Alaska Lawmaker Owns Up to "Secret"

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | August 31, 2006 | Rebecca Carr

[308MBR]

Alaska Republican Ted Stevens admitted Wednesday that he used a parlaimentary maneuver to secretly block legislation that would open federal spending practices to public scrutiny.

Stevens used a procedure known as a "secret hold" to derail the legislation, which was introduced by Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.), said Aaron Saunders, a spokesman for Stevens.

Speculation over who placed the hold on the measure, which would create a searchable database of $2.5 trillion in government contracts, grants, insurance, loans, and financial assistance, has been swirling around Capital Hill as well as the blogosphere.

[Don Corleone]

I would have bet the ranch that it was "Sheets" Byrd! But...Byrds of a feather I guess.

[308MBR]

Well well. Here is a major problem for the GOP. The lack of openness and honesty regarding the dispensation of the taxpayers money on the New and Improved Great Society is quite telling.

Now we know.

[MNJohnnie]

Payback for fillibustering ANWAR I guess

[TimesDomain]

Vote EVERYONE out! No matter what party - give all these "good-ole-boyz" the boot - permanently.

Start fresh and the next election, vote for the next "new guy". Don't let anyone get power again.

[liberty_lvr]

Ummm...

The link to AJC no longer appears to work. Did they pull the article for some reason? Can you re-link for those that would like to actually read the whole story and not just your excerpt?

[msnimje]

I would have bet the ranch that it was "Sheets" Byrd! But...Byrds of a feather I guess.
You are correct. There is also a Democrat hold on the bill and Byrd is the only one who has denied it.

[mewzilla]

It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native criminal class except Congress.

Mark Twain

[msnimje]

Correction - Byrd is the only Democrat who has NOT denied it.

[Eva]

I can't get the link to work, could you just give a summary of the details, please?

[RegulatorCountry]

Federal spending is a series of tubes, you see, filled with massive, massive amounts of pork.

[brothers4thID]

Actually a story I read yesterday said that Coburn knew from the start who put the hold on the bill and that no one in the Senate considered it a "secret".

[TomGuy]

And it took the blogosphere to ferret it out, since the MSM was asleep.

[mewzilla]

Here's another article on the story...

Sen. Stevens is the "Secret Holder"

[Spiff]

[travlnmn41]

>>Payback for fillibustering ANWAR I guess<<
And still bitter about his Bridge to Nowhere going nowhere.

[kinoxi]

Any more info? The link was taken down.

[mewzilla]

Here's another link :)

Alaska's Stevens says he put 'secret hold' on anti-pork bill

[yellowdoghunter]

Ted Stevens makes me sick. I would call his office and complain but they are so rude whenever anyone calls that there is really no point.

Ted is just leaving the country in worse shape than when he inherited it. He will retire in style and not want for anything.

[MadeInAmerica]

The GOP just has NO skill what so ever in leadership. It just blows me away. They sat in the minority for so long, when they gained power, they didn't know how to drive. What a bunch of clowns...left and right.

I'm sick of ALL politicians. Term limits is the ONLY way to stop this. 2 Terms MAX for Senate and President, Congress 3 terms. New blood MUST be brought in.