LAT: Opponents of 'Clear Skies' Bill Examined (Inhofe intimidation?)

[DeepModem Mom]

Opponents of 'Clear Skies' Bill Examined
The GOP sponsor of legislation championed by Bush asks two groups to turn over financial records. One official calls it intimidation.

By Alan C. Miller and Tom Hamburger, Times Staff Writers


WASHINGTON — The chairman of a Senate committee that oversees environmental issues has directed two national organizations that oppose President Bush's major clean-air initiative to turn over their financial and tax records to the Senate.

Sen. James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.), who heads the Environment and Public Works Committee, asked for the documents 10 days after a representative of the two groups criticized Bush's "Clear Skies" proposal before a Senate subcommittee. Inhofe is the leading sponsor of the administration bill, which is deadlocked in his panel.

The executive director of the two organizations, which represent state and local air pollution control agencies and officials, charged that the request was an attempt to intimidate critics of the measure....

***

The committee's majority staff director, Andrew Wheeler, said the request for the groups' documents did not stem from their criticism of the legislation. He said the panel wanted to determine whether the groups represented only regulators' views or whether they also were subsidized by outside interests, including environmentalists or foundations....

***

William Becker, the executive director of both groups — the State and Territorial Air Pollution Program Administrators, which represents 48 state air pollution control agencies, and the Assn. of Local Air Pollution Control Officials, which represents more than 165 local agencies — said they received no money from environmental activists or other private interests....


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-clear19feb19,0,5649063.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[StClone]

1. WTF

How can the sombitches do that? Absolute lawlessness and fascism!

[angstlessk]

2. government is supposed to be open

and the privacy of individuals be protected. This notion has been turned on its head!

The Thomas Jefferson quote: "When the government fears the people, there is liberty; When the people fear the government, there is tyranny."

[dbt]

3. If this bill is about CLEAR SKIES, why are there more CHEMTRAILS

now than there were before the Supposed Election? Yeah, I said CHEMTRAILS. Booga Booga!

:evilgrin:
dbt

[NVMojo]

4. this will be to provide the GOP and Rove more material for their special

witch hunts. We need to start burning the GOP witches at the stake, time to dig up dirt on them!!!!

[Catch22Dem]

5. Inhofe is a fucking prick

And I hope he reads this. :evilgrin:

[u2spirit]

8. Fucking prick is too soft

Inhofe is one of the most vile, evil bastards that has ever set foot on capitol hill. Unfortunately, he's my senator and will be until he chooses to retire. I want out of Oklahoma so badly I can taste it. He gives me a physical reaction when I see or hear him. Google "Inhofe Tar Creek" if you want to know how anti environment he is.

[seafan]

6. Remember the little *addition* into some large bill a few weeks back....

...by the GOP, that certain Congressional committee aides would be granted the authority to look at tax records for anyone they pleased?

There was a huge outcry about it, and the language was put on hold, as I recall, to be brought up again later....

Has this slipped in under the radar???

Man, do these people have to GO.

[PurityOfEssence]

7. "If we wanted to intimidate them, we would have done it before...

...they testified, not after."

Well, this Wheeler sounds like a dandy little thug, doesn't he? That's one of the flimsiest versions of a denial I've ever heard.

These guys are just classic. I'll never forget how Inhofe immediately introduced legislation to drill in ANWR right after 9-11; he's a bully, a tool and a dick. The true, naked and primitive greed of unscrupulous ugliness surrounds this man like a corona of hate.

[0rganism]

14. Sure, it's just revenge and/or intimidation of future "malcontents"

Nothing to see here, move right along.

[modrepub]

9. No Repub or Dem

Should support this "Clear Skies" bill (Clear Lies or Dark Skies) if their state has an area that does not meet minimum air-quality standards (NAAQS). This legislation delays any meaningful emission reductions until the 2018 time frame. Most of these areas are due to meet standards 5-9 years before this date. Failure to meet these mininmum air-quality standards means sanctions (loss of highway money). That's all you have to know about this proposal.

[CAcyclist]

10. Maybe we should look at where Inhofe raised his money

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/sector.asp?CID=N00005582&cycle=2002

From 1997-2004, he's raised more of his money from the Energy-natural resources sector than any other sector.

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.asp?CID=N00005582&cycle=2002
In the last election cycle, he raised almost $3 million total, while in the previous election cycle he had raised almost a million, a significant increase and one, I think tied to his being on a board that could weken environmental laws.

Most of his contributions have come from corporations/industry.

http://www.opensecrets.org/races/contrib.asp?ID=OKS2&cycle=2002&special=N

The top contributors in his last race were the RNC, followed by the Murray Eenrgy Corp, $33,000, Koch Industries, $16,750,United Defense 13,000, etc.

[DeepModem Mom]

11. Very interesting additional info, CAcyclist --

thanks!

[CAcyclist]

16. you're welcome!

[oasis]

12. Imhofe is scum central. The evil just oozes out of his pores.

[chartresbleu]

13. when cheney discloses the notes of his energy policy minutes..

then maybe, maybe, they might have a case for looking into the connections other involved parties have in these matters. it astonishes me that they can support the big dick going to the supreme court to hide who he contacted and worked with (and who knows, got handouts from) to formulate energy policies, and then turn around and try to pull this bs. but this is of course not about fairness, or honesty, or following the rule of law, it is about intimidation, street fighting and doing whatever it takes to win. sad, frightening and disgusting behavior by inhofe and his cronies.

[DeepModem Mom]

15. Right on, chartresbleu -- welcome to DU!

[VegasWolf]

17. Sky's as clear as Cheney's jacuzzi. n/t