Lou Dobbs Calls Knollenberg one of many Lame Ducks

While Joe Knollenberg is announcing his campaign for re-election, a Lou Dobbs editorial calls Congressman like Joe Knollenberg "Lame Ducks".

Dobbs notes:

With the electorate asserting a strong impulse to be independent, and with populism exerting a significant influence in the 2006 midterm elections, there is a possibility that all of those incumbents in the House and Senate may have to consider the possibility of actually having to represent their constituents and the popular will, rather than corporate America, socio-ethnic special interest groups and the tens of thousands of lobbyists who represent every interest but that of the common good and the nation.

Dobbs notes that Bush's approval ratings are at 29% giving Bush the highest approval rating (~90%) and one of the lowest in history (except for Truman, Carter, and Nixon).

With the war in Iraq raging endlessly, the White House involved in scandal after scandal, an FDA so involved in banning condoms around the world rather than protecting you or your pet from consuming poisons from China, jobs disappearing by the day, etc., we are due for an overhaul in Congress -- particularly to weed out the worst of them like Joe "Do Nothing" Knollenberg.

Knollenberg Embroiled In Scandal

Joe Knollenberg is embroiled in a scandal that could end his career. His recent activities on CAFE standards appear to have been spurned by unlawful activities initiated by the Bush Administration.

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.

Visit the Retire Joe Knollenbeg web site

There's a new web site aimed at keeping those that want to retire Joe Knollenberg from his 9th District seat in 2008. Please visit http://campaignwindow.com/retirejoeknollenberg/index.cfm and sign up for our e-mail list and spread the word to others that support the cause of a Democratic Congress person for the 9th Congressionsal District of Michigan.