Politico ignored Obey's response to alleged conflict of interest
SUMMARY: The Politico uncritically reported Rep. Darrell Issa's charge that Rep. David Obey "failed to divulge that his son Craig," a senior vice president of the National Parks Conservation Association, "was lobbying him on the economic recovery package." The Politico did not note that Obey's office has denied that his son lobbied his committee or that the funding for parks was reportedly included by Rep. Norm Dicks.
In a February 12 article, the Politico uncritically reported that "Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif) charged Tuesday that House Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-Wisc.) failed to divulge that his son Craig," a senior vice president of the National Parks Conservation Association, "was lobbying him on the economic recovery package," without noting that Obey's office has denied that his son lobbied his committee. As the Politico's Glenn Thrush noted in a February 10 blog post -- to which the February 12 Politico article linked -- "A spokeswoman for the lawmaker has said Obey's son does not lobby his father's committee -- claiming the funding increase was actually the brainchild of Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.)."
As Media Matters for America has documented, the Associated Press reported on January 29 that Kirstin Brost, an Obey spokeswoman, "said Obey's son, Craig, does not lobby the committee, and the parks proposal came from the head of an environment subcommittee." The AP added that "the repair idea came from Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee on interior and the environment" and quoted Dicks' chief of staff saying, "I will assure you this was the highest priority for Norm. This has been a passion of Norm's for many years."
From the February 12 Politico article headlined, "The new D.C.: Same as it ever was":
The tooth-and-nail scrapping among legislators makes clear that, Obama era or not, almost everyone in office is still considered fair game.
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) charged Tuesday that House Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-Wisc.) failed to divulge that his son Craig was lobbying him on the economic recovery package, while Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) offered a resolution calling on House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) to step down from his post while an ethics probe into his personal finances continues.
A day later, MoveOn.org, a liberal organization founded by two Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who "shared deep frustration with the partisan warfare in Washington D.C. and the ridiculous waste of our nation's focus at the time of the impeachment mess," weighed in with a radio ad nailing Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) for missing Monday's cloture vote on the stimulus package.
Oh no...congressmen never have their colleagues request an appropriation or introduse a bill in exchange for doing the same.
Nah...that never happens, and the hacks at Media Matters want you lemmings to believe that. And you will, because that's how deliberately obtuse you all are.
All the same, his denial should be noted. People can then believe it or not (most likely not, admitedly) as they choose.
Oh the outrage!! Did you have a similar reaction when the K Street Project was buying votes or when Boehner was bribing congressmen on the floor of the house?
Same old liberal response when caught being hypocrits. " well you guys did it too".
Apples and oranges again. Abramoff was tried, convicted and jailed. It's a matter of FACT.
Boehner bribing congressman was in plain view of C-Span cameras. It's a matter of FACT.
By you calling it hypocrisy to compare FACTS with ALLEGATIONS shows you really don't know what the word means.
Exactly, Fog, the hypocrites are always crying "hypocrisy!". Also notice that the first non-wingnut comment here from NGEddie doesn't seem to be defending or cutting any slack in spite of the issue not being resolved.
Do you recall conservatives responding that way to the Abramoff & Boner scandals even after their guilt was apparent? Nope.
I really think it's impossible to be a hardcore Republican without some sort of brain damage helping the condition along.
It's the Politico for starters, a repug organization.
They DON'T CARE! They have been lying on a daily basis....and as long as Fox News is on the air, right or wrong, they'll continue to lie....These people have not admitted to themselves that they lost the last two elections... They think that they can use lies to challenge the President of the U.S. They keep repeating the same things as facts....No matter what the facts suggest!
Relative to last paragraph slamming Senator Cornyn, R-TX, here's what was voted on the day he NO-VOTED. Note: It was not cloture on the "Stimulus Bill". Besides, his vote would not have made a difference considering the 61 vote majority to carry the decision.
Vote Summary
Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Collins-Nelson (NE) Amdt. No. 570 to H.R. 1 ) Vote Number: 59 Vote Date: February 9, 2009, 05:29 PM Required For Majority: 3/5 Vote Result: Cloture Motion Agreed to Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 570 to H.R. 1 (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) Statement of Purpose: In the nature of a substitute. Vote Counts: YEAs 61 NAYs 36 Not Voting 2