Don Young warns of ’slippery, slippery road.’
Don Young warns of ’slippery, slippery road.’
Yesterday, the House voted overwhelmingly to request a federal criminal investigation into a controversial $10-million earmark by Rep. Don Young (R-AK). In 2005, after Congress had voted on the highway funding bill, Young’s staff changed the language for the earmark, directing it to a controversial highway interchange in Florida. Yesterday, Young took to the House floor, claiming that “local people” supported the project:
After all the accusations and rumors about this bill, I hope this sets the record straight. This project was asked for by the community. … The Senate is meddling in House affairs. I’m supporting this bill. I welcome, if you want to welcome, an investigation into the House. But remember, that is a slippery slippery road we’re about to be involved in. … But keep in mind that coconut grove was not my idea. It was created and fostered by the local people of that community.
Watch it:
In reality, the interchange was “a low priority” for county officials. In fact, local officials ultimately “refused the money and asked Congress to let them use it for its original purpose.” But for Young donor Daniel Aronoff, it would have increased the value of his property — raising questions of impropriety.
Paul Kiel at TPM Muckraker has more.
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TP, your acting like a Fox. Young is listed as a D not an R. Shame on you.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:53 amI think the most important part of this investigation is:
after Congress had voted on the highway funding bill, Young’s staff changed the language for the earmark,
This is something that Congress needs to look into. Too often Congressional staffers slip something into bills either after it is voted on or right before, when it has been already vetted. It seems to me that changing a bill after it has been voted on should be an impeachable offense.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:55 amYeah, change that to an R
May 1st, 2008 at 11:55 amFRANKCORNBREAD Says:
TP, your acting like a Fox. Young is listed as a D not an R. Shame on you.
One has to wonder why that happens so often on this site. Don’t they have any editorial control. Don’t they have someone proofread posts before they are published. Shame on you TP, you are getting really sloppy. Especially considering all the times you have had posts about Fox or other media outlets making mistakes like this.
May 1st, 2008 at 11:56 amOne can only wonder what the people of ALASKA could have done with and extra $10m …. WHY on earth does a fool from Alaska have ANYTHING TO DO with an interchange in Fla. ????
May 1st, 2008 at 11:56 am(D-AK)? Don’t you regularly blast Fox et al. for doing this?
May 1st, 2008 at 11:57 amIt’s only a slippery slope when it applies to you AND NOT THE COUNTRY???
SCREW you!
May 1st, 2008 at 12:01 pmLooks like Ahnold was right!
Even when the local yokels get handed $10 million for a highway interchange, they cayunt figger out the workings of them durn polly-titians up aways beyond the crick, on account of having no vision!
May 1st, 2008 at 12:03 pmTHROW THE CORRUPT BUMS OUT!!!! DEM OR REPUG!
2008 IS THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA IN POLITICS IN AMERICA.
THE NEW GENERATION IS HERE AND THEY WILL MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD FAR AND WIDE.
while Bushie & Co. have been a disaster for the US, there is a silver lining. He has energized the young generation to wake up and change take America back from the far right crazies!!!!
May 1st, 2008 at 12:04 pmTHROW THE CORRUPT BUMS OUT!!!! DEM OR REPUG!
2008 IS THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA IN POLITICS IN AMERICA.
THE NEW GENERATION IS HERE AND THEY WILL MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD FAR AND WIDE.
while Bushie & Co. have been a disaster for the US, there is a silver lining. He has energized the young generation to wake up and change take America back from the far right crazies!!!!
May 1st, 2008 at 12:04 pmSlippery, slippery coconuts.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:04 pm“But remember, that is a slippery slippery road we’re about to be involved in.”
_______________________________________________
In other words, “this is only the tip of the iceberg.” Fine. That may make other members of congress nervous, but Americans should be cheering the idea of getting this kind of slime cleaned up. From both parties.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:06 pmRepublican motto – graft and corruption are friends of your friends.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:07 pmRepublicans behaving BADLY!
May 1st, 2008 at 12:07 pmLet it all come out. Get rid of them all.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:07 pmOther ideas that Don Young never had:
Coconut brassiere’s (as seen in Disney’s Jungle book and late 1940’s Polynesian-themed B-movies)
Mounds
The coconut crab (freaky scary!)
May 1st, 2008 at 12:09 pmhttp://www.allthepages.org/images/blog/coconut_crab.jpg
At the bottom of every slippery slope is a pile of disgusting GOP (goop), which is why Don Young doesn’t want to go there.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:11 pmAmazing how fiscal responsibility becomes a ’slippery slippery slope’ to some Republicans…
May 1st, 2008 at 12:13 pmRep. Young is LYING!!! I live less than a mile from Coconut Road, and this is my neighborhood! The local community DID NOT request this earmark…I repeat, DID NOT. That property, east of I-75, is extremely environmentally sensitive land and one of the major water recharge areas in Southwest Florida. I would like to see a congressional investigation on this, and call as witnesses the “local community members” that wanted such an interchange. That would make for some excellent theater!
Altering bills which have been voted on and approved by the House and Senate after the fact is illegal and unconstitutional…not just unethical. Young should be more than censured, he should be driven from the House.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:15 pmPE-PUKE OR DEM throw`em out and put them in Jail, Slippey slope and all.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:17 pmHim speak english good
“motifications” (twice)
May 1st, 2008 at 12:17 pm“accuations”
“innduendo” (isn’t that a part of the large intestine?)
Is this assclown related to the Young in Alaska Ted Stevens was directing pork to?
I think kickbacks should be treated with real kicks in the ass.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:21 pmEach member of the House gets one, good swift kick.
Official Statment, Don Young:
“In all of God’s green earth, what is WRONG with an Alaskan Representive looking out for the best interests of a tiny Floridian community 3,500 miles from my consituency that doesn’t want the $10 million highway interchange I’m offering them? I’m just trying to be PROACTIVE, people! Sheesh!!”
May 1st, 2008 at 12:23 pmA slippery road, eh?
Maybe an earmark for $100M will be necessary to buy some cleaner to fix the road.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:24 pmBut for Young donor Daniel Aronoff, it would have increased the value of his property — raising questions of impropriety.
Isn’t it about time that we accepted impropriety as the default position for Republican congresscritters, and start paying attention only when someone raises questions of propriety?
May 1st, 2008 at 12:25 pmYeah, I can see how a corrupt Repuke would see an investigation of his corruption as a “slippery road”…
You see, once we start investigating Republican corruption, that’s it – this entire criminal administration will be brought down.
Yeah, I’d be worried about that if I was a Repuke.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:41 pm“Impropriety” is hardly the correct word. The correct word would be “graft,” defined as:
the acquisition of money, gain, or advantage by dishonest, unfair, or illegal means, esp. through the abuse of one’s position or influence in politics, business, etc.
This applies to both Young and Aronoff, and the last time I looked, this was considered a criminal offense.
May 1st, 2008 at 12:44 pmHi! I’m Don Young!
May 1st, 2008 at 12:51 pmYou may remember me from such shenanigans as “The Guy Who Lost to a Dead Guy from His Own Party!”
I 2nd this.
May 1st, 2008 at 1:02 pm