Numerous papers, as well as the Detroit News, are reporting that Knollenberg is being investigated by the House Oversight Committee.
The Bush Administration used a government agency to lobby Congress. Specifically, EPA was accepting comments on a rulemaking to determine if they would allow California to move ahead with a state Climate Change rule that would reduce greenhouse gases.
(Conservatives like to say they are for state's rights -- unless of course they disagree with what the state wants to do. Hypocrisy has become the strongest plank in the Republican platform.)
Joe Knollenberg was oblivious to the EPA's rulemaking until Department of Transportation Officials contacted him to lobby him to oppose the rulemaking.
The other interesting thing will be to see just how much money Knollenberg has gotten from Corporate fat cats and sleazy lobbyists to do their bidding.
This isn't just a little local news story -- it is a big national story.
See the articles in the Washington Post, USAToday and another in USAToday, WTOP, OC Register, CBSnews, Boston Globe, and dozens and dozens more.
What this means is that Joe Knollenberg condoned the illicit behavior of DOT officials. In fact, Knollenberg not only condoned the behavior, he acquiesed to their request!
I haven't dug up the letter Knollenberg sent to EPA yet, but my guess is it will read almost identically to the script used by the DOT officials when they notified Knollenberg of the proposed rule.
So, not only did Knollenberg fail to notify officials that DOT had unlawfully lobbied him, but it is interesting to note that Knollenberg, who is trying (in vain) to pass himself off as supportive of the auto industry, was unaware of the rule making until someone told him about it??? This is a good example of how out of touch Joe Knollenberg is about issues that could impact the auto industry.
Surely, after having been in Congress for 14 years, Joe Knollenberg should know that it is unlawful for federal government officials to lobby Congress!!!
To Joe Knollenberg, this is just another in a litany of scandals. To the voters next year, this is the last straw.
Joe Knollenberg is a Law BREAKER not a Lawmaker.
3 comments:
I love the deception you have used in this piece.
You imply, with words like "could" and other pre-varicators, that Joe "could" be involved in some "career-ending" "scandal", and then link to articles about a scandal involving alleged lobbying by the Transportation Department.
Now I deplore taxpayer-funded lobbying, and a first glance suggests that's the case here. But you have the direction wrong - the illegal and unethical activities was by employees of the government towards congresspeople (of both parties - so I guess John Dingell's career might just end too?), there is no indication in either the DN or Washington Post articles (I didn't read the others, since you lied about those two, I stopped) that Knollenberg or his staff were even lobbied, although they were quoted because Knollenberg (and Dingell) have been out-front on the issue. But even if they were lobbied - the ethics question doesn't impinge on them.
So you've (clearly intentionally) twisted this light news story into an implication against Joe without an iota of evidence. You are the dishonest person here.
Chet,
The trail of emails from Waxman's committee discuss their conversations with Knollenberg.
I'll be writing about those shortly.
I look forward to seeing them. I'd note that you reached the conclusion here before the evidence was in though (whether you end up right or wrong), and that means everyone should read whatever claims you make with that bias in mind.
Send me an e-mail with the post, since finding it amongst this ever increasing pile of dung may be hard.
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