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Senators Call for Resignation of EPA Administrator Johnson
Democratic Senators from the Environment and Public Works Committee called for the resignation of EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson, in a press release published this afternoon.
Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) was joined by committee members Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) in charging that Johnson had given "misleading testimony before Congress," "refused to cooperate" with Oversight investigations and had politicized decisions before the EPA.
From the EPW press release:
The senators asked Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey to investigate apparent contradictions between the sworn testimony of Administrator Johnson and the testimony of other sworn witnesses regarding the circumstances surrounding EPA's denial California's request for a waiver under the Clean Air Act to set strong standards for global warming emissions from vehicles.
Johnson has repeatedly refused to appear before Congressional committees, including the Senate Judiciary Committee, who canceled a hearing scheduled for tomorrow, July 30, after Johnson informed them he would not be coming.
When Johnson has testified, however, as he did in May before the House Oversight committee, he has often driven questioners to furious distraction in his refusal to answer questions, and his inability to recount events.
Frog-march the SOB. He has brought dishonor and shame to the once-proud EPA, dutifully following his marching orders from Cheney and his many cronies and allies in Big Business. Keep pressing until he's gone and his office has been vacated, deloused, and fumigated. Then perform an exorcism.
July 29, 2008 8:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
The senators asked Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey to investigate
Gosh, it's too bad the Legislative Branch doesn't have its own power to investigate high crimes and misdemeanors perpetrated by Federal officials.
Oh wait, they do.
July 29, 2008 9:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Seriously, why is this guy not in jail? The EPA is now telling its employees not to speak to its own inspector general.
If that's not formally obstruction of justice, it's certainly kick-the-bum-out material.
July 29, 2008 9:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Today’s Republican Party is a freak show of hate-filled sociopaths, immoral religious and social extremists, insecure, overcompensating, irresponsible, dangerously incompetent, war-mongering imperialists and greedy, exploitive corporate anarchists. Just look at the odious and inadequate carnival barkers and snake oil salesmen the Republican Party had competing to be their presidential candidate. Republicans tacitly welcome homophobes, misogynists, racists, anti-Semites and messianic fundamentalist nut jobs into their party and inherently incorporate their values into their moral fabric and political objectives. Being an Irish Catholic Democrat raised with four younger siblings by an uneducated single mom, I have never agreed with social conservatives, but compared to Bush’s Republican Party, Eisenhower’s Republican Party was a liberal bastion of social and economic enlightenment and pluralism. Defending the actions of today’s Republican Party is advocating ignorance and evil over common sense and common decency. It would be hard to imagine that any presidential administration, Republican or Democrat, could have been as malicious, polarizing, undemocratic, corrupt or destructively pernicious to the founding causes and defining principles of our republic than George W. Bush’s. I am surprised that I am ashamed for the “good” Republicans, only because I could not have possibly imagined how “bad” some Americans were capable of being.
July 29, 2008 11:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
In the words of Donald Fagen- "Yeah, but what turns you off!!"
July 30, 2008 7:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
osage you have a nice way with words. That about sums up the Republican party in a nutshell. My only quibble is what good ones? I can't name any.
July 30, 2008 12:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Very thoughtful comment, osage.
July 30, 2008 1:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's absolutely pathetic that this guy's ouster is only now being seriously considered. So much additional damage done after certain knowledge that this handyman was peddling a rigged game...like it is from top to bottom. From Cheney/Bush on down it goes. It's complete madness. 8 years of this.
The spirit of John Rhodes and Barbara Jordan have vanished on the wind.
This shameful nonsense about the legislature going on about it's business rather than entertaining impeachment, is like somebody fiddling while Rome burns. If the process doesn't work for this main ring attraction of a travesty, what will it work for?
We know that answer.
July 30, 2008 1:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
The downfall of the Democrat party will be the fact that they gave the Republicans enough rope to hang themselves, and then continued giving until the Republicans had enough rope to hang the Democrats for not using their powers to hold the Republicans accountable for anything.
Why doesn't anyone ask Pelosi why impeachment is still "off the table", why inherent contempt is off the table, and why the Democrats are not doing the job they were elected to do, and keep asking until they get answers that make any kind of sense?
One other question I waiting for anyone to ask is: "where is the money coming from to finance the "Economic Stimulus Packages"?
.
July 30, 2008 7:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
The Democrats should issue a subpoena, that'll show him!.
July 30, 2008 7:52 AM | Reply | Permalink