Senate Confirms Kempthorne for Interior

[Eugene]

Senate Confirms Kempthorne for Interior


Friday May 26, 2006 3:46 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) - Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne won Senate approval as Interior secretary
on Friday after confirmation proceedings that highlighted the administration's policy
on offshore energy exploration.

Kempthorne, a former senator, was confirmed on a voice vote to succeed Gale Norton
as the steward of one-fifth of the nation's land - including tourist magnets as diverse
as Yellowstone National Park and the Civil War battlefield at Gettysburg, Pa.

The confirmation of Kempthorne, 54, was never in doubt. He was challenged by two Democrats,
however, one of whom, Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, spoke briefly on the Senate floor
to emphasize his opposition.

<snip>

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-5847548,00.html

Also: Senate Confirms Kavanaugh to Appeals Court

[GoddessOfGuinness]

1. At least Bill Nelson had the guts to speak out...

Who was the other? The article says that Landrieu acquiesced...

[IDemo]

2. Kempthorne confirmed to lead Interior Dept.

Issues he'll deal with include drilling off Gulf, push to drill in Arctic refuge

Updated: 12:47 a.m. CT May 26, 2006

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate confirmed President Bush’s nominee, Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, as interior secretary Friday, after several lawmakers lifted procedural holds that allowed the vote to proceed.

Kempthorne replaces Gale Norton and will be the 49th interior secretary, charged with overseeing federal lands.

The Senate confirmed Kempthorne in a voice vote after voting 85-8 to suspend debate on his nomination.

The Interior Department manages national parks, wildlife refuges and other federal lands, which account for 1 acre out of every 5 acres in the United States.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12991742/

[blm]

3. Another BFEE tool gets confirmed.

The Bush family has been a curse on this nation.

[stevedeshazer]

4. Who becomes Idaho's new governor?

Now that Kempthorne has sold his soul?

[IDemo]

5. Jim Risch, the current Lt. Gov.

Until the fall election, when it will be either Repub 'Butch' Otter or Dem Jerry Brady.

[stevedeshazer]

8. Does Brady have a chance?

Or will Idaho go 'Butch'?

Please excuse the pun. :)

[IDemo]

10. 'Butch' will still probably be favored

Brady ran against Kempthorne in 2002. He is the publisher of the Idaho Falls Post Register.

Otter has had a couple of 'run-ins' with the law, but nothing that the republican diehards wouldn't forgive him for:

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=C.L._Otter

In 1992 Otter was pulled over on Interstate 84 near Meridian, Idaho for suspicion of driving under the influence. He claimed the arresting officer observed him swerving was he was reaching for his cowboy hat, which had been blown off by the wind in his open car.

Otter offered several excuses for failing the field sobriety test including: his stocking feet were stung by weeds and gravel, he had run eight miles and his knee hurt, he was hungry, and that he had soaked his chewing tobacco in Jack Daniels.

A jury convicted Otter in 1993. He was sentenced to 72 hours of community service and 16 hours at an alcohol treatment program. This incident allegedly forced Otter to abandon an anticipated run for governor in 1994 and instead seek re-election for lieutenant governor.

---

http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/homepage.nsf/0/8db05bdc75b627a4882567e5007e4605?OpenDocument

C L (Butch) Otter Receives $80,000 EPA Complaint For Wetlands Violation

September 7, 1999

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing an $80,000 civil penalty against C.L. “Butch” Otter and Charles Robnett for the unlawful discharge of dredged and/or fill material into a side channel of the Boise River, in violation of the federal Clean Water Act. EPA’s complaint alleges that Mr. Otter excavated and filled in 2.7 acres of wetlands on his property without proper authorization by an Army Corps of Engineers permit.

Mr. Otter owns property on the Boise River near Star, Idaho and Charles Robnett is a Nampa contractor. In the complaint filed today, EPA alleges that in November, 1998, Mr. Robnett, on Mr. Otter’s behalf, used heavy equipment to dredge and fill certain wetlands and a stream channel on Otter’s property.

According to Chuck Clarke, EPA Regional Administrator in Seattle, this is not the first time Mr. Otter has run afoul of wetlands protection statutes in Idaho.

“Through this action, we’re hoping to send a clear message,” said Clarke. “Mr. Otter has received two previous cease-and-desist orders from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for unauthorized wetlands work on his property, but for some reason they apparently had no effect. Idaho’s wetlands are too valuable to be treated with such little regard.”

[niallmac]

6. Lieutenant Governor Jim Risch.

He will do fine I am sure as long as the Idaho Statesman drools ink any time he
shifts in his seat as they did and do for Kempthorn.
Don't look for any investigative journalistic excellence here in this once prize winning paper.

[stevedeshazer]

7. Thanks, I'm your neighbor (Oregon)

I'm fascinated how Idaho had great politicians such as Cecil Andrus and Frank Church and is now the leading supporter of Bush in the polls.

[niallmac]

9. I think it may still hold that the majority in Idaho is not republican

but independent. This to me is fascinating because it implies that given the right person
this state would defy it's supposed repug allegiances and vote for the person, for character and
to hell with party allegiance. The examples you point out are testimony to this.
As I posted earlier however, the Idaho Statesman is a shell of it's former self and perhaps reflects
the dummy down status of things here.

[Dover]

11. They plan to sell off public lands and need a wolf to guard the hen house

This is an emergency. People who heard rumors about this plan prior to Bush taking office as president, thought it was inconceivable, far-fetched and overboard fears. As we've seen, Bushco has surpassed all our worst fears repeatedly.

Here's the latest from the Sierra Club via the sell off of public lands:

We need your immediate help to stop a terrible travesty - the Bush Administration has proposed selling off 800,000 acres of our National Forests and public lands - literally handing our forests to the highest bidder.

This extreme scheme puts special places in our National Forests in 35 states up for grabs - ready to be snatched up by the timber industry, real estate developers, even Big Oil... whoever is willing to pay the most.

There is absolutely no reason why the world's biggest economic power should have to sell off our National Forests to make ends meet. But we need your immediate support to help protect our public lands and rare wild forests from these plans! Send a much needed donation to the Sierra Club right now.

From coast to coast, this wholesale assault threatens our few remaining old-growth forests... the forests of the Southern Appalachian Mountains... the beautiful hardwood forests of the Great Lakes region... the San Juan National Forest in Colorado... the magnificent ponderosa forests in Arizona and New Mexico.

Although four past Forest Service Chiefs have spoken out against this proposal, and editorial boards across the country have opposed it, the Bush Administration is still pressing ahead with its plans to sell off these special places.

But these plans are incredibly destructive - and with your help we can stop them. Demand that the Bush Administration stop playing auctioneer with our nation's public lands and start managing National Forests with our future generations in mind.

Your contribution will support the Sierra Club and its campaign to preserve these wildlands. With your help the Sierra Club will be able to oppose the destructive proposals that would destroy or sell off our last wild and ancient forests to commercial logging companies as well as support the Sierra Club's other efforts to protect our land, air, water and wildlife.

Thank you for your support.

Carl Pope
Executive Director

P.S. We CAN stop this tragedy from occurring. We've done it before, and we can do it again. But to succeed, we really need your help. Our strength is only as great as the number of Americans who support us. And with your help, we can win this and many other battles. So please support the Sierra Club by donating today


https://ww2.sierraclub.org/membership/fundappeal/regular.asp?petition=logging_donate&promocode=E06EPUW108&asking=75&m=y

[Dover]

12. ^^