Who's the Masked Senator? - Page 9

motivez · 09-01-2006, 10:58 AM

Yeah, this isn't like the Patriot Act that was thousands and thousands of pages..

It's a quick read.

IMO, there were better choices for Byrd to place a secret hold if he's being truthful about his motivations, but it really does reek of hiding something.

thomez · 09-01-2006, 10:59 AM

because as it reads it looks like it will pass

Publius · 09-01-2006, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by thomez

because as it reads it looks like it will pass

One can hope.

The thing that gets me though is the fact that we all know with almost absolute certainty Stevens has something to hide, he isn't called the Pork King for nothing. Byrd though... I'm disappointed in him, because even if he has nothing to hide he should be savvy enough to know that by going about this in this fashion, it makes him look like he has something to hide. Of all the legislation to "take a stand" on, this one was the most idiotic choice.

thomez · 09-01-2006, 11:04 AM

I was going by this Pub:

There was an effort to pass a bill (S. 2590) on an important subject without debate just before the Senate recess. Senators have an obligation to their constituents to know what they are voting on before signing off on any proposal. The American people ought to demand that bills receive scrutiny by Senators before those bills are approved. We have seen the consequences of rushing legislation through the Senate without any time for review or understanding.

On August 2, the last day before a month-long Senate recess, a Senate committee gave its approval to a brand new piece of legislation, cosponsored by Senator Obama and Senator Coburn. That same day, there was an effort to rush the legislation through the Senate without any Senator having the chance to ask questions.

looked to me they were trying to push it through the same day it passed committee

Publius · 09-01-2006, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by thomez

I was going by this Pub:

There was an effort to pass a bill (S. 2590) on an important subject without debate just before the Senate recess. Senators have an obligation to their constituents to know what they are voting on before signing off on any proposal. The American people ought to demand that bills receive scrutiny by Senators before those bills are approved. We have seen the consequences of rushing legislation through the Senate without any time for review or understanding.

On August 2, the last day before a month-long Senate recess, a Senate committee gave its approval to a brand new piece of legislation, cosponsored by Senator Obama and Senator Coburn. That same day, there was an effort to rush the legislation through the Senate without any Senator having the chance to ask questions.

looked to me they were trying to push it through the same day it passed committee

His statement doesn't jive with reality though. The bill was passed out of committee on July 27th, and according to the Senate Calendar they didn't go into recess until August 7th (which, even if you give them the weekend as part of the recess, means they weren't in recess until the 5th).

thomez · 09-01-2006, 11:08 AM

Byrd is no stranger to pork, he brings a lot of money to WV and they know it. It might have been his intention and I could be wrong, but it didn't seem that way by what he said

Publius · 09-01-2006, 11:09 AM

Originally Posted by thomez

Byrd is no stranger to pork, he brings a lot of money to WV and they know it. It might have been his intention and I could be wrong, but it didn't seem that way by what he said

And we all know politicians never tell half-truths (or straight-up lies) to try and get themselves off the hook for something.

thomez · 09-01-2006, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by Publius

His statement doesn't jive with reality though.

I see that, wonder if he will expand, clarify, or change his statement.

thomez · 09-01-2006, 11:11 AM

We'll all find out if this thing ever happens and goes online in 07

motivez · 09-01-2006, 11:16 AM

I have dibs on www.porkoogle.gov

Stylerod · 09-01-2006, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by thomez

We'll all find out if this thing ever happens and goes online in 07

Holy crap. It's going to be a freeforall when that happens!

Ardentfrost · 09-01-2006, 11:24 AM

I wonder if it could get to a point where the lowest spenders get the most respect.

Dude that would rawk

Stylerod · 09-01-2006, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

I wonder if it could get to a point where the lowest spenders get the most respect.

Dude that would rawk

If they spend low and their state is still happy with them. Wow.

Also, imagine the big spenders and what their opponents can have on them. I can see it getting ugly already.

Publius · 09-01-2006, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

If they spend low and their state is still happy with them. Wow.

Also, imagine the big spenders and what their opponents can have on them. I can see it getting ugly already.

This is one area where I don't mind them getting ugly with each other.

TheScatman · 09-01-2006, 01:06 PM

I am sure this has been said, but I think its pretty sickening that Ted Stevens wants a cost-benefit analysis on a 4 million dollar database while he porkbarrells hundreds of millions of dollars back to alaska

SoFlaJDM · 09-01-2006, 03:23 PM

i can see more than just 2 senators potentially going down for this

SoFlaJDM · 09-01-2006, 03:33 PM

FOXNews.com - FBI Raids 6 Alaska State Lawmakers' Offices in Oil Company Probe - State and Local Government

oh my

FBI Raids 6 Alaska State Lawmakers' Offices in Oil Company Probe
Friday, September 01, 2006

JUNEAU, Alaska — Federal agents raided the offices of at least six Alaska lawmakers Thursday in an investigation of large oil field services company, officials said.

The company named in the search warrant was VECO Corp., an Anchorage-based oil field services and construction company, said Tam Cook, the Legislature's top attorney. VECO's executives are major contributors to political campaigns.

"This morning, investigators from the FBI interviewed me in my office regarding an investigation of VECO," Republican Rep. Vic Kohring said in a statement. He said he cooperated, and was told he was not a target of the investigation.

Two legislative aides, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal from federal agents who told them not to talk to reporters, said FBI agents were looking for any ties including financial information and gifts.

One aide who did not view the warrant directly but was told its contents by officials said it allowed for the search of computer files, personal diaries and other documentation.

The other aide said he read the warrant and it named VECO officials Bill Allen, Rick Smith and Pete Leathard.

A message left Thursday with VECO was not immediately returned.

FBI spokesman Eric Gonzalez said the FBI and Internal Revenue Service executed search warrants in Anchorage, Juneau, Wasilla, Eagle River and Girdwood.

He declined to say who was served search warrants.

The warrants had not been filed with the clerk's office at the U.S. District Court by Thursday afternoon. The U.S. Attorney's office in Anchorage referred questions to a Department of Justice spokeswoman in Washington, D.C., who didn't answer her phone.

Agents conducted office searches in both Juneau and Anchorage belonging to Sen. John Cowdery, R-Anchorage, the Senate Rules chairman. The senator stood by in Anchorage as authorities sifted through documentation.

The offices of Senate President Ben Stevens, R-Anchorage; Kohring; Rep. Bruce Weyhrauch, R-Juneau; Sen. Donald Olson, D-Nome; and Rep. Pete Kott, R-Eagle River also were searched.

Four different teams of federal agents spent hours searching offices on each floor of the Capitol.

Agents left Stevens' Capitol office Thursday evening with 12 boxes of documents labeled "Evidence" and loaded them into a vehicle waiting them outside. Special Agent Wade Dudley said they were being taken to an undisclosed location in Juneau.

"I don't know what they're going to do with it," Dudley said. "We collect it for the case agent's review."

Meanwhile, outside Weyhrauch's office, agents wearing blue rubber gloves inspected documents, inventoried them and sealed them well into the night.

The blinds were mostly drawn and doors shut in most offices being searched at the Legislative Information Office in Anchorage. Agent wearing blue rubber gloves were visible through gaps in the blinds, rifling through documents in Stevens' Anchorage office.

Kohring, contacted at his legislative office in Wasilla, would not confirm that his office was part of the raid or what agents were searching for, saying "I can't talk about that right now." Agents were seen leaving his Juneau office with boxes that appeared to contain documents.

Messages left with other lawmakers and Senate Republican majority spokesman Jeff Turner were not immediately returned.