By Mark Fitzgerald
Morris Publishing Group is supposed to emerge from its brief stay in Chapter 11 protection next Wednesday -- but two gadflies from St. Augustine, Fla., remain determined to derail the prepackaged reorganization.
“This is not just about dollars and cents. This is about our community here, and we’re not being served well by the St. Augustine Record,” Ed Slavin told Fitz & Jen late Friday. As we’ve reported, Slavin along with Judith Seraphin tried to get intervener status in the Morris bankruptcy, arguing that under Morris family ownership the quality of the chain’s newspapers has deteriorated to the point they no longer serve as the public’s eyes and ears on corruption and malfeasance.
Thursday, Judge John S. Dalis, who is presiding over the Morris case from U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the company’s hometown of Augusta, Ga., rejected their attempt. He ruled they had no standing to object to the Morris plan, which has the blessing of its principal creditors. They are not creditors, the judge said, and they haven’t asserted some reason they should be allowed to intervene.
So Friday, the pair were at it again, filing a motion to reconsider the denial.
“The court has a mandatory duty to protect the public interest in every bankruptcy, but nowhere more when newspapers protected by our First Amendment, are in decline and being run into the ground by the Debtors,” their motion states, referring to Morris.
A lot’s at stake in this particular BK, the motion asserts: “Our Constitution is in shreds if Debtors are permitted to escape from their debts and to change nothing and to do nothing to improve the quality of the newspaper in our Nation’s Oldest City.”
Seraphin is CEO of Global Wrap, which wraps buildings, mostly during construction, and Slavin is the company's CIO. Slavin blogs at Clean Up City of St. Augustine, Florida.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Oakland Tribune: Berkeley newspaper to cease print publication
Berkeley newspaper to cease print publication
By Kristin Bender
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 02/11/2010 11:16:18 AM PST
Updated: 02/11/2010 05:21:38 PM PST
BERKELEY "” The Berkeley Daily Planet, founded in 1999 and plagued by financial problems over the past few years, will end its print publication at the end of the month.
The Daily Planet will keep one reporter on staff and publish to the Web "when we can get the news," co-owner Becky O"Malley said.
She and husband Mike O"Malley took over the paper in April 2003 after a group of young investors folded the paper in late 2002. The pair of Berkeley computer software multimillionaires published twice a week until May 2008, when they scaled back print publication to Thursdays only.
In an editorial today, the O"Malleys said they no longer can subsidize the newspaper.
"The only way to cut expenses further is to give up print publication for the moment," according to the O"Malleys" editorial. "We know that many if not most of our 40,000-plus faithful readers prefer paper, and frankly, we do too. But our central mission continues to be reporting the news, and new technology has made online news delivery very attractive."
The last newspaper will be published Feb. 25, Becky O"Malley said.
"You have to do what you have to do," she said in an interview today.
At least 120 U.S. newspapers have shut down since January 2008, and more than 21,000 jobs at 67 newspapers have been eliminated during that time, according to Paper Cuts, a Web site tracking the newspaper industry.
Planet readers fall into two camps: those who love the paper and read it and write editorials, and those who have been vocally opposed to its sometimes controversial stances on news. Plenty will be sorry to see it go.
"I read dozens of newspapers, so any newspaper to be disappearing is a shame," said City Councilmember Kriss Worthington, a self-described news junkie. "They are saying they are going to keep it alive online so they will make information available."
The O"Malleys bought the newspaper after running a successful software company in Berkeley for 15 years and "made more money than we ever expected to make, and so we said we should do something good with it," Becky O"Malley has said.
Cynthia Gorney, a professor at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, said she does not have expertise about the finances of the newspaper or the circumstances of its demise but feels the newspaper "ran out of steam."
"It"s always hard to watch another journalistic venture go under, but this doesn"t feel like a surprise," she said. "Speaking just as an occasional reader of the Planet, it started a while ago to feel pretty insular, like a small group of people arguing with each other about city politics and development and not much else. There wasn"t enough there to attract a wide readership or advertisers, and as a print publication, I assume they had to make enough money not only to pay a few salaries but also to cover newsprint and distribution."
Both O"Malleys long have been active in Berkeley progressive politics. She worked for Pacific News Service in San Francisco while earning her law degree from Golden Gate University. After passing the bar, she joined Oakland"s Center for Investigative Reporting as a reporter.
With advertising revenue down, the Daily Planet in May 2008 started the "fund for local reporting," asking readers to donate cash to keep the paper afloat. They also tried other alternatives to selling advertising in order to increase their revenue: freewill subscriptions, donation boxes, Web contributions and direct fundraising, Becky O"Malley said.
Last month, Artists for Change and others hosted a party that raised more than $10,000, she said. "Overall, at least 500 generous supporters all over the country have contributed more than $50,000 since we started asking for help," she said.
Additionally, the couple this month filed a lawsuit against ClickBooks.com, the company that has been preparing the Daily Planet"s federal and state payroll taxes, accusing it of embezzling money, Becky O"Malley said.
That legal fight has been all consuming, but Becky O"Malley said she will continue to write for the online publication. "I"m the one who works for free," she said.
Attempts to reach ClickBooks.com were unsuccessful.
By Kristin Bender
Oakland Tribune
Posted: 02/11/2010 11:16:18 AM PST
Updated: 02/11/2010 05:21:38 PM PST
BERKELEY "” The Berkeley Daily Planet, founded in 1999 and plagued by financial problems over the past few years, will end its print publication at the end of the month.
The Daily Planet will keep one reporter on staff and publish to the Web "when we can get the news," co-owner Becky O"Malley said.
She and husband Mike O"Malley took over the paper in April 2003 after a group of young investors folded the paper in late 2002. The pair of Berkeley computer software multimillionaires published twice a week until May 2008, when they scaled back print publication to Thursdays only.
In an editorial today, the O"Malleys said they no longer can subsidize the newspaper.
"The only way to cut expenses further is to give up print publication for the moment," according to the O"Malleys" editorial. "We know that many if not most of our 40,000-plus faithful readers prefer paper, and frankly, we do too. But our central mission continues to be reporting the news, and new technology has made online news delivery very attractive."
The last newspaper will be published Feb. 25, Becky O"Malley said.
"You have to do what you have to do," she said in an interview today.
At least 120 U.S. newspapers have shut down since January 2008, and more than 21,000 jobs at 67 newspapers have been eliminated during that time, according to Paper Cuts, a Web site tracking the newspaper industry.
Planet readers fall into two camps: those who love the paper and read it and write editorials, and those who have been vocally opposed to its sometimes controversial stances on news. Plenty will be sorry to see it go.
"I read dozens of newspapers, so any newspaper to be disappearing is a shame," said City Councilmember Kriss Worthington, a self-described news junkie. "They are saying they are going to keep it alive online so they will make information available."
The O"Malleys bought the newspaper after running a successful software company in Berkeley for 15 years and "made more money than we ever expected to make, and so we said we should do something good with it," Becky O"Malley has said.
Cynthia Gorney, a professor at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, said she does not have expertise about the finances of the newspaper or the circumstances of its demise but feels the newspaper "ran out of steam."
"It"s always hard to watch another journalistic venture go under, but this doesn"t feel like a surprise," she said. "Speaking just as an occasional reader of the Planet, it started a while ago to feel pretty insular, like a small group of people arguing with each other about city politics and development and not much else. There wasn"t enough there to attract a wide readership or advertisers, and as a print publication, I assume they had to make enough money not only to pay a few salaries but also to cover newsprint and distribution."
Both O"Malleys long have been active in Berkeley progressive politics. She worked for Pacific News Service in San Francisco while earning her law degree from Golden Gate University. After passing the bar, she joined Oakland"s Center for Investigative Reporting as a reporter.
With advertising revenue down, the Daily Planet in May 2008 started the "fund for local reporting," asking readers to donate cash to keep the paper afloat. They also tried other alternatives to selling advertising in order to increase their revenue: freewill subscriptions, donation boxes, Web contributions and direct fundraising, Becky O"Malley said.
Last month, Artists for Change and others hosted a party that raised more than $10,000, she said. "Overall, at least 500 generous supporters all over the country have contributed more than $50,000 since we started asking for help," she said.
Additionally, the couple this month filed a lawsuit against ClickBooks.com, the company that has been preparing the Daily Planet"s federal and state payroll taxes, accusing it of embezzling money, Becky O"Malley said.
That legal fight has been all consuming, but Becky O"Malley said she will continue to write for the online publication. "I"m the one who works for free," she said.
Attempts to reach ClickBooks.com were unsuccessful.
IN HAEC VERBA: Two Local Activists Ask Federal Bankrupty Judge to Reconsider, Take Action on St. Augustine Record's Declining Quality of Journalism
MOTION TO RECONSIDER ORDER DENYING MOTION INTERVENE,MOTION TO APPOINT TRUSTEE OR EXAMINER AND MOTION TO HOLD TELEPHONIC HEARING ON DEBTOR’S NEGLECT OF JOURNALISTIC DUTIES
1. Intervenors Judith Seraphin and Ed Slavin respectfully file on the 201st anniversary of Lincoln’s birthday this earnest request that the Bankruptcy Judge kindly reconsider his February 9 order (Doc. 127) denying both Intervention and declining any consideration to First Amendment values in the MORRIS PUBLISHING GROUP case.
2. The Court has a mandatory duty to protect the public interest in every bankruptcy, but nowhere more when newspapers, protected by our First Amendment, are in decline and being run into the ground by the Debtors The Debtors’ contempt for “First Amendment values” must be remedied. The Courts defer to this principle in legislative construction. Steelworkers v. Sadlowski, 457 U.S. 102, 111 (1982); Reed v. UTU, 488 U.S. 319, 325 (1989). The Court must protect “First Amendment values,” Sadlowski, Reed, supra. This case concerns the soul of our community, not just dollars and cents and the selfish concerns of billionaires and millionaires.
3. The Court must honor the mandatory requirement that: "Notwithstanding any otherwise applicable nonbankruptcy law, a plan shall contain only provisions that are consistent with the interests of creditors and equity security holders and with public policy with respect to the manner of selection of any officer, director, or trustee under the plan and any successor to such officer, director, or trustee." 11 U.S.C. 1123 (a)(7) (emphasis added). The Court must vindicate “First amendment values” and help in the vital task of the preservation of our democracy.
4. The public interest will be served by granting intervention and there is no downside. See Karen Gross, “Taking Community Interests into Account in Bankruptcy: An Essay”, 72 Wash. U. L.Q. 1031 (1994), stating: "saying that community interests are important and must be taken into account in the bankruptcy process does not mean that the other interests that bankruptcy seeks to protect, such as those of creditors and equity holders, are forgotten." Gross, 1032-33n4 (emphasis in original).
5. While "Bankruptcy is a gloomy and depressing subject," Charles Warren, Bankruptcy in United States History 3 (1935), this Court has "some leeway" in considering the public interest in individual decisions to the extent that Congress has indicated that a judge should not confirm a plan unless it appears to the judge unlikely that further reorganization will not follow. Hon. Leif M. Clark, “What Constitutes Success in Chapter 11? A Roundtable Discussion,” 2 Am. Bankr. Inst. L. Rev. 229, 233n89 (1994) (statement of Hon. James A. Goodman). Judge Goodman was referring to 11 U.S.C. 1129(a)(11) (1994), which says that the court should not confirm a plan unless "[c]onfirmation of the plan is not likely to be followed by the liquidation, or the need for further financial reorganization, of the debtor or any successor to the debtor under the plan, unless such liquidation or reorganization is proposed in the plan."
6. This Honorable Court has rightly allowed union members in other cases to be heard on bankruptcy matters. Likewise, newspaper readers have a legal right to be heard in defense of the First Amendment against the Debtors’ greed and mismanagement.
7. This Honorable Court swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Article VI, U.S. Constitution. This Court did not refer to the First Amendment in its Order.
8. Our Constitution is in shreds if Debtors are permitted to escape from their debts and to change nothing and to do nothing to improve the quality of the newspaper in our Nation’s Oldest City. Debtors must be held accountable by making them answer, under oath, for their disinvestment in news. Debtors’ low-quality journalism is now well-nigh irrefragable, since Intervenors’ January 19, 2010 filing is undisputed and operates as a party-opponent admission and admission by silence against both the Debtors and their creditors.
9. Intervenors are Record subscribers (and thus MORRIS creditors). Our standing is unimpeachable. We are acting as the conscience of our community. We have a right to be heard.
