Boxer-Inhofe global warming rematch

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Today, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing about global warming’s impact on the Chesapeake Bay. Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), a proud climate skeptic, loudly objected to the fact that Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) was going to testify, but was quickly put down by the chair of the committee, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA). The Politico’s Ryan Grim reports:

Inhofe, with staff already present, responds that he’ll agree to allow the Maryland senator to stay if Boxer will concede it as a one-time-only deviation.

“Senator, I’m not going to agree to that,” she says. “I’m the chairman of this committee and I’ve spoken to you about this. You knew this was coming. I asked Sen. Mikulski to join us. If that’s not enough, I went back to the parliamentarian. There is absolutely no rule that forbids this.”

Mikulski cuts in. “We need to focus on the issue of global warming and the impact on the bay,” she says, “and not on myself. I yield to the ruling of the chair.”

Inhofe, though, is no longer chair. “Well, the ruling of the chair, if I had a chance to rule,” says Boxer, the chair, “would be that you will be joining us.”

In March, Inhofe threw a similar fit at a global warming hearing, objecting to the testimony of Al Gore. At that time Boxer also shot him down, stating, “Elections have consequences. So I make the rules.”

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/26/boxer-inhofe-global-warming-rematch/

Boxer takes gloves off in Inhofe rematch
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0907/6023.html