Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

David Vitter Vows to Block Potential Romney EPA Chief: Opening Salvo for Conservatives?
The Daily Caller ^ | 11/03/2012 | Matt K. Lewis

Posted on 11/04/2012 9:16:35 AM PST by nickcarraway

If Mitt Romney wins the election on Tuesday, he can expect another battle to begin almost immediately: The fight to block his moderate allies from key administration positions.

Conservatives are quietly making preparations to begin lobbying for these posts to be filled by reliable conservatives. Of course, this may also entail opposing some of Romney’s first choices — a fight whose opening salvo has already begun.

Sen. David Vitter is already sending signals he would attempt to block James Connaughton – Romney’s likely choice to head the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

(This is significant; Vitter is in line to become ranking member in the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works.)

According to The Hill, Vitter cited “emissions limits, potential restriction of offshore drilling and green energy funding — reflect an increasingly uniform GOP energy platform that Romney also has embraced,” as concerns about Connaughton.

Vitter also said “he could not support Connaughton’s previous backing for cap-and-trade rules for various types of emissions.”

This isn’t a case of Vitter merely having a personal vendetta. Connaughton would be bitterly opposed by movement conservatives.

As Cato’s Patrick Michaels noted, while serving as George W. Bush’s chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Connaughton “was flat-out for cap-and-trade legislation (or regulation) of carbon dioxide, advocating a ‘stringent’ target.”

I’ve previously noted that conservatives worry Romney transition chief Mike Leavitt will pack a future Romney administration with moderates and personal loyalists — and Connaughton is a prime example of the kind of appointment conservatives would attempt to derail.

Of course, blocking Romney (and Leavitt’s) more moderate picks won’t prove easy. At the upper echelons of the Republican world lies an incestuous network. Consider this: Romney consultant Ron Kaufman is married to the sister of former Bush Chief of Staff Andy Card. Card was replaced as Chief of Staff by Josh Bolton — whose sister married … James Connaughton.

Did you expect George W. Bush’s revolving door to close so soon?


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: romney; socialism; vitter
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-49 last
Comment #41 Removed by Moderator

To: ping jockey

I have been cranky a lot lately too....we will know soon enough


42 posted on 11/04/2012 4:00:52 PM PST by Nifster
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway
That's right. M.R. is "Obama lite". All the yo-yo's here will be wondering why they bothered voting for another commie/big government hack in about a year.

The Kenyan must go.

43 posted on 11/04/2012 5:36:26 PM PST by ex91B10 (We've tried the Soap Box,the Ballot Box and the Jury Box; ONE BOX LEFT!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: ex91B10
The Kenyan must go. That's right. M.R. is "Obama lite"

What do you suggest?

44 posted on 11/04/2012 6:07:08 PM PST by Alaska Wolf (Trained by English Setters)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: Little Bill

I can talk about it on Wednesday...


45 posted on 11/04/2012 7:49:46 PM PST by glock rocks (14 million US deer tags this fall... the world's largest standing army of scoped-rifle marksmen. Hmm)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Alaska Wolf
Civil war. But that's just me.

Try reading up on Romney, not the marketing hype you've been spoon fed the last year.

Romney will do NOTHING to stop illegal immigration, he will not touch kenyancare (his buddies make too much money from it), he will not appoint any conservatives to judicial openings, he's for gun control, abortion and the welfare state. He will sell out the GOP at every turn by 'reaching across the aisle' to 'get things done'.Think he'll trim welfare roles? Think he'll "bring jobs to America"? Then you're delusional.

The Kenyan must go.

46 posted on 11/04/2012 8:28:28 PM PST by ex91B10 (We've tried the Soap Box,the Ballot Box and the Jury Box; ONE BOX LEFT!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: ex91B10
Try reading up on Romney

I have. I also have seen the destruction done by the Obama administration. I know the only viable alternative to 4 more years of Obama is Romney/Ryan. Johnson is an open borders, illicit drug legalizing advocate and Goode is a former Democrat and lawyer.

47 posted on 11/04/2012 9:03:53 PM PST by Alaska Wolf (Trained by English Setters)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: Alaska Wolf
"...I know the only viable alternative to 4 more years of Obama is Romney/Ryan."

I do agree with you: it it truely a case of the lesser to the two evils.

The Kenyan must go.

48 posted on 11/05/2012 7:52:39 AM PST by ex91B10 (We've tried the Soap Box,the Ballot Box and the Jury Box; ONE BOX LEFT!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: glock rocks

I noticed one of my cousins was wandering around FLA a while back supposedly on Church Work or visiting their son, the story changed.


49 posted on 11/05/2012 9:38:32 AM PST by Little Bill (A)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-49 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson