Chris Shays’ idea of oversight.
By on Oct 26th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Chris Shays’ idea of oversight.
Dana Milbank writes that Rep. Christopher “Shays’s (R-CT) vigorous defense of the administration in odd-numbered years is emblematic of the solid Republican support Bush has relied on to thwart the efforts of Democrats to limit the war.” He highlights this exchange between Shays and Condoleezza Rice at yesterday’s hearing:
As for Rice’s refusal to answer questions, Shays said, “I’m happy that you have resisted.” …And when the hearing finally ended, he hurried to intercept Rice and gave her a hug. The secretary clasped his hand tenderly as she departed.
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Hmmm… so the whole idea of Congressional oversight is odious to Rep. Shays?
Damn that Constitution and all it stands for.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:00 amrepublicans are scum.
I’d be happy if condi was tried and convicted of war crimes… shays right along side of her.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:00 amWe’ll get rid of him next time around. Republicans have happily destroyed their party and credibility; time to flush. Back to the sewer they crawled out of.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:01 amjeebusHchrist! He’s congratulating her for being less than forthcoming about where the hell all our money went in Iraq? Connecticut, take note–this man doesn’t care if there is proper accounting for your tax dollars.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:06 amPerhaps the War Hag promised to stomp on him with her high heeled boots while smacking his bare buttocks with a riding whip…
October 26th, 2007 at 10:08 amrepublicans are scum.
I second that.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:11 am“…And when the hearing finally ended, he hurried to intercept Rice and gave her a hug. The secretary clasped his hand tenderly as she departed.”
Get them a room…
October 26th, 2007 at 10:22 am…at Leavenworth…
Contrast this statement:
“I can’t think of hardly anything . . . my Democratic colleagues have done to help our soldiers win Iraq,” he told Rice in his opening statement.
With this PR from his own office:
Statement of Congressman Christopher Shays In Support of H.R. 400, the War Profiteering Prevention Act
October 10, 2007
http://www.house.gov/shays/news/2007/october/octlwarprofiterring.htm
Washington – Congressman Christopher Shays (CT-4) voted for H.R. 400, the War Profiteering Prevention Act, which passed the House yesterday by a vote of 375 to 3. This legislation will prohibit fraudulent acts involving the provision of goods or services in connection with a mission of the United States Government overseas, and will build on existing laws prohibiting fraud against our government by making this new offense a predicate crime for forfeiture, as well as for Federal money laundering and racketeering offenses.
Mr. Shays submitted the following statement:
I support this legislation, and believe it is important to clarify overseas contract fraud involving U.S. taxpayer dollars is a crime that will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted.
..Working with then-Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis(R-VA), the Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and International Relations, which I chaired [Yes, I am a REPUBLICAN} from 1999 to 2006, had several hearings on contracting concerns in Iraq. During the hearings, several DoD witnesses with oversight responsibility for contracting in Iraq testified about the challenges of coordinating the tremendous task of rebuilding Iraq. While I recognize the tremendous task and difficult challenges associated with the reconstruction of Iraq, the bottom line is the Coalition Provisional Authority was under-staffed and overburdened.
I appreciate this legislation being brought to the floor [BY THE DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY!} and hope it will provide needed clarity about the United States’ intention to prosecute those who defraud our government.
Well, wasn’t it swell that Rep. Shays was actively involved with oversight all those years!
October 26th, 2007 at 10:28 amWould Shays have done the same when Clinton was president and Madeleine Albright was Secretary of State?
Can anybody here imagine the following?
“As for Albright’s refusal to answer questions, Shays said, “I’m happy that you have resisted.†…And when the hearing finally ended, he hurried to intercept Albright and gave her a hug. The secretary clasped his hand tenderly as she departed.”
No? Then, my guess is that Shays is just more partisan scum.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:29 amKinda like the scene from “Goodfellas” where the DeNiro character congratulates the young Henry Hill for not ratting out the mobsters after the kid got busted for selling stolen ciagarettes for the first time.
“Ya told them nothin’ and they got nothin’!”
I guess Condi finally lost her cherry, huh?
RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO! RICO!
October 26th, 2007 at 10:33 amwhat is it about connecticut?…
how do the people there rate the likes of LIEberman and shays? …
October 26th, 2007 at 10:35 am…
I can’t thank you enough for obstructing justice and pissing on the Constitution Ms. Rice. With your continued support we will scrub the last bit of honor from the USA before they kick us out.
See you South America fellow traitor!!