10. U.S. District Judge Murray Gurfein, a Nixon appointee serving his first day on the bench, wrote as the trial judge in the Pentagon Papers case that “security of the Nation is not at the ramparts alone. Security also lies in the value of our free institutions. A cantankerous press, an obstinate press, a ubiquitous press must be suffered by those in authority in order to preserve the even greater values of freedom of expression and the right of the people to know." U. S. v. New York Times Co., 328 F. Supp. 324 (S.D.N.Y. 1974)(Gurfein, J.)
11. Under MORRIS PUBLISHING’s current mismanagement, the Debtors are not fulfilling their constitutional function. The Court’s unresponsive February 9, 2010 order is contrary to the genius of a free people. The Court’s function must be to guarantee “the security of our Nation” by protecting “the value of our free institutions.”
12. Under both First Amendment and bankruptcy law, your Intervenors have a right to be heard. Our Founding Fathers and successive generations of Americans fought, bled and died for our First Amendment rights.
13. This Court must vindicate those rights by holding a hearing inquiring into the declining standards of journalism at The St. Augustine Record.
14. Regarding The Oak Ridger, it turns out that MORRIS no longer owns the Oak RIdger, but mysteriously the bankruptcy filing still lists debts from a corporation named The Oak RIdger. This fact requires further inquiry from this Honorable Court).
CONCLUSION
Therefore, Intervernors respectfully move to reconsider the denial of their request that this Honorable Court appoint a Trustee to protect the public interest in zealous local, government and investigative reporting in our democracy and that that the Intervenors and other MORRIS readers be afforded notice and an opportunity to:
A. Attend by telephone any and all hearings; and
B. Present their concerns about declining news budgets and journalistic practices after full and fair disclosure and discovery, at an evidentiary hearing, with mandatory testimony by MORRIS COMMUNICATIONS owners and managers managers about the etiology of their wretched failure to cover the news without fear or favor due to declining news budgets.
Let justice be done.
Respectfully submitted,
JUDITH SERAPHIN
218B RIberia Street
St. Augustine, Florida 32084
904-829-0808
904-819-3517 (fax)
ED SLAVIN
Clean Up City of St. Augustine, Florida
www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com
Box 3084
St. Augustine, Florida 32085
904-829-3877
904-819-3517 (fax)
FEBRUARY 12, 2010
1. Intervenors Judith Seraphin and Ed Slavin respectfully file on the 201st anniversary of Lincoln’s birthday this earnest request that the Bankruptcy Judge kindly reconsider his February 9 order (Doc. 127) denying both Intervention and declining any consideration to First Amendment values in the MORRIS PUBLISHING GROUP case.
2. The Court has a mandatory duty to protect the public interest in every bankruptcy, but nowhere more when newspapers, protected by our First Amendment, are in decline and being run into the ground by the Debtors The Debtors’ contempt for “First Amendment values” must be remedied. The Courts defer to this principle in legislative construction. Steelworkers v. Sadlowski, 457 U.S. 102, 111 (1982); Reed v. UTU, 488 U.S. 319, 325 (1989). The Court must protect “First Amendment values,” Sadlowski, Reed, supra. This case concerns the soul of our community, not just dollars and cents and the selfish concerns of billionaires and millionaires.
3. The Court must honor the mandatory requirement that: "Notwithstanding any otherwise applicable nonbankruptcy law, a plan shall contain only provisions that are consistent with the interests of creditors and equity security holders and with public policy with respect to the manner of selection of any officer, director, or trustee under the plan and any successor to such officer, director, or trustee." 11 U.S.C. 1123 (a)(7) (emphasis added). The Court must vindicate “First amendment values” and help in the vital task of the preservation of our democracy.
4. The public interest will be served by granting intervention and there is no downside. See Karen Gross, “Taking Community Interests into Account in Bankruptcy: An Essay”, 72 Wash. U. L.Q. 1031 (1994), stating: "saying that community interests are important and must be taken into account in the bankruptcy process does not mean that the other interests that bankruptcy seeks to protect, such as those of creditors and equity holders, are forgotten." Gross, 1032-33n4 (emphasis in original).
5. While "Bankruptcy is a gloomy and depressing subject," Charles Warren, Bankruptcy in United States History 3 (1935), this Court has "some leeway" in considering the public interest in individual decisions to the extent that Congress has indicated that a judge should not confirm a plan unless it appears to the judge unlikely that further reorganization will not follow. Hon. Leif M. Clark, “What Constitutes Success in Chapter 11? A Roundtable Discussion,” 2 Am. Bankr. Inst. L. Rev. 229, 233n89 (1994) (statement of Hon. James A. Goodman). Judge Goodman was referring to 11 U.S.C. 1129(a)(11) (1994), which says that the court should not confirm a plan unless "[c]onfirmation of the plan is not likely to be followed by the liquidation, or the need for further financial reorganization, of the debtor or any successor to the debtor under the plan, unless such liquidation or reorganization is proposed in the plan."
6. This Honorable Court has rightly allowed union members in other cases to be heard on bankruptcy matters. Likewise, newspaper readers have a legal right to be heard in defense of the First Amendment against the Debtors’ greed and mismanagement.
7. This Honorable Court swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States. Article VI, U.S. Constitution. This Court did not refer to the First Amendment in its Order.
8. Our Constitution is in shreds if Debtors are permitted to escape from their debts and to change nothing and to do nothing to improve the quality of the newspaper in our Nation’s Oldest City. Debtors must be held accountable by making them answer, under oath, for their disinvestment in news. Debtors’ low-quality journalism is now well-nigh irrefragable, since Intervenors’ January 19, 2010 filing is undisputed and operates as a party-opponent admission and admission by silence against both the Debtors and their creditors.
9. Intervenors are Record subscribers (and thus MORRIS creditors). Our standing is unimpeachable. We are acting as the conscience of our community. We have a right to be heard.
10. U.S. District Judge Murray Gurfein, a Nixon appointee serving his first day on the bench, wrote as the trial judge in the Pentagon Papers case that “security of the Nation is not at the ramparts alone. Security also lies in the value of our free institutions. A cantankerous press, an obstinate press, a ubiquitous press must be suffered by those in authority in order to preserve the even greater values of freedom of expression and the right of the people to know." U. S. v. New York Times Co., 328 F. Supp. 324 (S.D.N.Y. 1974)(Gurfein, J.)
11. Under MORRIS PUBLISHING’s current mismanagement, the Debtors are not fulfilling their constitutional function. The Court’s unresponsive February 9, 2010 order is contrary to the genius of a free people. The Court’s function must be to guarantee “the security of our Nation” by protecting “the value of our free institutions.”
12. Under both First Amendment and bankruptcy law, your Intervenors have a right to be heard. Our Founding Fathers and successive generations of Americans fought, bled and died for our First Amendment rights.
13. This Court must vindicate those rights by holding a hearing inquiring into the declining standards of journalism at The St. Augustine Record.
14. Regarding The Oak Ridger, it turns out that MORRIS no longer owns the Oak RIdger, but mysteriously the bankruptcy filing still lists debts from a corporation named The Oak RIdger. This fact requires further inquiry from this Honorable Court).
CONCLUSION
Therefore, Intervernors respectfully move to reconsider the denial of their request that this Honorable Court appoint a Trustee to protect the public interest in zealous local, government and investigative reporting in our democracy and that that the Intervenors and other MORRIS readers be afforded notice and an opportunity to:
A. Attend by telephone any and all hearings; and
B. Present their concerns about declining news budgets and journalistic practices after full and fair disclosure and discovery, at an evidentiary hearing, with mandatory testimony by MORRIS COMMUNICATIONS owners and managers managers about the etiology of their wretched failure to cover the news without fear or favor due to declining news budgets.
Let justice be done.
Respectfully submitted,
JUDITH SERAPHIN
218B RIberia Street
St. Augustine, Florida 32084
904-829-0808
904-819-3517 (fax)
ED SLAVIN
Clean Up City of St. Augustine, Florida
www.cleanupcityofstaugustine.blogspot.com
Box 3084
St. Augustine, Florida 32085
904-829-3877
904-819-3517 (fax)
FEBRUARY 12, 2010
Editor and Publisher: ebruary 11, 2010 ‘Quality’ Objection Is Out Of Order, Morris Bankruptcy Judge Rules
By Mark Fitzgerald
Morris Publishing Group and its creditors took practically forever to agree on a reorganization plan, but when they entered U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the publisher’s home town of Augusta, Ga., with a prepackaged Chapter 11 filing on Jan. 19, they began racing to the exit doors.
The judge overseeing the case immediately set the confirmation hearing for less than a month away.
The only speed bump was a quixotic pair of St. Augustine, Fla., businesspeople and community activists “horrified,” they said, at the decline of their local daily and other Morris-owned papers.
Ed Slavin and Judith Seraphin argued in a court motion that the alleged decline in the quality and quantity of coverage at the St. Augustine Record was a direct result of “Morris family mis-management,” and that the paper had been so weakened under Morris ownership that it was no longer capable of alerting citizens to government and private corruption. They asked the court to appoint a trustee “to protect the public interest in zealous local, government and investigative reporting.”
Nice try, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge John S. Dalis said in effect in a 13-page ruling released Thursday -- but you two have no standing in terms of economic or legal interest.
Slavin and Seraphin hung much of their argument on a statement in the Morris bankruptcy announcement that "readers and advertisers should expect no change" as a result of the filing.
Now that sounded like PR boilerplate the first time we read it, but Slavin and Seraphin saw it a little differently: "After the debtor's massive indebtedness and resulting low-quality news coverage, the promise of 'no change' is an outrage."
Judge Dalis noted in his ruling that, with Slavin and Seraphin officially out of the case, there were no objectors to the prepackaged plan, making it virtually certain that Morris will emerge from Chapter 11 after a confirmation hearing Feb. 17.
Morris Publishing Group and its creditors took practically forever to agree on a reorganization plan, but when they entered U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the publisher’s home town of Augusta, Ga., with a prepackaged Chapter 11 filing on Jan. 19, they began racing to the exit doors.
The judge overseeing the case immediately set the confirmation hearing for less than a month away.
The only speed bump was a quixotic pair of St. Augustine, Fla., businesspeople and community activists “horrified,” they said, at the decline of their local daily and other Morris-owned papers.
Ed Slavin and Judith Seraphin argued in a court motion that the alleged decline in the quality and quantity of coverage at the St. Augustine Record was a direct result of “Morris family mis-management,” and that the paper had been so weakened under Morris ownership that it was no longer capable of alerting citizens to government and private corruption. They asked the court to appoint a trustee “to protect the public interest in zealous local, government and investigative reporting.”
Nice try, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge John S. Dalis said in effect in a 13-page ruling released Thursday -- but you two have no standing in terms of economic or legal interest.
Slavin and Seraphin hung much of their argument on a statement in the Morris bankruptcy announcement that "readers and advertisers should expect no change" as a result of the filing.
Now that sounded like PR boilerplate the first time we read it, but Slavin and Seraphin saw it a little differently: "After the debtor's massive indebtedness and resulting low-quality news coverage, the promise of 'no change' is an outrage."
Judge Dalis noted in his ruling that, with Slavin and Seraphin officially out of the case, there were no objectors to the prepackaged plan, making it virtually certain that Morris will emerge from Chapter 11 after a confirmation hearing Feb. 17.
American Bar Association Journal: Race & Gender of Judges Make Enormous Differences in Rulings, Studies Find
By Edward A. Adams
A judge's race or gender makes for a dramatic difference in the outcome of cases they hear—at least for cases in which race and gender allegedly play a role in the conduct of the parties, according to two recent studies.
The results were the focus of a program about “Diversity on the Bench: Is the ‘Wise Latina’ a Myth?,” sponsored by the ABA Judicial Division at the ABA Midyear Meeting in Orlando on Saturday afternoon.
In federal racial harassment cases, one study (PDF) found that plaintiffs lost just 54 percent of the time when the judge handling the case was an African-American. Yet plaintiffs lost 81 percent of the time when the judge was Hispanic, 79 percent when the judge was white, and 67 percent of the time when the judge was Asian American.
The comprehensive study, by professors from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, examined a random assortment of 40 percent of all reported racial harassment cases from six federal circuits between 1981 and 2003.
A second study (PDF), looked at 556 federal appellate cases involving allegations of sexual harassment or sex discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The finding: plaintiffs were at least twice as likely to win if a female judge was on the appellate panel.
