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HavenWorks.com/people/a-z/s/smith-gordon-harold Gordon Smith News |
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 2008
Election
Gordon Smith News. Oregon Republican Politician Gordon Harold Smith News Congress.gov biography: |
Gordon
Harold Smith
GORDON SMITH News:
Gordon
Smith -  Illegal
- Immigration
-  Business
-  Food
-  Workers
-  Politics
-  Agriculture
-  Property
-  History
-  Oregon
-  Md
-  Hawaii
-  Utah
-  Wash
"Señor Smith: Low-wage Latino workers keep [Oregon Republican Senator] Sen. Gordon Smith’s family business humming. Not all of them are legal." ... "Up on a hill overlooking this Eastern Oregon town of 701 people, Smith Frozen Foods turns raw produce from the surrounding fields into ready-to-eat products." ... "Smith’s goods appear in grocery stores under other brand names. But in tiny Weston [Oregon], a water tank emblazoned with the capital letters S-M-I-T-H sits like a sentry greeting travelers on nearby Highway 11." ... "Gordon Smith, a United States senator from Oregon and the only Republican senator representing a West Coast state, has owned the plant his grandfather founded in 1919 for nearly 30 years." ... "“Son,” father Milan Smith once said, according to Gordon Smith’s 2006 memoir, “you can sell ice to Eskimos and coals to Newcastle.”" ... "Today, Smith Frozen Foods generates millions in income for the senator, according to Smith’s 2007 financial disclosure report." ... "And in this town, Smith’s wealth looms large, even though the 56-year-old lawmaker seldom visits and calls nearby Pendleton [Oregon] his home. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Smith is the 12th-richest member of the U.S. [United States] Senate, with an estimated net worth between $8 million and $39 million—wealth that’s allowed him to buy a $3.5 million mansion in Bethesda, Md. [Maryland], property on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, a Park City, Utah, condominium and—more famously—four antique golf clubs worth $1.25 million." ... "The workers at Smith Frozen Foods, who clean the machinery, monitor production and pack upward of 50 million pounds of produce each year, earn about $80 a day, four or five days a week, 10 months a year—if they’re lucky." ... "One other thing—some of them appear to be illegal immigrants." ... "WW recently spent several days in Weston, and the nearby cities of Milton-Freewater [Oregon] and Walla Walla, Wash. [Washington], where most of Smith’s employees live. WW spoke to dozens of current and former Smith workers, Latino advocates, court personnel, public defenders, educators, police administrators, church officials, social service agents and business owners and determined that some portion of Smith’s workforce comprises undocumented immigrants." ... "It’s a revelation that may not be newsworthy around Weston, where most people this reporter interviewed knew, or assumed, that the agricultural processing plant hired illegal immigrants." ... "Additional interviews and review of public records reveal that Smith’s company appears to have employed illegal immigrants for decades, stretching back as far as the 1980s." -By Beth Slovic -WWeek.com 
Gordon
Smith - Oregon
- 2008
Election - Politics
"Oregon Senate: Merkley tops Smith for first time 43% to 41%." ... "Democratic challenger Jeff Merkley for the first time has edged ahead of Republican Senator Gordon Smith 43% to 41% in Oregon, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey. While the advantage is not statistically significant, it is noteworthy for an incumbent senator to receive such low levels of support at this point in a campaign." -RasmussenReports
Gordon
Smith - Oregon
- Politics
-2008
Election
"Merkley surpasses Smith in quarterly fundraising." ... "Republican [Oregon Senator] Sen. Gordon Smith still has millions more than does his [2008 Election] Democratic challenger, Jeff Merkley. But for the most recent quarter, it was Merkley who came out ahead." ... "Merkley reported Monday that he raked in $1.42 million from April 1 through June 30. That is by far the most Merkley has raised in a three-month stretch and represents more than half his fundraising since getting into the race last summer. And it surpasses the $1.38 million Smith raised in the same quarter." ... "In all, Smith still holds a sizable lead: $9.73 million raised and $4.47 million cash on hand for the entire election, compared with Merkley’s $2.5 million total raised and $569,435 on hand." -By David Steves -RegisterGuard
Gordon
Smith -  Oil
- Money
-  Auto
-  Makers
- Oregon
-  Television
- Ad
- 2008
Election
"Political ads try to tie Smith to gas prices." ... "An independent Democratic group launched two television ads today that try to tie [Oregon] Republican Senator Gordon Smith to skyrocketing gasoline prices." ... "Both contend that Smith has accepted huge contributions from oil companies and automakers, and that he had voted against higher fuel mileage standards while supporting tax breaks for oil companies." -AP via KTVZ  WATCH