October 26th, 2007 at 10:38 amParty before country. Corrupt beyond belief. Blatant as can be. The modern Republican party disgusts me. Lincoln would never be party to such fools as these, nor would any true conservative. Newt Gingritch and his “enforcing” of the concept of “lock-step” politics for the Republican party has hopefully destroyed that party, and the idea that one should put party above politics for the sake of consolidating and maintaining hold of power will hopefully be stagnated for at least a generation. They quite thoroughly disgust me.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:41 amThese un-evolved barbarians have absolutely no idea how a civilized society works, much less the concept of checks and balances and the absolutely essential need for them.
We will not always have a great man like Bush to lead this country. What if we get a Clinton, or even worse, a tree-hugging bleeding heart liberal Democrat in the future? It will be impossible to hold them accountable if we destroy all checks and balances during this greatest time in our history under the greatest President ever.
We can only save the war criminal or save the country. We cannot do both.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:45 amWe will not always have a great man like Bush to lead this country. What if we get a Clinton, or even worse, a tree-hugging bleeding heart liberal Democrat in the future?
This is silly and irrational. Don’t argue w/ this troll.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:52 amC. Shays barely made it in his last November’s elections.
October 26th, 2007 at 10:54 amMay be next time it will not be that easy for him,but it is up to voters in Connecticut to make the change.
i have an idea that the rather schizoid comment by abby
October 26th, 2007 at 10:59 amwas meant to be snark… or there are 2 “abby”s…
…
This is silly and irrational. Don’t argue w/ this troll.
Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — October 26, 2007 @ 10:52 am
I believe Abby’s post is sarcasm. Check out the last line — “we can only save the war criminal or save the country.”
I, like most patriotic Americans, would rather save the country than the war criminal. And the erosion of our system of checks and balances is making this difficult. Abby is pointing out that the Bush supporters who think that making the president omnipotent is such a grand idea will come to regret it when the White House contains a liberal Democrat.
Shays’ obvious water-carrying will come to haunt him back home at election time, too. Connecticut isn’t as conservative as their elected representatives are making it look.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:01 amNot sure if this has been posted here before, but the White House finally made it official:
http://www.fightingdemocrat.com/mt/images/RNC-toilet.jpg
October 26th, 2007 at 11:02 amor there are 2 “abbyâ€s…
…
Comment by katy — October 26, 2007 @ 10:59 am
I was wondering about that. I recall an “abby” that would not make a comment like that. I had to wonder if this was a new troll “Abby” or what?
October 26th, 2007 at 11:02 amComment by Vet — October 26, 2007 @ 11:02 am
Aw, man! I had been planning on marketing that idea for months, but I was afraid of being accused of being too tasteless.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:03 amI hope there’s still only one Abby or it’s going to get very confusing. ;)
It’s not a trollish comment. The point is made clearly although it’s worded in a way that just might make some sense to the Wingnut brain and thus, hopefully, open their eyes to the dangers of disabling Checks & Balances.
October 26th, 2007 at 11:25 amSomething a little odd is going on with Shay. He’s always been considered a RINO by his own party, is liberal on social issues, and pretty moderate otherwise. His one real blind spot is Iraq, but he’s in the process of changing his mind on that. However…he has given an ultimatum to the Republican leadership that they either give him the ranking Republican spot on the Oversight and Government Reform committee or he will retire and not run again in 2008, leaving his seat wide open for a Democratic win.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Shays
October 26th, 2007 at 11:29 amComment by Abby — October 26, 2007 @ 11:25 am
I got ya. Ya threw me at first.
It was early, no coffee yet, blah-blah-blah…
October 26th, 2007 at 11:51 amhttp://www.house.gov/shays/issues/list/index.htm
Budget :”My number one priority since coming to Congress has been the reduction and elimination of our annual federal budget deficits. As a senior member of the House Budget Committee, I know the best way to maintain fiscal discipline is to continue to eliminate wasteful and unnecessary federal government spending. ”
National Service :”As a strong fiscal conservative,…
Patroit Act: “…Most importantly, I believe Congress must provide continual oversight.”…
Taxes: “…Congress needs to control spending, in both discretionary and mandatory categories.”
Remember, do as I say, not as I do!
October 26th, 2007 at 12:57 pmThe Folks in CT who keep getting screwed by Shays and Lieberman hope you are happy.It’s unconscionable that these 2 deplorable people(Shays & Lieberman) keep getting re-elected.
October 26th, 2007 at 1:21 pmWell CT you can count on Shays next year to claim that he wanted more oversight but the Dems were in his way.
We Democrats in Connecticut want to make this Chris Shays’ LAST term in office, and you can help.
We have an outstanding Democratic candidate running against Shays. His name is Jim Himes and, with your help, he will win.
Read about Jim and send a contribution to his campaign here.
October 26th, 2007 at 2:17 pm