University of Pittsburgh School of Law Professor Pat K. Chew, who co-authored the racial harassment study, said she found “the rule of law is intact” in the cases she reviewed. Judges—no matter which side they ruled for—took the same procedural steps to reach their decisions, she said.
But judges of different races took different approaches “on how to interpret the facts of the cases,” she said.
Pressed on whether the rule of law could actually be considered intact when outcomes varied so much depending on the race of the judge, she replied: "It’s always made a difference who the judge was. We’ve long known, for instance, that a judge’s political affiliation makes a difference."
Judge Carol E. Jackson of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri said she was heartened that diversity has crept into the federal court system, where today 20 percent of judges are women and 15 percent are members of minority groups.
"It’s important that different voices are being heard," she said.
The program took its title from a much-debated comment made years ago by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor : “I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”
The participants never answered the question of whether a Latina judge reaches better conclusions, but at least in some cases, it appears likely that she would reach a different conclusion from a white male jurist hearing the same evidence.
A judge's race or gender makes for a dramatic difference in the outcome of cases they hear—at least for cases in which race and gender allegedly play a role in the conduct of the parties, according to two recent studies.
The results were the focus of a program about “Diversity on the Bench: Is the ‘Wise Latina’ a Myth?,” sponsored by the ABA Judicial Division at the ABA Midyear Meeting in Orlando on Saturday afternoon.
In federal racial harassment cases, one study (PDF) found that plaintiffs lost just 54 percent of the time when the judge handling the case was an African-American. Yet plaintiffs lost 81 percent of the time when the judge was Hispanic, 79 percent when the judge was white, and 67 percent of the time when the judge was Asian American.
The comprehensive study, by professors from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, examined a random assortment of 40 percent of all reported racial harassment cases from six federal circuits between 1981 and 2003.
A second study (PDF), looked at 556 federal appellate cases involving allegations of sexual harassment or sex discrimination in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The finding: plaintiffs were at least twice as likely to win if a female judge was on the appellate panel.
University of Pittsburgh School of Law Professor Pat K. Chew, who co-authored the racial harassment study, said she found “the rule of law is intact” in the cases she reviewed. Judges—no matter which side they ruled for—took the same procedural steps to reach their decisions, she said.
But judges of different races took different approaches “on how to interpret the facts of the cases,” she said.
Pressed on whether the rule of law could actually be considered intact when outcomes varied so much depending on the race of the judge, she replied: "It’s always made a difference who the judge was. We’ve long known, for instance, that a judge’s political affiliation makes a difference."
Judge Carol E. Jackson of U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri said she was heartened that diversity has crept into the federal court system, where today 20 percent of judges are women and 15 percent are members of minority groups.
"It’s important that different voices are being heard," she said.
The program took its title from a much-debated comment made years ago by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor : “I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”
The participants never answered the question of whether a Latina judge reaches better conclusions, but at least in some cases, it appears likely that she would reach a different conclusion from a white male jurist hearing the same evidence.
IN HAEC VERBA: Amended Environmental Justice Civil Rights Complaint vs. City of St. Augustine, Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection
February 12, 2010
Honorable Helena Wooden-Aguilar
Acting Assistant Director
External Compliance and Complaint Program
Office of Civil Rights
Environmental Protection Agency via fax to 202-233-0630
Washington, D.C. 20460
RE: Amendment to January 19, 2009 Environmental Justice Complaint Against Florida Department of Environmental Protection and City of St. Augustine, Florida, EPA OCR Case No. 01R-09-R4
Dear Ms. Aguilar:
We write you on the 201st anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth to amend our timely January 19, 2009 OCR complaint to include the latest overt acts of discrimination and environmental racism -- FDEP’s incompetent, ineffectual, racist, reactionary response to COSA’s dumping 611,294 gallons of sewage in our San Sebastian River. This massive sewage spill has rendered our Lincolnville community the “Pollution Peninsula.” The City of St. Augustine continues to treat our African-American community as a dumping ground, and the State of Florida continues to let City Manager WILLIAM B. HARRISS get away with an environmental crime spree.
FDEP refuses to enforce environmental laws equally, with large fines elsewhere but no meaningful fine (and no criminal prosecution) of City of St. Augustine managers responsible for life-threatening sewage spills.
The 611,294 gallon sewage spill would have been prevented if FDEP and COSA had heeded our September 5, 2008 and later reports to the National Response Center.
Please see the February 4, 2010 ukase from FDEP in our Petition for Review, inter alia denying that we had “standing.” Order Dismissing Petition With Leave to Amend.
FDEP is guilty of refusing to rule on our Motion for Recusal. This further violates our civil and constitutional rights.
As we pointed out in a document filed on January 7, 2010, the FDEP is in no position to determine whether any of us had “standing” to challenge its environmental racism in not enforcing the December 2008 Consent Order re: COSA sewage pollution when it was violated by massive spill in May 2009.
It was a prohibited conflict of interest and unethical for FDEP to rule on its “own quarrel.” As William Blackstone wrote, 1 W. Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England 91, "[I]t is unreasonable that any man should determine his own quarrel,." citing Dr. Bonham's Case, 8 Rep. 114a (C.P. 1610); see also City of London v. Wood, 12 Mod. 669, 687 (1701)(Lord Holt)(invalidating fine for refusal to serve as sheriff recovered by the city in its own court of Mayor and Aldermen). See also Aetna Life Ins. Co. v. Lavoie, 475 U.S. 813 (1986)(overruling case where Chief Justice of Alabama Supreme Court sat in judgment of case that would set precedent for his own pending case); Ward v. Village of Monroeville, 409 U.S. 57 (1972); Gibson v. Berryhill, 411 U.S. 564 (1973); Withrow v. Larkin, 421 U.S. 35 (1975); Cinderella Career and Finishing Schools, Inc. v. FTC, 425 F.2d 583 (D.C. Cir. 1970); American Cyanamid Co. v. FTC, 363 F.2d 757 (6th Cir. 1966); SCA Services, Inc. v. Morgan, 557 F.2d 110 (7th Cir.
1977).
For FDEP to rule on standing in this action was unethical and a conflict of interest. It is freighted with animus toward the rights of citizens to raise EJ concerns before FDEP, which has in the past said that the Administrative Law Judges of the Department of Administrative Hearings were powerless to rule on our EJ concerns.
FDEP is in no position to rule on standing and its recusal was respectfully and urgently requested by Petitioners. F.S.120.665. It is a clear conflict of interest and, at best, unseemly, for FDEP to rule on standing before one can hail it into court before an Administrative Law Judge of the Florida Department of Administrative Appeals. See United States v. Mississippi Valley Generating Co., 364 U.S. 520, 548 (1961)(citing Matthew 6:24 -- "no man can serve two masters" -- holding that preventing conflicts of interest is aimed "not only at dishonor but at conduct that tempts dishonor.")
As James Madison wrote in The Federalist No. 10: "No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause, because his interest would certainly bias his judgment, and, not improbably, corrupt his integrity. With equal, nay with greater reason, a body of men are unfit to be both judges and parties at the same time.” See also In re Murchison, 349 U.S. 133, 136 (1955) (Black, J.) ("[O]ur system of law has always endeavored to prevent even the probability of unfairness. To this end no man can be a judge in his own case and no man is permitted to try cases where he has an interest in the outcome."); TWA v. Civil Aeronautics Board, 102 U.S.App.D.C. 391, 392, 254 F.2d 90, 91 (1958). Spencer v. Lapsley, 20 How. 264, 266 (1858); Publius Syrus, Moral Sayings 51 (D. Lyman transl. 1856) ("No one should be judge in his own cause."); Blaise Pascal, Thoughts, Letters and Opuscules 182 (Wight transl. 1859) ("It is not permitted to the most equitable of men to be a judge in his own cause.").
FDEP negotiated in secret and inexplicably agreed to a Consent Decree that does not remedy the violations of FDEP’s December 2008 Consent Order. Since FDEP's own actions are at issues, FDEP was in no position to determine Petitioners' standing or to rule upon FDEP's "own quarrel." Blackstone, supra. This is the sort of conflict of interest that courts have been protecting us against since at least 1610. This is the sort of conflict of interest that is an unseemly daily occurrence at FDEP, which may as well stand for “Don’t Expect Protection,” as the late environmental activist David THundershield Queen said. See Dr. Bonham's case, supra; Tumey v. Ohio, 273 U.S. 510, 522-24 (1927) (Taft, C.J.). It is well-settled that a government official is disqualified from ruling on a case in these circumstances "if he either signs a pleading or brief" or "if he actively participated in any case even though he did not sign a pleading or brief." Laird v. Tatum, 409 U.S. 824, 828 (1972) (Rehnquist, J.)
Since FDEP's counsel negotiated a putative settlement agreement that did not remedy violations of the December 2008 Consent Order, then ruled on standing to challenge it in violation of our rights – violating reasonable ethics expectations dating back to ancient Biblical and Roman times -- this action must be investigated by EPA OCR and EPA CID.
Please subpoena all documents on this case from FDEP and the City of St. Augustine today.
We look forward to your assigning your finest investigators and to a hearing before an EPA ALJ suspending Respondents from eligibility for government funds. See our January 19, 2009 complaint. Let justice be done.
Sincerely yours,
MARIE BLANCHE PHILLIP (formerly MARIE HARDAGE)
JUDITH SERAPHIN
ED SLAVIN
218 Riberia Street, Suite B
St. Augustine, Florida 32084
904-829-3877
c: Respondents FDEP and City of St. Augustine
Anthony Seraphin
B,J. Kalaidi
Roger Jolley
Vincent West
Susan Craiger
Thursday, February 11, 2010
METRO SPIRIT (Augusta, GA) re: Our Motion to Intervene to Protect Readers in MORRIS PUBLISHING Bankruptcy
METRO SPIRIT
Issue #21.28 :: 02/03/2010 - 02/09/2010
Paul Simon to the rescue
BY THE INSIDER
AUGUSTA, GA – Come on, Billy. Are things really that bad?
It is pretty sad when you have the former president of Morris Communications Corp. defending you in a column in your own newspaper.
“It distresses me to learn that my friend Billy Morris has had to put his newspaper companies into bankruptcy,” Paul Simon, former president of Morris Communications Corp., wrote in a guest column this past weekend for The Augusta Chronicle. “Because of the economy and changes that have occurred in the media industry, a number of other newspaper companies throughout the country have been forced to take the same step.”
Simon wrote that the Morris bankruptcy filing will allow the company an “opportunity to pay all of its other creditors in full, settle with the bond holders and restructure the company for the future.”
Morris’ sidekick went on to detail the numerous projects and charities the Morris family have contributed to over the years.
The reason Simon said he felt compelled to write this column was “in response to a number of recent local newspaper articles and other criticisms of Billy Morris.”
Ever since Morris Publishing Group announced it was seeking bankruptcy last month, the local news coverage has been extremely respectful of Morris’ employees.
The truth of the matter is, the parent company of The Augusta Chronicle was not able to receive the necessary support from the holders of 99 percent of its debt for its proposed “exchange plan” presented late last year. Therefore, the company was forced to file a Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan last month.
Morris Publishing received court approval on Jan. 19 to continue its business operations without interruption as thecompany seeks bankruptcy.
“We are gratified that the court approved these critical motions,ensuring that our customers, employees and suppliers will see no change in our business operations,” William S. Morris III, chairman of Morris Publishing, stated in a press release. “This allows us to complete the final step in our debt restructuring without any noticeable impact to our newspapers. Just as important it saves thousands of jobs and enables us to continue to operate ourbusiness with the same high standards we have for three generations.”
The court also set a deadline of Feb. 10 for objections to the plan and disclosure statement submitted by Morris, and scheduled a confirmation hearing on the reorganization plan for Feb. 17.
The company’s new prepackaged bankruptcy plan will allow Morris Publishing to exchange $100 million in new debt for $278.5 million in existing debt.
With its restructuring plan,Morris Publishing will reduce its overall indebtedness from approximately $415 million to $126.5 million.
That’s a pretty sweet deal. If anything, locals might be a little jealous that they wouldn’t be offered a similar deal if they were facing a fraction of that debt.
What Billy Morris and Simon should be more worried about is what the national media is saying about the company.
The Editor & Publisher blog “Fitz & Jen” was brutal after Morris Publishing’s first day in bankruptcy court with a posting asking thequestion: “Should Newspaper Quality Be Morris Bankruptcy Issue?”