Ad on Gordon Smith oil corporation "Billions"
WATCH
Ad on Gordon Smith gasoline "Dollars"
Gordon
Smith -  Richard
Berman - Corporate
- Marketing
- Politics
- Oregon
- Federal
- Employee
- Law
- 2008
Election
"Employee Freedom Action Committee." ... "Last Thursday, May 22, a roguish outfit calling itself the Employee Freedom Action Committee ran full-page ads as part of that “AstroTurf” strategy in The Oregonian and Eugene Register-Guard to begin the post-election assault on [2008 Election Oregon Democratic Senatorial Candidate] Jeff Merkley, who two days earlier won the Democratic contest to challenge [United States Oregon Republican Senator] U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore. [Republican-Oregon])." ... "The ad refers to a 2007 Oregon law that lets employees rather than management decide how to vote to form a union. A more comprehensive federal version of that law is pending." ... "Washington, D.C.-based Employee Freedom is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, which means it does not need to disclose its funding sources. The group is headquartered in the office of D.C. lobbyist Richard Berman, who has a history of setting up AstroTurf groups for the tobacco and booze industries, as well as anti-union employers." -WWeek.com
Gordon
Smith -  Abramoff
-  John
Roberts - Ore
-  Ariz
-  Nev
-  Georgia
-  US
-  UK
Scotland -  Sports
- History
- Politics
"Gordon Smith says he is missing the links." ... "He [Oregon Republican Senator Gordon Smith] once paid $1.25 million for four really vintage golf clubs - including a putter owned by King James IV in 1504 - and can speak at passionate length about golfing in Scotland [UK], having done so several times." ... "Golf Digest says it ran into a lot of this reticence in [Washington Top 200 golf list] its survey this year." "In the wake of the [Jack] Abramoff scandal, there's a greater-than-ever hesitancy among golfers to admit they play. [Republican lobbyist Jack] Abramoff is the former high-powered lobbyist who pleaded guilty in 2006 to charges involving fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials. Luxury golf junkets to Scotland were among the things that got him in trouble." ... "For now, mum's the word among many D.C. golfers. Even Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, a longtime player whose 14.5 Index hasn't been updated since 2000, declined to approximate his handicap, saying he hasn't been playing enough to have one. Same for [Oregon Republican Senator] Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore. [Republican-Oregon]) and [Arizona Democratic Representative] Rep. Ed Pastor (D-Ariz. [Democratic-Arizona]). Freshman [Nevada Republican Representative] Rep. Dean Heller (R-Nev. [Republican-Nevada]), a member of the Republican "Ryder Cup" team, also declined to reveal a handicap. [former Georgia Republican Representative] Newt Gingrich, a proud 47-handicapper as a new golfer in 2005, doesn't admit to playing, either."" -By Jeff Mapes -Oregonian
Gordon
Smith -  Trent
Lott - Racism
- History
-  South
Carolina -  Mississippi
- Oregon
"Gordon Smith Defends Lott's Segregationist Comments." ... "Speaking on the Senate floor Tuesday morning, [Oregon Republican Senator] Sen. Gordon Smith, R-OR [Republican-Oregon], offered a passionate defense of the pro-segregationist comments made by his colleague and friend, [Mississippi Republican Senator] Sen. Trent Lott, more then three years ago." ... ""I was half way around the world when an event befell Trent Lott that shook me deeply," Smith said, referencing Lott's 2002 remarks in praise of Dixiecrat [South Carolina Republican Senator] Strom Thurmond's 1948 run for the White House. "I was celebrating my re-election and on vacation. I watched over international news as his words were misconstrued, words which we had heard him utter many times in his big warm-heartedness trying to make one of our colleagues, Strom Thurmond, feel good at 100 years old. We knew what he meant. But the wolfpack of the press circled around him, sensed blood in the water, and the exigencies of politics caused a great injustice..."" ... "In 2002, Lott lost his Senate Republican Leader post after he was quoted praising the staunch segregationist Strom Thurmond during Thurmond's 100th birthday party. "I want to say this about my state: when Strom Thurmond ran for President, we voted for him," Lott boasted. "We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years, either."" ... "Lott apologized repeatedly for his remarks, calling them "insensitive," "repugnant" and "inexcusable" during an appearance on a black-oriented cable channel." ... "Lott recently found himself back among the leadership ranks. His election as minority whip in November 2006 came by a 25 to 24 vote. Sen. Smith played a key role in the internal party election." -By Sam Stein -HuffingtonPost.com WATCH
Oregon Republican Gordon Smith defend Mississippi Republican Trent Lott's
celebration of South Carolina Republican Strom Thurmond's segregationist
run for President in 1948.
Gordon
Smith - Trent
Lott - Racism
- History
- Miss
- South
Carolina - Oregon
-  NH
-  Tennessee
"Smith supported Lott's leadership bid." ... "[Oregon Republican Senator] Sen. Gordon Smith was a key backer of [Mississippi Republican Senator] Sen. Trent Lott's return to a leadership post." ... "Lott, R-Miss. [Republican-Mississippi], this week won his bid to become the minority whip, the second-highest Republican post in the Senate. He defeated [Tennessee Republican Senator] Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn. [Republican-Tennessee], in a 25-24 vote." ... "During the closed-door election, [New Hampshire Republican Senator] Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H. [Republican-New Hampshire], nominated Lott, and Smith seconded the nomination, Smith spokesman R.C. Hammond said. Smith then spoke in support of Lott." ... "Lott had been the Senate's majority leader - Republicans' top post -- until he stepped down in four years ago after being criticized for remarks praising [South Carolina Republican Senator] Strom Thurmond, who ran for president in 1948 on a segregationist platform [separating races]." -By Jeff Kosseff -Oregonian 
Gordon
Smith -  Dick
Cheney -  Environmental
-  Science
- Politics
- Federal
-  Investigation
- History
- Portland
- Ore
-  California
-  Fish
- Food
- Farmers
- Business
"Smith backs Cheney on salmon kill controversy." ... "[Oregon Republican Senator] Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore. [Republican-Oregon], is siding with [Republican] Vice President Dick Cheney over a massive fish kill on the Klamath River in 2002, saying there is no evidence it was caused by water diversions to farmers." [The Klamath River runs through Oregon and California] ... "Smith also defended Cheney's role in intervening with federal officials to help farmers in the Klamath Basin and cast doubt that the salmon die-off caused sharp commercial costal [coastal] fishing restrictions." ... "The House Natural Resources Committee is investigating whether Cheney exerted improper political influence to override scientifically based management of the water resources." ... "Environmentalists, often at odds with Smith, say his stance contradicts a study by the California Department of Fish and Game, which found that the water diversions played a key role in the deaths of some 77,000 salmon." ... "The California Fish and Game report cited several factors leading to the fish kill, the largest in recorded West Coast history." ... "There were larger-than-normal salmon returns, warm water and low river flows that combined to crowd the fish, hastening the spread of disease." ... "The report concluded that, "River flow and the volume of water in the fish-kill area were atypically low," and that the river flow was the only factor controlled by humans." ... ""It's stretching credibility to claim that the flow management decisions by the [Republican President] Bush administration in 2002 had nothing to do with the low flows in the Klamath River," said Steve Pedery of Oregon Wild, a Portland-based environmental group." -AP via -kgw.com
Gordon
Smith - Oil
- Money
- Politics
- Environment
-  Alaska
- Oregon
"Once again, Gordon Smith votes for Arctic oil drilling." ... "Once again, the Oregonian [newspaper] has been silent when [Oregon Republican Senator] Gordon Smith voted FOR oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge [Alaska] -- after saying repeatedly during his 2002 campaign that he would not." ... "The drilling provision was included in the budget reconciliation bill. The vote passed 51-49. Senator Smith cast the tiebreaking vote." ... "And just in case you think that he's "just another senator" in this whole mess, here's what [Iowa Republican] Senator Chuck Grassley -- the budget master of the Senate -- had to say:"
Gordon
Smith - Money
- Politics
-  Virgin
Islands -  Vacation
- Lawmakers
-  Idaho
- Oregon
-  Montana
-  Wyoming
-  Missouri
