Portland (ME) Press Herald obtains e-mail from Sen Stevens threatening

[ticapnews]

defense bill

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/state/051222drillinglocal.shtml

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The bill's future is unclear because Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, is both the biggest advocate of Arctic drilling and the chairman of the Appropriations defense subcommittee.

Before the vote, Stevens' office sent out an e-mail warning that threatened to renegotiate all provisions in the bill if Arctic drilling were removed in a parliamentary move.

"IF the Defense bill is taken down on a point of order everyone should know that KILLS the conference report and we will start over next year," said the e-mail obtained by the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram. "Programs funded with ANWR money like LIHEAP and disaster funds for the gulf would be at high risk."

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So he tried to blackmail Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the entire northern half of the country for his pet project. What an abuse of power.

And it worked to a certain degree! Maine Sens Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins both voted for the bill with the ANWR provisions because of the money for LIHEAP and the new contracts for Bath Iron Works, even though they both have a history of opposition to ANWR drilling.

Rather than spending time censuring the president, the Senate should censure this bastard.

[acmavm]

1. So we now have a government ruled by a few powerful thugs who

feel that they can get whatever they want with threats?

Don't ever let anyone feed you that crap line that we live in a democracy. Can you spell oligarchy boys and girls?

[liberal N proud]

2. Isn't that a form of Terrorism?

Terrorism: : the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion

He is trying to terrify Senators and the American people into giving him what he wants. That is an act of Terrorism.

[kentuck]

8. I think you make an excellent point...

It is a form of terrorism: threatening to let this country go undefended if they do not get their special program passed.

[greenman3610]

3. he's cynically using the disaster

to make it sound like money from ANWAR will somehow
be available any time soon to mitigate the suffering
in the delta.
Since any return, he knows, is at least 10 years off,
he's blowing smoke. What an asshole.

[azureblue]

4. Stevens is a real Republican

He lies, cheats, steals, bullies, breaks laws, is corrupt, tramples on people, and thinks he's justifed in doing so. He is the face of the Republican party.

[mainegreen]

5. Nice spine ladies...

I'm sure there's no other way those DD(X) would be built in Bath. :eyes:

[MaineDem]

6. Not that I want to defend them but

They did vote to strip the drilling out of the final bill.

Stevens said he'd visit every state to explain how horrible stripping the drilling out was. Dottering old fool!

[ticapnews]

7. I hope he comes here in the winter...

I wouldn't get in trouble for chucking a snowball in his senile old face, would I? :)