“While holders of 93 percent of the $278 million in bond debt may be, if not happy, then at least content to take a serious haircut by swapping those notes for $100 million in new high-interest notes, two St. Augustine, Fla., residents want to slow down the proceedings,” the blog posted on Jan. 19. “Ed Slavin and Judith Seraphin, CIO and CEO respectively for Global Wrap, a company that shrink wraps buildings for construction and environment containment, filed a motion late Tuesday to be allowed as interveners in the case.”
“In a two-page motion they argue essentially that the news coverage offered by the St. Augustine Record has declined in quality and quantity under Morris’ ownershipto the point it fails in its civic watchdog function, endangering democracy,” the blog states.
According to the blog, Slavin said, “Rather than being a prearranged bankruptcy package, we think every journalism professor, anyone who is an expert on the newspaper industry should be able to come to court take a look at this plan and say, ‘This doesn’t work.’ We want to see the Record become a newspaper again, and we want to see the court hear about it from us.”
Now that is a critical story about Morris’ bankruptcy.
Of course, ironically, Editor & Publisher has had its own share of economic problems.
In December, Editor & Publisher’s parent company, The Neilsen Co., announced it was going to shut down the 125-year-old publication at the end of 2009.
It wasn’t until last month that a California buyer, DuncanMcIntosh Co Inc., announced that it was going to resume publication of the magazine.
So, what’s the point?
Morris is far from alone. So, sorry Billy if the local media hurt your feelings.
Everything is going to be all right.
Issue #21.28 :: 02/03/2010 - 02/09/2010
Paul Simon to the rescue
BY THE INSIDER
AUGUSTA, GA – Come on, Billy. Are things really that bad?
It is pretty sad when you have the former president of Morris Communications Corp. defending you in a column in your own newspaper.
“It distresses me to learn that my friend Billy Morris has had to put his newspaper companies into bankruptcy,” Paul Simon, former president of Morris Communications Corp., wrote in a guest column this past weekend for The Augusta Chronicle. “Because of the economy and changes that have occurred in the media industry, a number of other newspaper companies throughout the country have been forced to take the same step.”
Simon wrote that the Morris bankruptcy filing will allow the company an “opportunity to pay all of its other creditors in full, settle with the bond holders and restructure the company for the future.”
Morris’ sidekick went on to detail the numerous projects and charities the Morris family have contributed to over the years.
The reason Simon said he felt compelled to write this column was “in response to a number of recent local newspaper articles and other criticisms of Billy Morris.”
Ever since Morris Publishing Group announced it was seeking bankruptcy last month, the local news coverage has been extremely respectful of Morris’ employees.
The truth of the matter is, the parent company of The Augusta Chronicle was not able to receive the necessary support from the holders of 99 percent of its debt for its proposed “exchange plan” presented late last year. Therefore, the company was forced to file a Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan last month.
Morris Publishing received court approval on Jan. 19 to continue its business operations without interruption as thecompany seeks bankruptcy.
“We are gratified that the court approved these critical motions,ensuring that our customers, employees and suppliers will see no change in our business operations,” William S. Morris III, chairman of Morris Publishing, stated in a press release. “This allows us to complete the final step in our debt restructuring without any noticeable impact to our newspapers. Just as important it saves thousands of jobs and enables us to continue to operate ourbusiness with the same high standards we have for three generations.”
The court also set a deadline of Feb. 10 for objections to the plan and disclosure statement submitted by Morris, and scheduled a confirmation hearing on the reorganization plan for Feb. 17.
The company’s new prepackaged bankruptcy plan will allow Morris Publishing to exchange $100 million in new debt for $278.5 million in existing debt.
With its restructuring plan,Morris Publishing will reduce its overall indebtedness from approximately $415 million to $126.5 million.
That’s a pretty sweet deal. If anything, locals might be a little jealous that they wouldn’t be offered a similar deal if they were facing a fraction of that debt.
What Billy Morris and Simon should be more worried about is what the national media is saying about the company.
The Editor & Publisher blog “Fitz & Jen” was brutal after Morris Publishing’s first day in bankruptcy court with a posting asking thequestion: “Should Newspaper Quality Be Morris Bankruptcy Issue?”
“While holders of 93 percent of the $278 million in bond debt may be, if not happy, then at least content to take a serious haircut by swapping those notes for $100 million in new high-interest notes, two St. Augustine, Fla., residents want to slow down the proceedings,” the blog posted on Jan. 19. “Ed Slavin and Judith Seraphin, CIO and CEO respectively for Global Wrap, a company that shrink wraps buildings for construction and environment containment, filed a motion late Tuesday to be allowed as interveners in the case.”
“In a two-page motion they argue essentially that the news coverage offered by the St. Augustine Record has declined in quality and quantity under Morris’ ownershipto the point it fails in its civic watchdog function, endangering democracy,” the blog states.
According to the blog, Slavin said, “Rather than being a prearranged bankruptcy package, we think every journalism professor, anyone who is an expert on the newspaper industry should be able to come to court take a look at this plan and say, ‘This doesn’t work.’ We want to see the Record become a newspaper again, and we want to see the court hear about it from us.”
Now that is a critical story about Morris’ bankruptcy.
Of course, ironically, Editor & Publisher has had its own share of economic problems.
In December, Editor & Publisher’s parent company, The Neilsen Co., announced it was going to shut down the 125-year-old publication at the end of 2009.
It wasn’t until last month that a California buyer, DuncanMcIntosh Co Inc., announced that it was going to resume publication of the magazine.
So, what’s the point?
Morris is far from alone. So, sorry Billy if the local media hurt your feelings.
Everything is going to be all right.
Monday, February 08, 2010
T-U: Stetson Kennedy, Arlo Guthrie at Southern Exposure Festival March 14
I am very excited to announce a huge special event happening at Alpine Groves Park on Sunday, March 14. The second annual Southern Exposure Music & Heritage Festival will begin at 11:30 a.m. and run until sundown.
This is an event you do not want to miss. My family and I had the best time there last year.
This year's event promises to be even more special, with the Guthrie Family headlining the list of talented musicians slated to play.
The Cultural Events division of St. Johns County is hosting the event with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the Stetson Kennedy and Guthrie Foundations.
The festival will feature the best in old-time music, county, bluegrass, folk and blues. The event will unite folk legends Stetson Kennedy, Arlo Guthrie and Ramblin' Jack Elliott for what could be their last reunion performance.
The three have played an integral role in the history of folk music, folklore and political activism in this area along with father, friend and mentor Woody Guthrie.
Activities for everyone include story telling, cultural exhibits, a barn dance, antiques, activities for children and Southern cookin'.
So mark your calendars, bring a chair or blanket to sit on and be prepared to have a foot-stompin', finger-lickin' good ' time on the banks of the beautiful St. Johns River.
This is an event you do not want to miss. My family and I had the best time there last year.
This year's event promises to be even more special, with the Guthrie Family headlining the list of talented musicians slated to play.
The Cultural Events division of St. Johns County is hosting the event with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the Stetson Kennedy and Guthrie Foundations.
The festival will feature the best in old-time music, county, bluegrass, folk and blues. The event will unite folk legends Stetson Kennedy, Arlo Guthrie and Ramblin' Jack Elliott for what could be their last reunion performance.
The three have played an integral role in the history of folk music, folklore and political activism in this area along with father, friend and mentor Woody Guthrie.
Activities for everyone include story telling, cultural exhibits, a barn dance, antiques, activities for children and Southern cookin'.
So mark your calendars, bring a chair or blanket to sit on and be prepared to have a foot-stompin', finger-lickin' good ' time on the banks of the beautiful St. Johns River.
ABC News: White House Challenges JOHN LUIGI MICA and other Republicans Claiming Credit for Stimulus Projects They Tried to Stop!
White House Challenges Republicans Claiming Credit for Projects they Tried to Stop
February 05, 2010 4:05 PM
Compton ABC News' Ann Compton reports: The White House has the names, dates, and even photographs to challenge Republican members of Congress who voted against the Recovery Act and its spending last year, but who also went home to claim credit for projects the stimulus brought to their districts.
“A lot of you have gone to appear at ribbon cuttings for the same projects you voted against,” President Obama chided the House members to their face at a policy conference one week ago.
The White House list includes nearly two dozen House members, including leaders John Boehner of Ohio and Eric Cantor of Virginia, and half a dozen senators.
The document put out by the White House includes highlighted press releases and newspaper clippings showing Republicans who voted against the Recovery Act accepting praise for Act-sponsored projects in their home districts.
The full White House document can be viewed HERE. Among the Republicans signaled out in the document:
Ht_republicans_support_stimulus_100205_main
Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) is pictured above presenting a $625,000 check to the City of Cedartown in 2009.
- Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), who is shown posing with a giant check in a Nov. 5, 2009, article in the Cedartown Standard. Gingrey presented Cedarville with $625,000 in stimulus money to "fund new sidewalks, landscaping and other improvements to the downtown area," according to the article.
- Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), praising a $106,901 Recovery Act grant to the Alma Police Department as a "local initiative" that would help "toward solving local problems that policies set in Washington [sic]." According to the White House document, Kingston also took credit for four additional Recovery Act projects, including a $108,652 grant to the Blackshear Housing Authority and a $2.7 grant million for low-income families in Savannah.
- House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), who issued a statement on his Web site that he was "pleased that federal officials have stepped in" to order Ohio to use its stimulus funds for "shovel-ready" construction projects.
- Rep. John Mica (R-Fl.), who applauded the Recovery Act's $8 billion for high-speed rail investment in a press release. He later said that he “applaud[s] President Obama's recognition that high-speed rail should be part of America's future,” according to the document.
- Rep. John Carter (R-Texas), who hailed a $621 million stimulus grant for new hospitals at Fort Hood after initially charging that the stimulus would "pile debt on future generations.”
- Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), who praised a $4.2 million stimulus grant to her district to prevent homelessness, asserting that the "funding will provide much-needed assistance."
- Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.), who, after voting against the stimulus, posted to his Twitter, "Stimulus Incentive Is Very Generous! Up to 8k! Check It Out!"
- Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-Texas), who said that an $8.6 million grant for a Veterans Affairs extended care facility would help to "spur growth in Texas communities."
- Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who applauded $2 million to build a new volunteer fire department in Bethlehem and told the Hickory Daily Record, "We're not accustomed to federal dollars in that magnitude finding their way to North Carolina.”
President Obama says even the Recovery Act spending will not be enough to bring jobs back after the deep recession.
ABC News’ Julie Percha contributed to this report.
February 05, 2010 4:05 PM
Compton ABC News' Ann Compton reports: The White House has the names, dates, and even photographs to challenge Republican members of Congress who voted against the Recovery Act and its spending last year, but who also went home to claim credit for projects the stimulus brought to their districts.
“A lot of you have gone to appear at ribbon cuttings for the same projects you voted against,” President Obama chided the House members to their face at a policy conference one week ago.
The White House list includes nearly two dozen House members, including leaders John Boehner of Ohio and Eric Cantor of Virginia, and half a dozen senators.
The document put out by the White House includes highlighted press releases and newspaper clippings showing Republicans who voted against the Recovery Act accepting praise for Act-sponsored projects in their home districts.
The full White House document can be viewed HERE. Among the Republicans signaled out in the document:
Ht_republicans_support_stimulus_100205_main
Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) is pictured above presenting a $625,000 check to the City of Cedartown in 2009.
- Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), who is shown posing with a giant check in a Nov. 5, 2009, article in the Cedartown Standard. Gingrey presented Cedarville with $625,000 in stimulus money to "fund new sidewalks, landscaping and other improvements to the downtown area," according to the article.
- Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), praising a $106,901 Recovery Act grant to the Alma Police Department as a "local initiative" that would help "toward solving local problems that policies set in Washington [sic]." According to the White House document, Kingston also took credit for four additional Recovery Act projects, including a $108,652 grant to the Blackshear Housing Authority and a $2.7 grant million for low-income families in Savannah.
- House Minority Leader Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), who issued a statement on his Web site that he was "pleased that federal officials have stepped in" to order Ohio to use its stimulus funds for "shovel-ready" construction projects.
- Rep. John Mica (R-Fl.), who applauded the Recovery Act's $8 billion for high-speed rail investment in a press release. He later said that he “applaud[s] President Obama's recognition that high-speed rail should be part of America's future,” according to the document.
- Rep. John Carter (R-Texas), who hailed a $621 million stimulus grant for new hospitals at Fort Hood after initially charging that the stimulus would "pile debt on future generations.”
- Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), who praised a $4.2 million stimulus grant to her district to prevent homelessness, asserting that the "funding will provide much-needed assistance."
- Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.), who, after voting against the stimulus, posted to his Twitter, "Stimulus Incentive Is Very Generous! Up to 8k! Check It Out!"
- Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-Texas), who said that an $8.6 million grant for a Veterans Affairs extended care facility would help to "spur growth in Texas communities."
- Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.), who applauded $2 million to build a new volunteer fire department in Bethlehem and told the Hickory Daily Record, "We're not accustomed to federal dollars in that magnitude finding their way to North Carolina.”
President Obama says even the Recovery Act spending will not be enough to bring jobs back after the deep recession.
ABC News’ Julie Percha contributed to this report.
White House: Rep. JOHN LUIGI MICA and other Republicans claimed credit for stimulus package against which they voted!
Just Hours After Voting Against the Stimulus, Rep. John Mica Issued Press Releases Praising the Inclusion of Funding for High Speed Rail and for a Commuter Train Project in His District. “Just hours after voting against the bill on the House floor last week, Representative John L. Mica, of Florida issued one press releases lauding the inclusion of $8 billion for investment in high-speed rail around the country and another for financing a commuter train project in his central Florida district. ‘If we could put a man on the moon, we should be able to move people from city to city quickly instead of wasting time on a congested highway,’ said Mr. Mica, who is the ranking Republican on the House transportation and infrastructure committee. ‘I applaud President Obama’s recognition that high-speed rail should be part of America’s future.’” [NY Times Blog, 2/19/09]
The full White House document, showing MICA's materially false and misleading presentation in context of other House Repugs:
HOUSE REPUBLICANS
Rep. Phil Gingrey Presented $625,000 In Stimulus Funding For Georgia Town, Posed With Giant Check. “U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey presented a $625,000 check to the City of Cedartown Monday. The money comes from federal stimulus funds and will fund the second phase of Cedartown's Streetscape project, with new sidewalks, landscaping and other improvements to the downtown area. ‘This is a very exciting day for Cedartown,’ Cedartown City Commission Chairman Larry Odom said after the check presentation ceremony, held at 12:30 p.m. at Cedartown City Hall. ‘People should soon see significant improvements in downtown Cedartown ... both aesthetically and business growth as well.’…Believing that the project qualified for federal stimulus funds as a "shovel-ready" project, Gingrey presented the proposal at the federal level, his spokesperson, Linda Liles, explained.” [Cedartown Standard, 10/5/09]
Rep. Jack Kingston Announced Recovery Act-Funded COPS Grant For Alma Police Department Without Mentioning It Came From The Recovery Act, Praised It As A “Local Initiative.” “Congressman Jack Kingston (GA-1) today announced a $106,901 grant for the Alma Police Department. The funding will be administered by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). ‘We’ve seen from experience that local initiatives go a lot further toward solving local problems that policies set in Washington,’ Congressman Kingston said. ‘This funding will provide tax relief by savings local tax dollars and, under the stewardship of Chief Livingston, will go a long way to fight crime more effectively through community policing.’ The grant will provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for an entry level officer over a three year period.” [Kingston Press Release, 7/28/09]
Vice President’s Press Release Announcing COPS Grants Included $106,901 For Alma. [Recovery Act Will Fund Georgia Officer Salaries]
Rep. Jack Kingston Announced Recovery Act-Funded COPS Grant For Jesup Police Department Without Mentioning It Came From The Recovery Act, Praised It As A “Local Initiative.” “Congressman Jack Kingston (GA-1) today announced a $138,286 grant for the Jesup Police Department. The funding will be administered by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). ‘We’ve seen from experience that local initiatives go a lot further toward solving local problems that policies set in Washington,’ Congressman Kingston said. ‘This funding will provide tax relief by savings local tax dollars and, under the stewardship of Chief Takaki, will go a long way to fight crime more effectively through community policing.’ The grant will provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for an entry level officer over a three year period.” [Kingston Press Release, 7/28/09]
Vice President’s Press Release Announcing COPS Grants Included $138,286 For Jesup. [Recovery Act Will Fund Georgia Officer Salaries]
Rep. Jack Kingston Announced $2.7M In Grants For Savannah To Help Low-Income Families, Said Monies Were “Even More Important During This Tough Economic Period.” “Congressman Jack Kingston (R-GA/01) announced today that the City of Savannah is the recipient of a series of grants from U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The city will receive a community development block grant (CDBG), an emergency shelter grant (ESG) and a HOME grant to support affordable housing. ‘This series of funding is essential in helping the city strengthen its low-income communities,’ Congressman Kingston said. ‘The money enables the city to give continued support to the agencies in the area that support that mission which is even more important during this tough economic period.’ The CDBG grant is $2,707,777 and will cover an umbrella of community wide projects to aid poverty reduction, youth services and funding for agencies that support low income families. The ESG grant is $120,231 and will fund agencies within the city that provide services for the homeless. The HOME grant is $1,252,597 and will assist the city in creating affordable housing for low-income families.” [Kingston Press Release, 6/25/09]
Recovery Act Provided Over $1.1M In Homeless Prevention Funding For Savannah. “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (PDF) (Recovery Act) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17th, 2009. The Recovery Act authorized a $1.5 billion dollar Homelessness Prevention Fund (WORD). The Homelessness Prevention Fund will be administered at the Federal level by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Homeless Prevention Funds are expected to be granted on or before September 1, 2009 to eleven (11) local governments (a/k/a "Entitlements") in Georgia. Those local governments (select name to link to additional information), amounts, and preliminary contact phone numbers are as follows: …Savannah, City of, $1,121,523.” [Georgia Department of Community Affairs, accessed 8/6/09]
Savannah Received $733,133 From The Recovery Act In Community Development Block Grants. “Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today approved plans in 20 Georgia communities to use over $10.7 million federal grant to help stabilize and revive local neighborhoods, rehabilitate affordable housing, and improve key public facilities. Funded through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program will support state and local community development while stimulating employment.” [HUD, 7/8/09]
Rep. Jack Kingston Said $108,652 In Recovery Act Funding For Blackshear Would Create Jobs For Those Hit By The Recession. “Congressman Jack Kingston (R-GA) announced today that the Housing Authority of the City of Blackshear has been named as the recipient of a grant from the 2009 Recovery Act Capital Fund Formula Program. ‘These funds should help save or create local jobs by employing roofing and paving contractors who have been especially hard hit by the recession,’ said Congressman Kingston. ‘Hopefully the money will turn over many times in Pierce County and give a small boost to the economy.’ The amount of the grant is $108,652 and the funds will be used to modernize and make improvements to rental units and other parts of the properties such as parking lots and driveways.” [Kingston Press Release, 3/2/09]
Nearly Half Of The Organizations Participating In A Job Fair Held By Rep. Eric Cantor In November Were Recipients Of Stimulus Funds. “Nearly half of the 30 organizations participating in a job fair Cantor is holding Monday in Culpeper were recipients of the stimulus. The list includes a slew of government agencies and schools that have directly benefited from the package and may be using stimulus money to hire people (as the money was originally designed to do), including the Orange County public schools, the Transportation Security Administration and Virginia Department of Labor, and some companies that may have indirectly benefited such as Comcast and Terremark. Cantor, a Richmond area congressman and the No. 2 Republican in the House, was one of the most vocal critics of the $787 billion economic stimulus bill that Congress passed in February. He has since said the package was a failure. Cantor's spokesman John Murray said it's ludicrous to call his boss a hypocrite when the congressman is trying to find jobs for his constituents. The job fair is designed ‘to help people get back to work,’ he said.” [Virginia Politics Blog, The Washington Post, 11/18/09]
At The Job Fair Rep. Cantor Hosted In August, There Were Fliers Advertising Stimulus-Enabled Employment Aid. “On Monday, Cantor hosted a job fair in Midlothian, VA, to demonstrate how he — and not the Obama administration — is working on ‘long-term solutions that will put Virginia businesses and Virginia workers back on the path to financial stability.’ … ThinkProgress found … that many jobs represented by employers at the job fair were a direct result of those funds… It’s worth noting that among the job fair participants, more than half were from the public sector, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the CIA, FBI, Army and the Department of Motor Vehicles –- even though Cantor previously has criticized the stimulus plan for placing too great an emphasis on ‘preserving jobs in the public sector.’ Over the next two years, Chesterfield County will receive more than $38 million in stimulus funding. Fliers were also displayed at the job fair advertising stimulus-enabled unemployment aid. Sixty two million dollars in stimulus funding is headed to Virginia that will extend unemployment benefits, providing many at the job fair with a lifeline.” [ThinkProgress, 8/20/069]
Photos of the Nov. 23rd 7th District Job Fair From Rep. Cantor’s Flickr Account:
Rep. John Boehner Issued A Statement Saying, “I’m Pleased That Federal Officials Have Stepped In To Order Ohio To Use All Of Its [Stimulus] Construction Dollars For Shovel-Ready Projects That Will Create Much Needed Jobs.” “Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the following after federal officials ordered Ohio transportation officials to kill a $57 million slush-fund to study projects and put the money into shovel-ready projects: ‘The stated intent of the so-called stimulus package was to create jobs, and certainly a $57 million slush-fund studying projects did nothing to achieve that goal. With Ohio’s unemployment rate the highest it’s been in 25 years, I’m pleased that federal officials stepped in to order Ohio to use all of its construction dollars for shovel-ready projects that will create much-needed jobs.’ NOTE: Ohio’s Republican congressional delegation wrote to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in April asking him to investigate Ohio’s plans to create the slush fund after media reports disclosed the fund’s existence. U.S. House Republicans also wrote to Gov. Strickland expressing their frustration that Ohio would spend money to study projects that may never get built while denying shovel-ready jobs that would create jobs immediately.” [Boehner.House.gov, 6/15/09]
Just Hours After Voting Against the Stimulus, Rep. John Mica Issued Press Releases Praising the Inclusion of Funding for High Speed Rail and for a Commuter Train Project in His District. “Just hours after voting against the bill on the House floor last week, Representative John L. Mica, of Florida issued one press releases lauding the inclusion of $8 billion for investment in high-speed rail around the country and another for financing a commuter train project in his central Florida district. ‘If we could put a man on the moon, we should be able to move people from city to city quickly instead of wasting time on a congested highway,’ said Mr. Mica, who is the ranking Republican on the House transportation and infrastructure committee. ‘I applaud President Obama’s recognition that high-speed rail should be part of America’s future.’” [NY Times Blog, 2/19/09]
Rep. John Carter Voted Against ARRA, Yet Hailed The $621 Million In Stimulus Funds To A Military Hospital In His District As A “Victory For The Economy In Central Texas.” “About $1.2 billion is for new
hospitals at Fort Hood, an Army base in Texas Republican John Carter's district, and Camp Pendleton, a Marine Corps base in California Republican Darrell Issa's district. The two hospitals are the largest individual projects to be paid for with defense stimulus dollars. Carter voted against the bill, saying the stimulus would pile debt on future generations. But he hailed the $621 million hospital project as a victory for the economy in central Texas, where Fort Hood occupies more than 217,000 acres. Construction of the Fort Hood hospital is scheduled to begin in September 2010. Also planned for the base is $100 million more in stimulus money for work ranging from road repairs to replacing heating and cooling systems. John Stone, Carter's spokesman, said the congressman has been pushing for several years to get a new hospital at Fort Hood. The new hospital is also supported by Rep. Chet Edwards, a Texas Democrat who chairs the House subcommittee that controls military construction spending. Carter is also on the subcommittee.” [The Associated Press, 8/27/09]
Rep. Steve King Claimed He Had “Secured” Highway Funding From Stimulus Bill He Voted Against. “Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, announced today that $570,000 for the U.S. Highway 20 widening project has been included in the federal stimulus bill signed by President Barack Obama earlier in the week. The money will be used to continue to widen the highway from two to four lines from the county lines of Sac and Calhoun counties to Moville, Iowa, where the highway becomes four lanes again. ‘This funding brings total federal funding secured for Highway 20 construction in western Iowa to more than $26 million,’ King said in a prepared statement. ‘The four-lane project will increase traveler safety and economic development and stem population loss in one of Iowa's most productive regions.’” [Sioux City Journal, 3/13/09]
Rep. Pete Olson Said Space Investments Would Be Well Worth The Return On Investment. Olson said, “The stated purpose of the stimulus package was to secure good jobs and stabilize our economy. Investing in space is well worth the return on investment. The national security, technology and aerospace benefits have been substantially proven and will continue to improve the quality of life and security the world over.” [Olson Press Release, 10/5/09]