"Virgin Islands Donors Invest In Key Senators." ... "Concern is mounting that Senate support for the [United States] U.S. Virgin Islands' efforts to reopen a tax loophole is being won with more than $235,000 in campaign contributions." ... "Five senators identified by USVI [United States Virgin Islands] representatives as allies in their campaign - Senator [Mike] Crapo, a Republican of Idaho; Senator Gordon Smith, a Republican of Oregon; Senator [Max] Baucus, a Democrat of Montana; Senator [Craig] Thomas, a Republican of Wyoming, and Senator [James] Talent, a Republican of Missouri - have each received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from scores of USVI residents in the last year, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission." ... "Lobbyists for the USVI said yesterday that the donations resulted from fund-raisers held by the lawmakers during trips to the Virgin Islands." ... "As The New York Sun reported last week, the USVI is currently campaigning for Congress and the Treasury Department to loosen restrictions imposed in 2004 on the territory's Economic Development Commission - a program designed to spur investment in the territory with tax incentives for individuals and businesses." ... "As the Sun reported in 2003, the program's tax breaks were taken up by some of America's top money managers - including Richard Driehaus and Jeffrey Epstein, who keep high profiles in Chicago and New York but declare the USVI as their place of residence for tax purposes. The EDC [Economic Development Commission] loophole allowed some wealthy Americans to dodge almost 90% of their federal income tax bills." ... "According to FEC [Federal Election Commission] records, Mr. Driehaus last year donated, as a USVI resident, $2,000 each to the campaigns of Messrs. Crapo, Thomas, and Baucus." ... "Mr. Baucus received $66,500 from 52 USVI contributors. Mr. Crapo last year received $39,000 from 27 USVI donors. Mr. Thomas received $21,000 from 16 USVI donors, and Mr. Talent received $38,600 from 30 USVI donors. Mr. Smith raked in $47,000 from 48 donors. The numbers were first published in the St. Thomas Source." ... "Contributions to Mr. Smith, in particular, have drawn fire from a Democratic interest group, the Senate Majority Project. The group, which notes that the USVI was Mr. Smith's fourth-largest donor base by geography after Oregon, Washington, and Virginia, alleges that Mr. Smith's support for reducing the EDC residency requirements contradicts past efforts to keep American business from moving to more tax friendly locales like Bermuda." ... ""Gordon Smith took a trip down to the Virgin Islands, and came back with $47,000 and a new position on offshore tax havens," the Executive Director of the Senate Majority Project, Mike Gehrke, said in a press release from the group." (1, 2, 3) -By Meghan Clyne -NYSun.com
Gordon
Smith - Virgin
Islands - Law
- Politics
-  Massachusetts
- Oregon
"Virgin Islands Are at Center of Dispute on Tax Break." ... "The United States Virgin Islands and several wealthy financiers who own homes there are working to persuade Congress to drop a new requirement that at least half the year be spent in the islands in order to get a tax break intended to spur their economic development." ... "The economic development program allows an effective federal income tax rate of just 3.5 percent for bona fide residents of the Virgin Islands. It has drawn wealthy Americans from the mainland and kindled an economic boom." ... "But the program, whose benefits have been available for decades, has also allowed some homeowners who spend little time in the islands to avoid federal taxes estimated at $400 million. At least one person, who lived in the islands less than one month a year and nonetheless claimed the program's benefits for income he generated selling insurance in Massachusetts, has pleaded guilty to tax fraud." ... "In response, the Virgin Islands Tax Working Group, which represents people who benefit from the break, paid $200,000 last year for lobbyists, according to records compiled by Political Money Line, a nonpartisan campaign finance tracking service. At least one senator, Gordon H. Smith, Republican of Oregon, has been saluted in the islands at a fund-raiser on his behalf attended by several beneficiaries of the program." ... "Chris Matthews, a spokesman for Senator Smith, who sits on both the energy committee and the Finance Committee, confirmed that the senator attended a fund-raiser for him in the Virgin Islands last year. Mr. Matthews said Mr. Smith had subsequently chatted with some of his colleagues about his concerns that the tighter regulations were hurting law-abiding businesses." -By Stephanie Strom -NYTimes 
Gordon
Smith - Oil
- Money
- Politics
- Wildlife
- Alaska
- Washington
- Oregon
