Montana Legislative Report - Aubyn Curtiss

"LEGISLATIVE REPORT

Aubyn Curtiss , SD 1

December 12, 2010

SNEAK ATTACK

Almost last minute maneuvering by an outgoing Lame Duck Congress has resulted in Montana ’s interests in danger of being compromised by none other than Senator Jon Tester. The 12 page alert issued Saturday by Citizens for Balanced Use warns that Senator Jon Tester is attaching his controversial wilderness bill, S1470, into the “must pass” Senate Omnibus Spending Bill.

Sanctioning of legislation which so blatantly violates both Federal Law and our U.S. Constitution is totally irresponsible and arrogant on the part of the outgoing congress. Because of far reaching ramifications it epitomizes a nightmare to private property owners and public land users everywhere. As early as September of ’09, testimony heard at a public meeting at the University in Missoula indicated that both constitutional and legal issues in the bill needed to be corrected, but Senator Tester has never even attempted to address those critical issues.

Over 30 citizens, legislators and county officials testified against the bill and its provisions at that well publicized Missoula hearing. Only one indicated that it might be amended to make it more palatable. Although Tester has conducted several public meetings, not one critique has been allowed into the bill’s public record, other than comments submitted in support of wilderness. Though Tester claims statewide support for the bill, that is not the case and officials repeatedly assert that public input has beenhighjacked! Over 3,000 signatures were gathered in direct opposition to the bill.

Beaverhead County Commissioner Mike McGinley has said: “This is nothing more than a payback to Tester’s Environmental east and west coast friends for financing 70% of his election campaign. The Senator is fully aware of the fact this bill violates the 1964 Wilderness Act and other federal laws, yet he will shove this down our throats. Over 600,000 acres of new wilderness, mostly in the Beaverhead Deerlodge Forest .”

Although the 74,274 acres designated the “Three Rivers Special Management Area” and the “Roderick Wilderness Area” on the Kootenai National Forest seem minimal compared to the overall, Lincoln County residents have long been adverse to more wilderness designation. In a 2000 primary election they voted 82-9.7 against more roadless designations. Subsequently 1600 Lincoln County residents, mindful that forest health can only be maintained through active management policies, and who believe that access to public lands is vital to their interests, have signed and submitted petitions to that effect to the Senator and other members of the Montana Congressional Delegation. Not one has acknowledged receipt of the petitions. Can it be true that agendas of the Montana Wilderness Association, Trout Unlimited and organizations like the National Wildlife Federation drown out the voices of Montanans with legitimate concerns? If this bill is allowed to move through the system, that will forever be the case! Specific violations of federal laws requiring public input will guarantee that very thing. Such congressional dereliction of duty would be beyond comprehension.

Space prohibits in-depth consideration of the legal defects in S1470 so I will only itemize the following Acts, Laws and the U.S. Constitution where violations have been identified:

National Environmental Policy Act

National Forest Management Act

Multiple Use Sustained Yield Act

Endangered Species Act

Clean water Act

Clean Air Act

Data Quality Act

Council on Environmental Quality regulations

Administrative Procedure Act

Federal Advisory Committee Act

Separation of Powers requirements of the U.S. Constitution

Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Citizens for Balanced Use and others sharing concerns about this travesty are encouraged to contact any and all senators, and urge them to disallow this “by pass” of the congressional hearing process to expedite flawed legislation, the passage of which can only result in dire consequences. This trampling of citizens rights appears nothing short of criminal. Senator Tester can be reached at 202-224-2644 and Senator Baucus at 202-224-2651. "

How can the Montana media ignore 6791 Total Signatures to impeach, recall Senator Baucus

The arrogance of the Montana Media and Lee Publications is clear when the so called responsible mainstream media ignores 6791 Total Signatures and still counting at the website www.recallbaucus.tk.

On this webpage it states :

To: People of Montana

Petition to Potentially Recall U.S. Senator Max Baucus, (D) Montana

This petition is to survey the population of registered Montana voters who may have interest in recalling Senator Max Baucus from his elected position as senior US Senator from Montana. The recall of elected officials is allowed under Montana law, pursuant to Montana Code 2-16-603, on the grounds of physical or mental lack of fitness, incompetence, violation of oath of office, official misconduct, or conviction of certain felony offenses.