Rep. Mary Bono Mack Touted a $4.2 Million Recovery Act Grant to Prevent Families in Her District from Becoming Homeless. “Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R., Calif.), who denounced the stimulus bill as wasteful, soon announced that it provided a $4.2 million grant for her district to prevent families from becoming homeless. ‘This funding will provide much-needed assistance,’ she said.” [Wall Street Journal, 3/21/09]
Rep. Zach Wamp Praised Stimulus Funding For Oak Ridge Lab Upgrades and Renovations. “The Oak Ridge National Laboratory will use a portion of its $71.2 million in federal economic stimulus funding to replace a half-century-old research building, managers said Monday. ‘There is an emphasis on moving quickly,’ Lab Director Thom Mason said. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the award as part of $1.2 billion being distributed to national laboratories for major construction projects and infrastructure improvements. The Oak Ridge lab, located about 20 miles west of Knoxville, has been planning for some time to build a 160,000-square-foot chemicals and materials research facility to replace a badly aging 1952 structure with leaking pipes and high heating costs. The new building will house some 200 researchers studying solar batteries, corrosion-resistant materials and superconducting electric transmission lines. Building designs are nearly complete and contractors have been selected. With Recovery Act funding, officials hope to complete the project a year early in 2011. ‘This modernization effort will help keep ORNL as one of our nation's premier laboratories,’ said U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn. It also will mean about 170 construction jobs. Other Oak Ridge stimulus-funded projects will
include additions to the Spallation Neutron Source research facility and upgrades to the lab's nanophase materials science center.” [AP, 3/24/09]
Rep. Randy Borror Touted The $1.5 Million In Federal Stimulus Money That Will Pay For A Massive Project To Keep Raw Sewage Out Of His District’s Rivers. “Rep. Randy Borror, R-Fort Wayne, announced Thursday the city would get $1.5 million in federal stimulus money to pay for its massive project to keep raw sewage out of area rivers. The state will also provide a $3.5 million loan, although city officials were unsure whether there would be interest on the loan. City Utilities leaders told the City Council on Tuesday they expected between $5 million and $6 million from the state in loans but no grant money because the city’s sewer rates were relatively inexpensive. Frank Suarez, City Utilities spokesman, said the city didn’t think it was eligible for a grant but is happy to accept. “Obviously we’re thrilled by the news,” he said.” [Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, 4/18/09]
Rep. Glenn Thompson Touted a $525,000 Grant to the Keystone Rural Health Consortia Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. “U.S. Representative Glenn `GT' Thompson, R-Howard, today announced the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $525,170 to Keystone Rural Health Consortia for renovation of the Cameron County Health Care Center. ‘I welcome this bricks and mortar project coming to the 5th Congressional District,’ said Thompson. ‘I understand most of the contracting will be done right in Emporium, which will be great for employment in the area. This facility hasn't been renovated in more than 30 years and the changes will be a significant improvement’… The grant is made under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 through the Health Resources and Services Administration of the federal Department of Health and Human Services.” [Rep. Thompson Press Release, 7/7/09]
In a Michigan Delegation Letter to the Director of Recovery of Auto Workers and Communities, Representatives Upton, Ehlers, Hoekstra, Camp, McCotter, Miller, and Rogers who Voted Against the Stimulus, Wrote that ARRA Provisions Expanding Employment Insurance, Health Care, Training, Weatherization and Education Were “Important First Steps for Individuals and Their Families.” “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provisions expanding unemployment insurance, health care, training, weatherization and education are important first steps for individuals and their families.” [Letter from Michigan Delegation to Ed Montgomery, 5/6/09]
Rep. Bob Inglis And Other GOP Elected Officials “Greeted Enthusiastically” The News That A Greenville County Facility Will Receive Stimulus Funding To Manufacture Capacitors For Electric-Drive Vehicles And Alternative Energy Markets, Creating Up To 113 New Full-Time Jobs. “Kemet Corp., which is battling its way back from the depths of the worldwide recession, said Monday a federal stimulus grant will help it expand its Greenville County facility to manufacture capacitors for electric-drive vehicles and alternative energy markets. The expansion, made possible by a $15.1 million Department of Energy grant that will be matched by the company, will add 113 jobs that average $50,000 a year in salary and benefits, Kemet officials said. That’s a welcome development in a county where the unemployment rate was 10.2 percent in September. News of the expansion was greeted enthusiastically at a gathering of company and elected officials, including Gov. Mark Sanford and U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis, who have opposed federal stimulus spending …’Was I categorically against stimulus funding? Absolutely,’ Sanford said. ‘Do I think it’ll bring with it horrible dividends over time? Absolutely.’ He added, ‘We ultimately took that to the Supreme Court of South Carolina. We lost in the Supreme Court. We said at that time we were going to adhere to the decision that was made with regard to the Supreme Court and stimulus dollars, and that’s where we are’ He said state officials worked on Kemet’s behalf ‘because given it was the law of
the land, we were going to work as hard as we could to try and make sure that South Carolina was not a double loser in the process, that hopefully there were dividends.” [The Greenville News, 10/27/09]
Rep. John Mica Touted a $2.5 Million Stimulus Grant for the St. Augustine Airport “U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (FL-07), announced today that the St. Augustine Airport will receive $2.5 million in Federal funding to improve its facilities including rehabilitating and widening a taxiway and other airport enhancements. ‘These funds will help improve one of our key economic generators in St. Johns County,’ Mica said of the award. ‘Both business and civilian aircraft are locating at this facility which also services Northrop Grumman, one of our community's largest employers. I am pleased to see at least a portion of the Federal stimulus funds make their way back into our local community. However, I wish infrastructure projects made up more than only 6 percent of $787 billion bill passed by Congress.’” [Rep. Mica Press Release, 5/19/09]
Rep. Pete Hoekstra Twittered “Stimulus Incentive Is Very Generous! Up to 8k! Check It Out!” “And now Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.), who also voted against the bill, just posted this on his Twitter page: ‘petehoekstra If you know of someone thinking of buying first home, now may be the time. Stimulus incentive is very generous! Up to 8k! Check it out.’” [The Hill’s Briefing Room, 2/18/09]
Despite Voting Against ARRA, Rep. Frank Wolf Blamed Gov. Tim Kaine For Not Spending Enough Stimulus Funding: “We Could Use That Money Desperately.” “Republicans continued to blame Gov. Tim Kaine -- and his would-be successor Creigh Deeds -- for being slow in spending the state's share of federal stimulus money for transportation. U.S. Frank Wolf and Fairfax Supervisor Pat Herrity, among others, criticized Kaine this morning on a conference call for not using the money for much-needed existing projects in congested Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. ‘We could use that money desperately,' Wolf told reporters. ‘We're in a critical situation. The economic growth and the opportunities here depend on improving transportation. There are a lot of things up here that that money could be used for.’” [Washington Post, 10/5/09]
Rep. Don Young Touting Winning “a Victory for the Alaska Native Contracting Program and Other Alaska Small Business Owners” in the Stimulus, Then Criticized the Bill. “Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, also had nice things to say in a press release. Young boasted that he ‘won a victory for the Alaska Native contracting program and other Alaska small business owners last night in H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.’ One provision would have made it harder for minority businesses to win contracts, and Young explained that he ‘worked with members on the other side of the aisle to make the case for these programs, and was able to get the provision pulled from the bill.’ Yet later in the day Young — who recently told McClatchy that he would've included earmarks, or local projects, in the bill if it had been permitted — issued another statement blasting the overall measure.” [McClatchy, 2/13/09]
March: GOP Chief Deputy Whip Kevin McCarthy Praised Stimulus Funding For Bakersfield Courthouse: “One Of The Last Hurdles That Remained Was The Funding.” “Today, Congressman Kevin McCarthy and Congressman Jim Costa announced that funding would be made available by the U.S. General Services Administration for the Federal courthouse project in the Central Park location of Bakersfield. Congressman Kevin McCarthy (CA-22) [said] ‘I applaud this funding for the Bakersfield Federal courthouse. Over the years, we have faced many obstacles related to this project, but worked together as a community to ensure that this project remained a high priority and would come to fruition. The case was made about the courthouse’s necessity, and one of the last hurdles that remained was the funding. Finally, we are about to jump over that hurdle and bring a Federal courthouse to Bakersfield. I
look forward to the day that the courthouse can open its doors to serve our growing region.’”[McCarthy Press Release, 3/31/09]
Recovery Act Provided $31M For Courthouse Through The GSA. “The funding hurdle to building a federal courthouse downtown has apparently been overcome, thanks to the federal stimulus package. In a proposal by the General Services Administration to the House Appropriations Committee released to the public Tuesday, $31 million will be allocated to build the Bakersfield federal courthouse on the eastern edge of Central Park.” [KERO-TV, 4/1/09]
February: McCarthy Opposed Recovery Act Because It Lacking Republican Input And Focused On “More Spending For Washington Programs.” “The President was sincere when he said he wanted bipartisan input and cooperation to stimulate our economy. Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Reid crafted their $1.1 trillion spending bill behind closed doors without bipartisan input…Instead of focusing on creating jobs, the bill unfortunately seems to focus on creating more spending for Washington programs.” [McCarthy Press Release, 2/13/09]
SENATE REPUBLICANS
Senators Mike Crapo And Jim Risch Touted Their Securing Of Stimulus Funding To Clean Up Department Of Energy Facilities At The Idaho National Laboratory. “Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch helped to secure new federal funding that will create hundreds of new jobs and accelerate cleanup at Department of Energy (DOE) facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory. DOE announced today that Idaho will receive $468 million. Crapo and Risch successfully inserted language calling for the funding into the economic stimulus bill passed earlier this year by Congress. During negotiations on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Crapo and Risch, in a letter to Senate appropriators, noted the importance of including environmental management cleanup funding in the stimulus plan, notably the job creation potential and environmental improvements. The Idaho funds announced today will be used to retrieve buried waste at the site per the agreement reached between the State of Idaho and DOE last year, demolish out-of-date nuclear and radiological facilities to reduce the site’s footprint and relieve the Laboratory of some its cleanup liabilities, which will free up future R&D funding for the Laboratory.” [Senator Crapo Press Release, 3/31/09]
Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison And John Cornyn Were Involved In Securing A Stimulus Grant For A Veterans Affair Extended Care Facility. “U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison announced Friday that Tyler has secured an $8.6 million grant for a 160-bed Veterans Affairs extended care facility. The grant is part of the stimulus expenditure plan, worth more than $17 million. Houston is the other site to receive funds for an extended care facility…Dr. Kirk Calhoun, UTHSCT president, said he was thrilled about the announcement as well, after fighting for several years to bring the project into fruition. He received the news after meeting with legislators in Austin. ‘We are very excited to have this veterans' nursing home near the health center,’ he said. ‘It gives us an opportunity to serve the community.’ Calhoun said several local, state and federal legislators were involved, including State Rep. Leo Berman, State Rep. Tommy Merritt, Sen. Hutchison, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and county officials…‘I'm pleased that this funding will help improve and expand health care services for our wounded heroes and spur growth in Texas communities,’ Sen. Hutchison said in a prepared statement. ‘The stimulus bill that Congress passed in February should have focused on more projects like these, which our government had already
planned to do and that are in fact stimulative.’ According to officials at Sen. Hutchison's office, there is not yet a timeline for the project.” [Tyler Morning Telegraph, 3/21/09]
Sen. John Cornyn Co-Signed Letter Calling For $3 Billion In Stimulus Funding For NASA While Simultaneously Claiming Stimulus Was “Clearly Not Working.” Cornyn said, “With the stimulus money that has already been spent clearly not working, it is my hope that the Administration will use a portion of the remaining, authorized, unspent stimulus dollars to safeguard our nation’s space program. The Augustine Commission’s recent report revealed that NASA faces serious financial and operational hurdles if it continues on its current course without additional federal resources. I hope the President will agree to our request and invest these stimulus dollars in a program that is central to America’s competitiveness and national and economic security.” [Olson Press Release, 10/5/09]
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison Co-Signed Letter Calling For $3 Billion In Stimulus Funding For NASA While Warning A Lack Of Resources Could Jeopardize National Security. Hutchison said, “America has always been at the forefront of aerospace engineering and technological accomplishment. Without additional, appropriate resources, we could lose ground in our dominance, jeopardizing our national security and threatening our ability to retain the brightest technological minds in the world. By investing in NASA, we will be investing in America’s future and ensuring our place as the leader in human space exploration.” [Olson Press Release, 10/5/09]