"Senate endorses oil drilling in Alaska wildlife refuge." ... "Senate opponents to drilling in an Alaska wildlife refuge failed Thursday to strip the measure from a massive budget package as supporters of exploration argued that the oil is needed to help break America of its import habit." ... "Environmentalists, who believe strongly the refuge should continue to be off limits to oil companies to protect the area's wildlife, had acknowledged that it was a long shot to get the provision killed and now are concentrating on defeating the overall budget bill." ... "The Democratic Party of Oregon issued a statement criticizing [Oregon Republican Senator Gordon] Smith's decision to vote for a budget package that includes the drilling." ... ""Gordon Smith has again shown the dishonesty of his slick campaign ads and so-called independence in the U.S. Senate," said Kelly Steele, the party's communications director. "When the chips were down, Gordon Smith bowed to the will of the Bush White House, and broke another promise to Oregonians."" ... "[Washington state Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell:] "Using backdoor tactics to destroy America's last great wild frontier will not solve our nation's energy problems and will do nothing to lower skyrocketing gas prices," Cantwell argued. She dismissed industry arguments that the refuge can be drilled with little if any adverse impact on the environment or wildlife." ... "The Prudhoe Bay oil fields, just to the west of ANWR [Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge] and the Alaska oil pipeline have resulted in 504 spills a year since 1996 and there's no reason to assume greater protection in the refuge, maintained Cantwell. " -By H. Josef Hebert with contributions by Matthew Day -AP via -kgw.com
Gordon
Smith - Corporate
- Politics
- Sports
- Vacations
-  Jets
-  Accounting
-  Telecommunications
- Energy
- Lawmakers
- Ore
- Nev
-  Ind
-  Fla
-  Mich
-  Ky
-  Va
-
- 
-
-
"Amid much scrutiny, mixing pleasure and politics goes on." ... "Even if lawmakers are more sensitive these days about teeing up [golfing] with lobbyists at posh resorts, one would never know it by witnessing a scene at Dulles International Airport on Sunday night when lobbyists returned from the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, a high-end course in southwestern Oregon. One lobbyist from Accenture, an accounting firm, even disembarked sporting a long-sleeve Bandon Dunes polo shirt." ... "[Oregon Republican Senator] Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.[Republican-Oregon]) held the fundraiser, an annual event for his political action committee Impact America. A score of telecommunications, financial-services and energy lobbyists paid $3,000 to $5,000 apiece to join him for the promise of unfettered access for a weekend with the second-term Oregonian and member of the Finance and Commerce, Science and Transportation committees." ... "Smith paid Bandon Dunes $14,472 last year to reserve the resort for his guests, according to disclosure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Bandon Dunes charges $175 per person for a round of golf and at least $300 for rooms during the peak season, from May to October." ... "Smith, the heir of a frozen-foods fortune, seems to have no qualms about his close ties to the business community. He readily admitted that he flew to the event on FedEx’s corporate jet and returned via Union Pacific’s plane." ... "[Nevada] Republican [Senator] Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.[Republican-Nevada]) also flew out for the event, as did [Indiana Republican Representative] Reps. Chris Chocola (Ind.[Indiana]), [Florida Republican Representative] Ander Crenshaw (Fla.[Florida]) and [Indiana Republican Representative] Steve Buyer (Ind.[Indiana])." ... "[Michigan Republican Representative] Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.[Republican-Michigan]) is hosting a golf tournament in July at the Oakland Hills Country Club [in Michigan], the home of the 2004 Ryder Cup matches and the 2008 PGA Championship. [Kentucky Republican Representative] Rep. Harold Rogers (R-Ky.[Republican-Kentucky]), a cardinal on the Appropriations Committee, will hold an event in August at Pebble Beach, the world-famous coastal golf course in California." ... "In the winter, several lawmakers including [Virginia Republican Representative] Chief Deputy Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.[Republican-Virginia]), hosted trips to exclusive skiing resorts in Colorado, Idaho and Wyoming." ... "“You wonder how long Republicans can bifurcate their message to mainstream America with this gross display of wealth,” the lobbyist said." -By Jonathan E. Kaplan -TheHill.com
Gordon
Smith - Money
- Politics
- Travel
- Lawmakers
- Oregon
-  Okla
-  NC
- Ky
- Fla
- US
-  Ireland
