a PR stunt. A one sided conversation so that only members of the Aruban delegation could go forth on to the talk shows and vertebrae challenged politicians discussing how fabulous it went. Thank you Rep. Bachus for adding to the spin machine that is The Aruba Strategic Communications Task Force.

So what was ultimately accomplished in this meeting? The same that has been accomplished in the investigation in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. Nothing.