Despite Voting Against Recovery Act, Sen. Richard Burr Praised $2M In Stimulus Funds For Bethlehem Fire Department. “The Bethlehem community's population has been growing for years, but its volunteer fire department is still working out of the 1962 fire station, built when the Bethlehem Community Volunteer Fire Department was founded. This summer, the department applied for and won a $2,008,515 federal grant that will pay for a new 19,000-square-foot fire station. On Friday, U.S. Sen. Richard Burr was in Bethlehem to present the grant to the department. ‘This is a great thing for this county,’ he said. ‘We're not accustomed to federal dollars in that magnitude finding their way to North Carolina.’” [Hickory Daily Record, 4/16/09
The full White House document, showing MICA's materially false and misleading presentation in context of other House Repugs:
HOUSE REPUBLICANS
Rep. Phil Gingrey Presented $625,000 In Stimulus Funding For Georgia Town, Posed With Giant Check. “U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey presented a $625,000 check to the City of Cedartown Monday. The money comes from federal stimulus funds and will fund the second phase of Cedartown's Streetscape project, with new sidewalks, landscaping and other improvements to the downtown area. ‘This is a very exciting day for Cedartown,’ Cedartown City Commission Chairman Larry Odom said after the check presentation ceremony, held at 12:30 p.m. at Cedartown City Hall. ‘People should soon see significant improvements in downtown Cedartown ... both aesthetically and business growth as well.’…Believing that the project qualified for federal stimulus funds as a "shovel-ready" project, Gingrey presented the proposal at the federal level, his spokesperson, Linda Liles, explained.” [Cedartown Standard, 10/5/09]
Rep. Jack Kingston Announced Recovery Act-Funded COPS Grant For Alma Police Department Without Mentioning It Came From The Recovery Act, Praised It As A “Local Initiative.” “Congressman Jack Kingston (GA-1) today announced a $106,901 grant for the Alma Police Department. The funding will be administered by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). ‘We’ve seen from experience that local initiatives go a lot further toward solving local problems that policies set in Washington,’ Congressman Kingston said. ‘This funding will provide tax relief by savings local tax dollars and, under the stewardship of Chief Livingston, will go a long way to fight crime more effectively through community policing.’ The grant will provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for an entry level officer over a three year period.” [Kingston Press Release, 7/28/09]
Vice President’s Press Release Announcing COPS Grants Included $106,901 For Alma. [Recovery Act Will Fund Georgia Officer Salaries]
Rep. Jack Kingston Announced Recovery Act-Funded COPS Grant For Jesup Police Department Without Mentioning It Came From The Recovery Act, Praised It As A “Local Initiative.” “Congressman Jack Kingston (GA-1) today announced a $138,286 grant for the Jesup Police Department. The funding will be administered by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). ‘We’ve seen from experience that local initiatives go a lot further toward solving local problems that policies set in Washington,’ Congressman Kingston said. ‘This funding will provide tax relief by savings local tax dollars and, under the stewardship of Chief Takaki, will go a long way to fight crime more effectively through community policing.’ The grant will provide 100 percent of the approved salary and benefits for an entry level officer over a three year period.” [Kingston Press Release, 7/28/09]
Vice President’s Press Release Announcing COPS Grants Included $138,286 For Jesup. [Recovery Act Will Fund Georgia Officer Salaries]
Rep. Jack Kingston Announced $2.7M In Grants For Savannah To Help Low-Income Families, Said Monies Were “Even More Important During This Tough Economic Period.” “Congressman Jack Kingston (R-GA/01) announced today that the City of Savannah is the recipient of a series of grants from U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The city will receive a community development block grant (CDBG), an emergency shelter grant (ESG) and a HOME grant to support affordable housing. ‘This series of funding is essential in helping the city strengthen its low-income communities,’ Congressman Kingston said. ‘The money enables the city to give continued support to the agencies in the area that support that mission which is even more important during this tough economic period.’ The CDBG grant is $2,707,777 and will cover an umbrella of community wide projects to aid poverty reduction, youth services and funding for agencies that support low income families. The ESG grant is $120,231 and will fund agencies within the city that provide services for the homeless. The HOME grant is $1,252,597 and will assist the city in creating affordable housing for low-income families.” [Kingston Press Release, 6/25/09]
Recovery Act Provided Over $1.1M In Homeless Prevention Funding For Savannah. “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (PDF) (Recovery Act) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17th, 2009. The Recovery Act authorized a $1.5 billion dollar Homelessness Prevention Fund (WORD). The Homelessness Prevention Fund will be administered at the Federal level by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Homeless Prevention Funds are expected to be granted on or before September 1, 2009 to eleven (11) local governments (a/k/a "Entitlements") in Georgia. Those local governments (select name to link to additional information), amounts, and preliminary contact phone numbers are as follows: …Savannah, City of, $1,121,523.” [Georgia Department of Community Affairs, accessed 8/6/09]
Savannah Received $733,133 From The Recovery Act In Community Development Block Grants. “Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today approved plans in 20 Georgia communities to use over $10.7 million federal grant to help stabilize and revive local neighborhoods, rehabilitate affordable housing, and improve key public facilities. Funded through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program will support state and local community development while stimulating employment.” [HUD, 7/8/09]
Rep. Jack Kingston Said $108,652 In Recovery Act Funding For Blackshear Would Create Jobs For Those Hit By The Recession. “Congressman Jack Kingston (R-GA) announced today that the Housing Authority of the City of Blackshear has been named as the recipient of a grant from the 2009 Recovery Act Capital Fund Formula Program. ‘These funds should help save or create local jobs by employing roofing and paving contractors who have been especially hard hit by the recession,’ said Congressman Kingston. ‘Hopefully the money will turn over many times in Pierce County and give a small boost to the economy.’ The amount of the grant is $108,652 and the funds will be used to modernize and make improvements to rental units and other parts of the properties such as parking lots and driveways.” [Kingston Press Release, 3/2/09]
Nearly Half Of The Organizations Participating In A Job Fair Held By Rep. Eric Cantor In November Were Recipients Of Stimulus Funds. “Nearly half of the 30 organizations participating in a job fair Cantor is holding Monday in Culpeper were recipients of the stimulus. The list includes a slew of government agencies and schools that have directly benefited from the package and may be using stimulus money to hire people (as the money was originally designed to do), including the Orange County public schools, the Transportation Security Administration and Virginia Department of Labor, and some companies that may have indirectly benefited such as Comcast and Terremark. Cantor, a Richmond area congressman and the No. 2 Republican in the House, was one of the most vocal critics of the $787 billion economic stimulus bill that Congress passed in February. He has since said the package was a failure. Cantor's spokesman John Murray said it's ludicrous to call his boss a hypocrite when the congressman is trying to find jobs for his constituents. The job fair is designed ‘to help people get back to work,’ he said.” [Virginia Politics Blog, The Washington Post, 11/18/09]
At The Job Fair Rep. Cantor Hosted In August, There Were Fliers Advertising Stimulus-Enabled Employment Aid. “On Monday, Cantor hosted a job fair in Midlothian, VA, to demonstrate how he — and not the Obama administration — is working on ‘long-term solutions that will put Virginia businesses and Virginia workers back on the path to financial stability.’ … ThinkProgress found … that many jobs represented by employers at the job fair were a direct result of those funds… It’s worth noting that among the job fair participants, more than half were from the public sector, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, the CIA, FBI, Army and the Department of Motor Vehicles –- even though Cantor previously has criticized the stimulus plan for placing too great an emphasis on ‘preserving jobs in the public sector.’ Over the next two years, Chesterfield County will receive more than $38 million in stimulus funding. Fliers were also displayed at the job fair advertising stimulus-enabled unemployment aid. Sixty two million dollars in stimulus funding is headed to Virginia that will extend unemployment benefits, providing many at the job fair with a lifeline.” [ThinkProgress, 8/20/069]
Photos of the Nov. 23rd 7th District Job Fair From Rep. Cantor’s Flickr Account:
Rep. John Boehner Issued A Statement Saying, “I’m Pleased That Federal Officials Have Stepped In To Order Ohio To Use All Of Its [Stimulus] Construction Dollars For Shovel-Ready Projects That Will Create Much Needed Jobs.” “Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the following after federal officials ordered Ohio transportation officials to kill a $57 million slush-fund to study projects and put the money into shovel-ready projects: ‘The stated intent of the so-called stimulus package was to create jobs, and certainly a $57 million slush-fund studying projects did nothing to achieve that goal. With Ohio’s unemployment rate the highest it’s been in 25 years, I’m pleased that federal officials stepped in to order Ohio to use all of its construction dollars for shovel-ready projects that will create much-needed jobs.’ NOTE: Ohio’s Republican congressional delegation wrote to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in April asking him to investigate Ohio’s plans to create the slush fund after media reports disclosed the fund’s existence. U.S. House Republicans also wrote to Gov. Strickland expressing their frustration that Ohio would spend money to study projects that may never get built while denying shovel-ready jobs that would create jobs immediately.” [Boehner.House.gov, 6/15/09]
Just Hours After Voting Against the Stimulus, Rep. John Mica Issued Press Releases Praising the Inclusion of Funding for High Speed Rail and for a Commuter Train Project in His District. “Just hours after voting against the bill on the House floor last week, Representative John L. Mica, of Florida issued one press releases lauding the inclusion of $8 billion for investment in high-speed rail around the country and another for financing a commuter train project in his central Florida district. ‘If we could put a man on the moon, we should be able to move people from city to city quickly instead of wasting time on a congested highway,’ said Mr. Mica, who is the ranking Republican on the House transportation and infrastructure committee. ‘I applaud President Obama’s recognition that high-speed rail should be part of America’s future.’” [NY Times Blog, 2/19/09]
Rep. John Carter Voted Against ARRA, Yet Hailed The $621 Million In Stimulus Funds To A Military Hospital In His District As A “Victory For The Economy In Central Texas.” “About $1.2 billion is for new
hospitals at Fort Hood, an Army base in Texas Republican John Carter's district, and Camp Pendleton, a Marine Corps base in California Republican Darrell Issa's district. The two hospitals are the largest individual projects to be paid for with defense stimulus dollars. Carter voted against the bill, saying the stimulus would pile debt on future generations. But he hailed the $621 million hospital project as a victory for the economy in central Texas, where Fort Hood occupies more than 217,000 acres. Construction of the Fort Hood hospital is scheduled to begin in September 2010. Also planned for the base is $100 million more in stimulus money for work ranging from road repairs to replacing heating and cooling systems. John Stone, Carter's spokesman, said the congressman has been pushing for several years to get a new hospital at Fort Hood. The new hospital is also supported by Rep. Chet Edwards, a Texas Democrat who chairs the House subcommittee that controls military construction spending. Carter is also on the subcommittee.” [The Associated Press, 8/27/09]
Rep. Steve King Claimed He Had “Secured” Highway Funding From Stimulus Bill He Voted Against. “Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, announced today that $570,000 for the U.S. Highway 20 widening project has been included in the federal stimulus bill signed by President Barack Obama earlier in the week. The money will be used to continue to widen the highway from two to four lines from the county lines of Sac and Calhoun counties to Moville, Iowa, where the highway becomes four lanes again. ‘This funding brings total federal funding secured for Highway 20 construction in western Iowa to more than $26 million,’ King said in a prepared statement. ‘The four-lane project will increase traveler safety and economic development and stem population loss in one of Iowa's most productive regions.’” [Sioux City Journal, 3/13/09]
Rep. Pete Olson Said Space Investments Would Be Well Worth The Return On Investment. Olson said, “The stated purpose of the stimulus package was to secure good jobs and stabilize our economy. Investing in space is well worth the return on investment. The national security, technology and aerospace benefits have been substantially proven and will continue to improve the quality of life and security the world over.” [Olson Press Release, 10/5/09]
Rep. Mary Bono Mack Touted a $4.2 Million Recovery Act Grant to Prevent Families in Her District from Becoming Homeless. “Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R., Calif.), who denounced the stimulus bill as wasteful, soon announced that it provided a $4.2 million grant for her district to prevent families from becoming homeless. ‘This funding will provide much-needed assistance,’ she said.” [Wall Street Journal, 3/21/09]