"Smith trip to Ireland paid for by lobbyist, records show." ... "The Hill, a newspaper that covers Capitol Hill, reported Wednesday that [Oregon Republican Senator Gordon] Smith and four other GOP [GOP=Grand Old Party=Republican] lawmakers traveled to Ireland at the expense of a Washington lobbying firm, Kessler & Associates Business Services Inc." ... "Smith, former [Oklahoma Republican Senator] Sen. Don Nickles, R-Okla.[Republican-Oklahoma], and [Republican Representatives] Reps. Howard Coble, R-N.C.[Republican-North Carolina], Harold Rogers, R-Ky.[Republican-Kentucky], and Clay Shaw, R-Fla.[Republican-Florida], attended a four-day international trade seminar at Ashford Castle in Ireland's County Mayo in August 2003, the newspaper said." ... "Disclosure reports for the five lawmakers show that Kessler & Associates footed the $25,000 bill, even though congressional ethics guidelines bar lobbying firms from paying for lawmakers' travel. " -By Matthew Day -AP via -kgw.com
 Karl
Rove - Gordon
Smith - Environmental
- Science
- Politics
-  River
- Animals
- Agricultural
- Corporation
- Government
- Hatch
Act - Law
-  2002
Election -  WVa
- California
- Portland
- Oregon
"Oregon Water Saga Illuminates Rove's Methods With Agencies." ... "In a darkened conference room, [Republican President Bush] White House political strategist Karl Rove was making an unusual address to 50 top managers at the U.S. [United States] Interior Department. Flashing color slides, he spoke of poll results, critical constituencies -- and water levels in the Klamath River basin." [The Klamath River runs from Oregon into California] ... "At the time of the meeting, in January 2002, Mr. Rove had just returned from accompanying [Republican] President Bush on a trip to Oregon, where they visited with a Republican senator facing re-election [2002]. Republican leaders there wanted to support their agricultural base by diverting water from the river basin to nearby farms, and Mr. Rove signaled that the administration did, too." ... "Three months later, Interior Secretary Gale Norton stood with [Oregon Republican Senator] Sen. Gordon Smith in Klamath Falls and opened the irrigation-system head gates that increased the water supply to 220,000 acres of farmland -- a policy shift that continues to stir bitter criticism from environmentalists and Indian tribes." ... "Though Mr. Rove's clout within the administration often is celebrated, this episode offers a rare window into how he works behind the scenes to get things done. One of them is with periodic visits to cabinet departments. Over the past two years Mr. Rove or his top aide, Kenneth Mehlman -- now manager of Mr. Bush's re-election campaign -- have visited nearly every agency to outline White House campaign priorities, review polling data and, on occasion, call attention to tight House, Senate and gubernatorial races that could be affected by regulatory action." ... "On [January] Jan. 5, Mr. Rove accompanied the president to an appearance in Portland [Oregon] with Mr. Smith. The president signaled his desire to accommodate agricultural interests, saying "We'll do everything we can to make sure water is available for those who farm."" ... "The next day, Mr. Rove made sure that commitment didn't fall through the cracks. He visited the 50 Interior managers attending a department retreat at a Fish and Wildlife Service conference center in Shepherdstown, W.Va. [West Virginia] In a PowerPoint presentation Mr. Rove also uses when soliciting Republican donors, he brought up the Klamath and made clear that the administration was siding with agricultural interests." ... "His remarks weren't entirely welcome -- especially by officials grappling with the competing arguments made by environmentalists, who wanted river levels high to protect endangered salmon, and Indian tribes, who depend on the salmon for their livelihoods. Neil McCaleb, then an assistant Interior secretary, recalls the "chilling effect" of Mr. Rove's remarks. Wayne Smith, then with the department's Bureau of Indian Affairs, says Mr. Rove reminded the managers of the need to "support our base."" [note: the Hatch Act prohibits political activities in federal offices.] ... "A National Marine Fisheries Service biologist, Michael Kelly, has asked for protection under federal "whistle-blower" laws, saying he was subjected to political pressure to go along with the low-water plan and ordered to ignore scientific evidence casting doubt on the plan. This month, a federal judge ruled the administration violated the Endangered Species Act in the way it justified the water diversion." -By Tom Hamburger -WallStreetJournal via -OregonWild.org |
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