You can read the rest on the webpage. How can the media ignore signatures from not tea party patriots . But, from Liberals, Conservatives, Democrats and Republicans. The arrogance of the media and people like Senator Baucus continues to grow. It is a wonder that the Missoulain cannot even give their newspapers away.

This is the same arrogant media that ignored a drunken law breaking Senator Baucus who made a fool of himself on the senate floor. Screaminator who had screamed incoherently at a Republican Senator who dared to oppose this elitist arrogant Senator from Montana. While the video is easily accessible on you tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5Y9X5ggxzA and many other sites.

Max Sieben Baucus (born December 11, 1941) is the senior United States Senator from Montana and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected to the Senate in 1978, and as of 2010 he is the longest-serving Senator from Montana, and the sixth longest-serving U.S. Senator currently in office.

A senator since 1978! How ridiculous is this? Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, GW Bush and Obama have been President since Baucus took office. Before his election to the Senate, Baucus was a member of Congress from 1975 to 1978, representing Msontana's 1st congressional district. He previously served in the Montana House of Representatives from 1973 to 1974. Did this guy ever have a real Job?

Senator Max Baucus nominated his mistress, Melodee Hanes for the post of US Attorney. . However, he insisted that the recommendations were based on the qualities of the candidate and not on his personal relation with the candidate. The Montana mainstream news media ignored Baucus extra marital affairs and hid their knowledge of the Corrupt Senators illegal appointment and illicit relationship.

Is this what was meant when Baucus threw his support behind Barak Hussein Obama and Multi millionaire Nancy Pelosi and passed unconstitutional health care reform? When , I hear the Missoulian owners speak on issues. I am reminded of a quote that goes. "Sometimes it is best to be thought of as a fool. Than to open your mouth and erase all doubt".

Baucus Nominated Girlfriend for U.S. Attorney

"WASHINGTON—Sen. Max Baucus, one of the most powerful members of Congress and a key figure in the health overhaul debate, recommended his girlfriend to serve as the U.S. attorney for his home state of Montana, a Baucus spokesman said Saturday.

The disclosure was first made late Friday by Sen. Baucus's office and came as other media outlets prepared to publish stories on the issue.

Baucus spokesman Tyler Matsdorf said the senator and his girlfriend, Melodee Hanes, began their relationship in mid-2008 after the senator separated from his wife. At the time, Ms. Hanes was serving as the senator's state office director.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont.
Mr. Matsdorf said the relationship was "in no way" the cause of Sen. Baucus's recent divorce.

Mr. Matsdorf said Ms. Hanes "began the process of resigning her Senate employment" after she and the senator "realized that their relationship was developing beyond a purely professional nature." She left the Senate payroll early this year.

As part of the transition, Ms. Hanes, who has extensive experience as a prosecutor, applied for the U.S. attorney post. Ultimately, she was one of three finalists recommended for the job by a third party attorney who was given the job of reviewing candidates for the job. Sen. Baucus recommended her to the Obama administration, "with no ranking or preference," for the post, along with two other individuals, the spokesman said.

She later withdrew, however. "While her personal relationship with Senator Baucus should in no way be either a qualifier or a disqualifier for the position, during the nomination process and after much reflection, both Senator Baucus and Ms. Hanes agreed that she should withdraw her name from consideration because they wanted to live together in Washington, D.C.," Mr. Matsdorf said.

Ms. Hanes now works at the Justice Department, and "was awarded the position based solely on her merit," the spokesman said.

The episode is sure to be an embarrassment for Democrats and will likely prove distracting for Mr. Baucus, as the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee tries to navigate the sweeping health bill through the Senate.

The disclosure is the latest example of a scandal in which a lawmaker's personal life and public obligations have intersected, following on the heels of revelations involving South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and Nevada's Sen. John Ensign. "

Source:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126001332845378399.html?mod=rss_Today's_Most_Popular
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