Thursday, June 23, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Illinois senator delays confirmation of Las Vegan

Henrietta Holsman Fore Remarks attributed to U.S. Mint official draw scrutiny from senator

WASHINGTON -- Henrietta Holsman Fore, a Las Vegan who has directed the U.S. Mint for the past four years, has run into trouble on Capitol Hill.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has delayed Fore's confirmation to a top-level State Department post.

President Bush had named the Nevada businesswoman to oversee budgeting, human resources and U.S. embassy operations worldwide as an undersecretary to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Obama said he was troubled by remarks attributed to Fore in a classroom lecture she delivered at Wellesley College in 1987. The comments caused a campus furor and led to Fore's resignation as a Wellesley trustee.

At the time of the controversy, the New York Times and the Boston Globe reported that Fore told students her company in California, Stockton Wire Products, had trouble keeping black assembly line workers from going "back to the street to earn more money" selling drugs.

She also reportedly commented on the work ethic of Hispanics, Asians and whites.

Critics said the remarks were racially insensitive. Defenders said they reflected her experiences running a factory.

Questioned about the incident at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on June 9, Fore said her comments "were taken out of context and were misrepresented."

"That is exactly what I do not stand for," she said, according to a transcript.

But when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee met Wednesday to vote on appointments, Fore's nomination was set aside for a week at Obama's request.

Fore's comments "obviously would be a concern" to Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., spokesman Jack Finn said.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., "recognizes they were troubling remarks," spokeswoman Tessa Hafen said. "He is looking forward to seeing the results of what comes out of exploring this a little bit more."

At Obama's urging, Fore has agreed to meet with members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Obama is seeking also to review the FBI's background report on Fore and her record on minority hiring as a business owner and at the U.S. Mint.

In 1987, Fore said 70 percent of her workers were members of minority groups, the Times reported.

Obama has raised the issue with Rice and left a telephone message Wednesday morning for White House chief of staff Andrew Card, according to a statement from his office.

At the June 9 hearing, Obama said Fore would become head of human resources, and "I would be troubled if I were a black employee or an Hispanic employee at the State Department."

A call to Fore was referred by a Mint spokeswoman to the State Department.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack was asked about Fore in his June 9 daily briefing.

"The nominee is a fine nominee and the right person for the job," McCormack said. "We believe that. The secretary believes that."

McCormack said the matter "centers on a news story that's nearly 20 years old." He said Fore "has denied that she made the remarks that were attributed to her, and I think, really, that's about it."