The GOP Should Stand Behind Senator Tom Coburn
By The Directors Posted in Congress — Comments (16) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
While the specifics of the GOP’s devastating 2006 electoral loss can (and will) be argued forever, there is one point which is inarguable: the Republican Party’s willing forfeiture of its claim to being the party of fiscal conservatism and of open and ethical government was a major factor in costing it the Congressional majority.
One egregious example of Republican deceit and irresponsibility during the Party’s final session in power was committed by Alaska Rep. Don Young (R-AK). Young, then the Chairman of the Transportation Committee, altered an earmark he had inserted in the 2005 transportation bill after that bill had been passed Congress, changing the text of the bill itself (and the location of the program that his earmark had funded) to take $10 million in government funds from a project local officials wanted and to redirect the funds to a project opposed by those same local officials, but which provided direct benefit to a high-dollar campaign contributor, a “real estate mogul” who had “thrown a $40,000 fundraiser for Young that year.” This August, Talking Points Memo reported that, of the 6,370 earmarks in the 800-page bill in question, “Young's had been the only to undergo such a change.”
As 2007 draws to a close, the Senate is considering a bill which would make several changes to that 2005 transportation legislation – including reversing Rep. Young’s ex post facto earmark modification to the form in which it was originally passed by the Congress two years ago. The Senate hoped to simply pass the bill “unanimous consent.”
Yesterday, though, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) sent a letter to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell stating his “object[ion] to unanimous passage of any bill providing technical corrections of the 2005 highway bill” unless the legislation authorizing those corrections also “require[s] a "full and open investigation" into Rep. Young’s deceitful action.
Read on . . .
Wrote Coburn:
Because secret, improper, and unauthorized changes to congressionally passed legislation call into question the integrity of our entire Constitutional and legislative process, I believe a full and open investigation into this matter is necessary to restore the integrity of both the U.S. Congress and the Constitution.I thank you for protecting my rights as a U.S. Senator and I look forward to working with you…to investigate the events that led up to the unauthorized change and to provide a full accounting of the matter to the American public.
Dr. Coburn – known affectionately at RedState (for very good reason) as “Senator Trainwreck” – is absolutely correct on this matter. While many Republicans have performed admirably after being thrust into the Congressional minority, there remain too few signs that those who represent our party in elective office understand why it is that they were defeated one year ago.
If we are to seriously promote a reduction in the waste and corruption which have become hallmarks of our federal government, we must tend to our own house first. Much like rubber-stamping wasteful spending bills and continuing to turn a blind eye to party Members known to be corrupt, allowing an act like that committed by Rep. Young to simply be swept under the rug and never talked about again is absolutely unacceptable.
The opposition party offers innumerable opportunities to point out hypocrisy, corruption, ulterior motives, and ethical lapses. However, if we cannot (or will not) police our own side, then we leave ourselves very poor footing from which to expose and exploit the other side’s faults. Senator Coburn is absolutely correct to demand an investigation into Rep. Young’s action. We applaud his decision to make a stand on this issue, and we strongly encourage the Congressional Republican leadership to follow his advice. Rep. Young’s actions must be fully investigated, and, if guilty of an infraction, he must be dealt with.
It is only by learning one of the major lessons of 2006 and ridding ourselves of those Republicans who lack the integrity and the commitment to honest, responsible governance that the GOP can regain its moral and ethical authority, and once again deserve a position of supremacy in the United States Congress. Senator Coburn has recognized this, and is standing up for the GOP’s true values. We call upon the rest of the Republican caucus in Washington to join him.
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The GOP Should Stand Behind Senator Tom Coburn 16 Comments (0 topical, 16 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
So is there any credible effort to primary them? I've seen polls that indicate that they trailing possible Democrat opponents - and they really are a laughing stock.
Who's on the bench up there that can step in and take these guys on?
In 2016 Tom Coburn will be leaving the Senate (self imposed term limits), so we need to get behind him now to run for President 8 years from now when our Republican President elected in 2008 finishes his 2nd term.
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And then, only if Marsh Blackburn isn't interested.
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First State Politics
are the guys we need to back to keep them in congress.
"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way."
John Paul Jones (letter to M. Le Ray de Chaumont,16 Nov.1778)
are the guys we need to back to keep them in congress.
"I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast; for I intend to go in harm's way."
John Paul Jones (letter to M. Le Ray de Chaumont,16 Nov.1778)
Between Young and Stevens, there is enough political fodder to last a lifetime.
I will be the first to point out Republican scrutiny has been unfair compared to the substantial Democrat Party corruption (see Jefferson as the latest example) which inscrutably never seems to face any lasting investigation or MSM castigation. That said, our party needs to be more astute and sagacious about holding folks to a higher standard and eliminating processes or actions, which give the slightest appearance of impropriety.
As chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Young has been an embarrassment for years. His transportation bills for years have literally “brought home the bacon” for Alaska at the expense of every other state (remember the “Bridge to Nowhere”?). There have been estimates by the FHA that Alaska receives over $6.00 for every $1.00 of Federal gas tax paid, higher by far than any other state. Why is that and how could this go on for so long? Rhetorically, who cares, it just needs to end and Young should be the campaigns poster boy. My guess is this is just the tip of an iceberg and can only lead to bad things. Shame on us is the action is not loud and immediate.
Frankly, I would vote for Dr. Coburn to take his chairmanship. How’s that for a serious commitment?
"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori"
Contributor to The Minority Report
My brother in law lives in OK and I told him just this morning that I may move over there, just so that I can say that Coburn is my Senator.
I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100 percent.
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Maybe this is off topic and I'm WAY late to the conversation, but does this: "Young, then the Chairman of the Transportation Committee, altered an earmark he had inserted in the 2005 transportation bill after that bill had been passed Congress, changing the text of the bill itself" make the 2005 bill invalid? Since the President signed Don Young's version of the bill and not the one passed by Congress how is this legally binding legistlation.
Regardless I wish Senator Bond wasn't Senator Coburn's polar opposite.
"Cowards cut and run, Marines never do"
I've had numerous opportunities to visit with Mr Young. He is a most powerful argument for term limits.