With the Cambodian delegation long departed from Cleveland Tennessee and nestled into their little communist beds complete with Cleveland Tennessee made mattresses, Governor Bill Haslam was to entertain the Cambodian delegation to a race at the Bristol Motor Speedway.
To my knowledge, that did not happen and if it did it was very subdued and on the hush. I am guessing that Haslam got drift that it would not be such a good idea to be seen with this atrocious regime with quite a reputation for rape, murder, child exploitation and mass evictions. Not to mention connections to the Khmer Rouge, Prime Minister Hun Sen, UN human rights violations and communism.
Several calls to Governor Haslams office and to Bristol Motor Speedway could not confirm that the Cambodian/Haslam engagement did or did not happen. Neither side could confirm or deny the meetup although it was in their original itinerary as mentioned in the local news.
I can bet that he was given the heads up by a locally elected official of whom I will leave nameless only because at this point it involves speculation only.
I believe it would also be perceived as a conflict of interest for all of the trifecta to be in one setting with Governor Bill Haslam. Bill Haslam has once again shown his selfish roots as he seems to be attempting to merge his self interest with state affairs for personal gain.
Bill Haslam has been very interested in NASCAR, or at least his family business Pilot Oil has had an interest in racing, particularly Bristol racing. The Governors personal offer to entertain them at a race also shows his close involvement.
A few years ago Pilot Oil sponsored several racers and their cars, today they actively sponsor a car at the track. So it would be a natural of him to bring the Cambodian Delegation to a Bristol race and impress the Cambodians with his business interests in the raceway, perhaps initiating a courtship to future business ventures.
Bill has also recently been in negotiations with a Bristol Motor Speedway owner to secure state funds to restore the raceway to it’s natural surface. Not build them a new one but to restore it back. A few years ago the raceway owners thought it would be best to give the track a slotted surface unlike the original. Fan attendance has since went down and the owners have cited the new surface as a reason for poor attendance or so they say. Remember Haslam also carved out a half million from our Tennessee state budget to build a country music venue on the Virginia side of the Virginia/Bristol state line, another attempt to boost tourism in the area.
Now bring in the Cambodian delegation to Bristol ala host Bill Haslam. You may or may not be aware that Cambodia has recently discovered trillions of feet of oil under their feet. Oh to see that kinda cash. With the recent add of Samar Ali to his Tennessee Economic Development team what a great fit for her to travel to Cambodia to negotiate a deal with the Chams, Louns, remnants of Khmer Rouge and the leadership of Cambodia. And we thought this was about building homes for the poor that Kep Chuktema evicted. What a wonderful addition to the family of Pilot Oil would personal access to billions of barrels of oil would make. Throw in a mattress making outsourcing of American jobs via the Chamber of Commerce and the trifecta is complete.
This all started as a plight to help the poor and build them houses now because of big money and greed by a few open handed bureaucrats it has quickly become a dash to see how much money we can take in. Like a line from the Jerry Magwyer movie, the character played by Cuba Gooding Jr sums it up best when he shouts………”show me the money, SHOW ME THE MONEY!”
Please pass this article around to your email and friends list, we know the press is not going to report this type activity.
“The delegation will spend two days in Cleveland, travel to Nashville for a reception hosted by Gov. Bill Haslam, followed by a visit to Bristol to attend a NASCAR event.”
http://khmer.cc/community/t.c?b=12&t=58170
Bailout Bill Haslam to possibly bail out Bristol Speedway with Tennessee state money.
http://www.cbssports.com/nascar/blog/eye-on-nascar/18299476/bruton-smith-wants-state-funds-for-bristol-motor-speedway-renovation
Surely a conflict of interest: NASCAR and PILOT and HASLAM?
http://www.derrikecope.com/wcup/96/pilot.htm
NASCAR
In 1998, Pilot sponsored Gary Bradberry and Triad Motorsports in NASCAR. This venture was short lived, however, ending in 1999.
Pilot returned to NASCAR in 2011 when it became the primary sponsor of Rusty Wallace Racing driver Michael Annett in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.[2] As the deal came after the Flying J merger, both Pilot and Flying J are primary sponsors of the car.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilot_Corp.#section_2
http://blogs.knoxnews.com/humphrey/2012/03/bristol-speedway-wants-state-m.html
Oil reserves have been found off the shore of Cambodia. The size of the oil fields are unkown, estimates reach 2 billion barrels of oil, which could contribute $2 billion in annual revenues, and 11 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
https://energypedia.info/index.php/Cambodia_Country_Situation
http://www.thenational.ae/news/world/asia-pacific/cambodian-oil-wealth-threatens-democracy
The info below supports and identifies the connection in the hypotheses above.
Remember these are my opinions only and we all know what opinions are like. I write, present the truth and leave the interpretation to you.
Bradley County News Network 