Rep. Zach Wamp Praised Stimulus Funding For Oak Ridge Lab Upgrades and Renovations. “The Oak Ridge National Laboratory will use a portion of its $71.2 million in federal economic stimulus funding to replace a half-century-old research building, managers said Monday. ‘There is an emphasis on moving quickly,’ Lab Director Thom Mason said. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the award as part of $1.2 billion being distributed to national laboratories for major construction projects and infrastructure improvements. The Oak Ridge lab, located about 20 miles west of Knoxville, has been planning for some time to build a 160,000-square-foot chemicals and materials research facility to replace a badly aging 1952 structure with leaking pipes and high heating costs. The new building will house some 200 researchers studying solar batteries, corrosion-resistant materials and superconducting electric transmission lines. Building designs are nearly complete and contractors have been selected. With Recovery Act funding, officials hope to complete the project a year early in 2011. ‘This modernization effort will help keep ORNL as one of our nation's premier laboratories,’ said U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn. It also will mean about 170 construction jobs. Other Oak Ridge stimulus-funded projects will
include additions to the Spallation Neutron Source research facility and upgrades to the lab's nanophase materials science center.” [AP, 3/24/09]
Rep. Randy Borror Touted The $1.5 Million In Federal Stimulus Money That Will Pay For A Massive Project To Keep Raw Sewage Out Of His District’s Rivers. “Rep. Randy Borror, R-Fort Wayne, announced Thursday the city would get $1.5 million in federal stimulus money to pay for its massive project to keep raw sewage out of area rivers. The state will also provide a $3.5 million loan, although city officials were unsure whether there would be interest on the loan. City Utilities leaders told the City Council on Tuesday they expected between $5 million and $6 million from the state in loans but no grant money because the city’s sewer rates were relatively inexpensive. Frank Suarez, City Utilities spokesman, said the city didn’t think it was eligible for a grant but is happy to accept. “Obviously we’re thrilled by the news,” he said.” [Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, 4/18/09]
Rep. Glenn Thompson Touted a $525,000 Grant to the Keystone Rural Health Consortia Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. “U.S. Representative Glenn `GT' Thompson, R-Howard, today announced the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $525,170 to Keystone Rural Health Consortia for renovation of the Cameron County Health Care Center. ‘I welcome this bricks and mortar project coming to the 5th Congressional District,’ said Thompson. ‘I understand most of the contracting will be done right in Emporium, which will be great for employment in the area. This facility hasn't been renovated in more than 30 years and the changes will be a significant improvement’… The grant is made under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 through the Health Resources and Services Administration of the federal Department of Health and Human Services.” [Rep. Thompson Press Release, 7/7/09]
In a Michigan Delegation Letter to the Director of Recovery of Auto Workers and Communities, Representatives Upton, Ehlers, Hoekstra, Camp, McCotter, Miller, and Rogers who Voted Against the Stimulus, Wrote that ARRA Provisions Expanding Employment Insurance, Health Care, Training, Weatherization and Education Were “Important First Steps for Individuals and Their Families.” “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) provisions expanding unemployment insurance, health care, training, weatherization and education are important first steps for individuals and their families.” [Letter from Michigan Delegation to Ed Montgomery, 5/6/09]
Rep. Bob Inglis And Other GOP Elected Officials “Greeted Enthusiastically” The News That A Greenville County Facility Will Receive Stimulus Funding To Manufacture Capacitors For Electric-Drive Vehicles And Alternative Energy Markets, Creating Up To 113 New Full-Time Jobs. “Kemet Corp., which is battling its way back from the depths of the worldwide recession, said Monday a federal stimulus grant will help it expand its Greenville County facility to manufacture capacitors for electric-drive vehicles and alternative energy markets. The expansion, made possible by a $15.1 million Department of Energy grant that will be matched by the company, will add 113 jobs that average $50,000 a year in salary and benefits, Kemet officials said. That’s a welcome development in a county where the unemployment rate was 10.2 percent in September. News of the expansion was greeted enthusiastically at a gathering of company and elected officials, including Gov. Mark Sanford and U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis, who have opposed federal stimulus spending …’Was I categorically against stimulus funding? Absolutely,’ Sanford said. ‘Do I think it’ll bring with it horrible dividends over time? Absolutely.’ He added, ‘We ultimately took that to the Supreme Court of South Carolina. We lost in the Supreme Court. We said at that time we were going to adhere to the decision that was made with regard to the Supreme Court and stimulus dollars, and that’s where we are’ He said state officials worked on Kemet’s behalf ‘because given it was the law of
the land, we were going to work as hard as we could to try and make sure that South Carolina was not a double loser in the process, that hopefully there were dividends.” [The Greenville News, 10/27/09]
Rep. John Mica Touted a $2.5 Million Stimulus Grant for the St. Augustine Airport “U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (FL-07), announced today that the St. Augustine Airport will receive $2.5 million in Federal funding to improve its facilities including rehabilitating and widening a taxiway and other airport enhancements. ‘These funds will help improve one of our key economic generators in St. Johns County,’ Mica said of the award. ‘Both business and civilian aircraft are locating at this facility which also services Northrop Grumman, one of our community's largest employers. I am pleased to see at least a portion of the Federal stimulus funds make their way back into our local community. However, I wish infrastructure projects made up more than only 6 percent of $787 billion bill passed by Congress.’” [Rep. Mica Press Release, 5/19/09]
Rep. Pete Hoekstra Twittered “Stimulus Incentive Is Very Generous! Up to 8k! Check It Out!” “And now Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.), who also voted against the bill, just posted this on his Twitter page: ‘petehoekstra If you know of someone thinking of buying first home, now may be the time. Stimulus incentive is very generous! Up to 8k! Check it out.’” [The Hill’s Briefing Room, 2/18/09]
Despite Voting Against ARRA, Rep. Frank Wolf Blamed Gov. Tim Kaine For Not Spending Enough Stimulus Funding: “We Could Use That Money Desperately.” “Republicans continued to blame Gov. Tim Kaine -- and his would-be successor Creigh Deeds -- for being slow in spending the state's share of federal stimulus money for transportation. U.S. Frank Wolf and Fairfax Supervisor Pat Herrity, among others, criticized Kaine this morning on a conference call for not using the money for much-needed existing projects in congested Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads. ‘We could use that money desperately,' Wolf told reporters. ‘We're in a critical situation. The economic growth and the opportunities here depend on improving transportation. There are a lot of things up here that that money could be used for.’” [Washington Post, 10/5/09]
Rep. Don Young Touting Winning “a Victory for the Alaska Native Contracting Program and Other Alaska Small Business Owners” in the Stimulus, Then Criticized the Bill. “Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, also had nice things to say in a press release. Young boasted that he ‘won a victory for the Alaska Native contracting program and other Alaska small business owners last night in H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.’ One provision would have made it harder for minority businesses to win contracts, and Young explained that he ‘worked with members on the other side of the aisle to make the case for these programs, and was able to get the provision pulled from the bill.’ Yet later in the day Young — who recently told McClatchy that he would've included earmarks, or local projects, in the bill if it had been permitted — issued another statement blasting the overall measure.” [McClatchy, 2/13/09]
March: GOP Chief Deputy Whip Kevin McCarthy Praised Stimulus Funding For Bakersfield Courthouse: “One Of The Last Hurdles That Remained Was The Funding.” “Today, Congressman Kevin McCarthy and Congressman Jim Costa announced that funding would be made available by the U.S. General Services Administration for the Federal courthouse project in the Central Park location of Bakersfield. Congressman Kevin McCarthy (CA-22) [said] ‘I applaud this funding for the Bakersfield Federal courthouse. Over the years, we have faced many obstacles related to this project, but worked together as a community to ensure that this project remained a high priority and would come to fruition. The case was made about the courthouse’s necessity, and one of the last hurdles that remained was the funding. Finally, we are about to jump over that hurdle and bring a Federal courthouse to Bakersfield. I
look forward to the day that the courthouse can open its doors to serve our growing region.’”[McCarthy Press Release, 3/31/09]
Recovery Act Provided $31M For Courthouse Through The GSA. “The funding hurdle to building a federal courthouse downtown has apparently been overcome, thanks to the federal stimulus package. In a proposal by the General Services Administration to the House Appropriations Committee released to the public Tuesday, $31 million will be allocated to build the Bakersfield federal courthouse on the eastern edge of Central Park.” [KERO-TV, 4/1/09]
February: McCarthy Opposed Recovery Act Because It Lacking Republican Input And Focused On “More Spending For Washington Programs.” “The President was sincere when he said he wanted bipartisan input and cooperation to stimulate our economy. Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Reid crafted their $1.1 trillion spending bill behind closed doors without bipartisan input…Instead of focusing on creating jobs, the bill unfortunately seems to focus on creating more spending for Washington programs.” [McCarthy Press Release, 2/13/09]
SENATE REPUBLICANS
Senators Mike Crapo And Jim Risch Touted Their Securing Of Stimulus Funding To Clean Up Department Of Energy Facilities At The Idaho National Laboratory. “Idaho Senators Mike Crapo and Jim Risch helped to secure new federal funding that will create hundreds of new jobs and accelerate cleanup at Department of Energy (DOE) facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory. DOE announced today that Idaho will receive $468 million. Crapo and Risch successfully inserted language calling for the funding into the economic stimulus bill passed earlier this year by Congress. During negotiations on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Crapo and Risch, in a letter to Senate appropriators, noted the importance of including environmental management cleanup funding in the stimulus plan, notably the job creation potential and environmental improvements. The Idaho funds announced today will be used to retrieve buried waste at the site per the agreement reached between the State of Idaho and DOE last year, demolish out-of-date nuclear and radiological facilities to reduce the site’s footprint and relieve the Laboratory of some its cleanup liabilities, which will free up future R&D funding for the Laboratory.” [Senator Crapo Press Release, 3/31/09]
Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison And John Cornyn Were Involved In Securing A Stimulus Grant For A Veterans Affair Extended Care Facility. “U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison announced Friday that Tyler has secured an $8.6 million grant for a 160-bed Veterans Affairs extended care facility. The grant is part of the stimulus expenditure plan, worth more than $17 million. Houston is the other site to receive funds for an extended care facility…Dr. Kirk Calhoun, UTHSCT president, said he was thrilled about the announcement as well, after fighting for several years to bring the project into fruition. He received the news after meeting with legislators in Austin. ‘We are very excited to have this veterans' nursing home near the health center,’ he said. ‘It gives us an opportunity to serve the community.’ Calhoun said several local, state and federal legislators were involved, including State Rep. Leo Berman, State Rep. Tommy Merritt, Sen. Hutchison, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and county officials…‘I'm pleased that this funding will help improve and expand health care services for our wounded heroes and spur growth in Texas communities,’ Sen. Hutchison said in a prepared statement. ‘The stimulus bill that Congress passed in February should have focused on more projects like these, which our government had already
planned to do and that are in fact stimulative.’ According to officials at Sen. Hutchison's office, there is not yet a timeline for the project.” [Tyler Morning Telegraph, 3/21/09]
Sen. John Cornyn Co-Signed Letter Calling For $3 Billion In Stimulus Funding For NASA While Simultaneously Claiming Stimulus Was “Clearly Not Working.” Cornyn said, “With the stimulus money that has already been spent clearly not working, it is my hope that the Administration will use a portion of the remaining, authorized, unspent stimulus dollars to safeguard our nation’s space program. The Augustine Commission’s recent report revealed that NASA faces serious financial and operational hurdles if it continues on its current course without additional federal resources. I hope the President will agree to our request and invest these stimulus dollars in a program that is central to America’s competitiveness and national and economic security.” [Olson Press Release, 10/5/09]
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison Co-Signed Letter Calling For $3 Billion In Stimulus Funding For NASA While Warning A Lack Of Resources Could Jeopardize National Security. Hutchison said, “America has always been at the forefront of aerospace engineering and technological accomplishment. Without additional, appropriate resources, we could lose ground in our dominance, jeopardizing our national security and threatening our ability to retain the brightest technological minds in the world. By investing in NASA, we will be investing in America’s future and ensuring our place as the leader in human space exploration.” [Olson Press Release, 10/5/09]
Despite Voting Against Recovery Act, Sen. Richard Burr Praised $2M In Stimulus Funds For Bethlehem Fire Department. “The Bethlehem community's population has been growing for years, but its volunteer fire department is still working out of the 1962 fire station, built when the Bethlehem Community Volunteer Fire Department was founded. This summer, the department applied for and won a $2,008,515 federal grant that will pay for a new 19,000-square-foot fire station. On Friday, U.S. Sen. Richard Burr was in Bethlehem to present the grant to the department. ‘This is a great thing for this county,’ he said. ‘We're not accustomed to federal dollars in that magnitude finding their way to North Carolina.’” [Hickory Daily Record, 4/16/09
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