George Allen Steals Durbin Amendment – Calls It His Own (Webb Campaign Accuses Allen of Plagerism)

Webb ^ | 9/8/06

[areafiftyone]

September 5, 2006
George Allen Steals Durbin Amendment – Calls It His Own
(Perhaps He Thought We Wouldn’t Notice the One Word Difference – Nice Work Skippy)

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator George Allen today stole a Department of Defense appropriations amendment written, printed and prepared by Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill), and then announced the amendment as his own, moments before Durbin was prepared to introduce the amendment on the Senate floor.

The following is a chronology of what happened earlier this afternoon:

• At 2:30 PM this afternoon the U.S. Senate began debate of the Department of Defense appropriations for FY 2007.
• Already on the docket was Senator Dick Durbin, who was scheduled to introduce an amendment to the bill providing $19 million in additional funding for the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center program, which provides treatment care and research for veterans suffering from traumatic brain injuries. That meant that Durbin’s amendment had already been written, printed and prepared for introduction by Durbin.
• Yet, before Durbin could take the floor to introduce his amendment, George Allen entered the Senate Chamber and asked for permission to speak before Durbin. When permission was granted ahead of Durbin, lo and behold, Allen introduced an amendment to the DOD appropriations bill that, how could this be, was identical in language to Durbin’s bill with the exception of one word – the word “will” was changed in Allen’s amendment and replaced with the word “shall.” Other than that, the amendments were identical – Durbin’s amendment had been printed and set to be formally introduced, Allen’s bill had not been written or been placed on the docket to be introduced.

When asked by Senators Stevens and Durbin if his amendment was the same as Senator Durbin’s, George Allen agreed the bills were identical.

So, what are the odds that George Allen had the exact same idea as Durbin, the exact same dollar figure as Durbin, the exact same language as Durbin (save one word)? And why did Allen seek special permission to speak before Durbin unless Allen was seeking to take credit for an amendment to which Durbin had already prepared and written?

“Geez, Senator, has it really come to this? Are you so bankrupt of ideas that you have to steal another Senator’s amendments and call them your own? It is clear you stole Dick Durbin’s language. There are no odds that you could have written an exactly identical amendment to Durbin’s, save one word – I guess you thought this would allow you to call the amendment your own – that it would have the exact dollar figure and that you would have to run down to the Senate floor and cut in front of Durbin (talk about cut and run, Senator) and introduce a virtually identical amendment. Did you think no one would notice?” Jim Webb spokesman Steve Jarding said.

“And, what happened to the Senate working at the pace of a ‘wounded sea slug? Apparently, when you are seeking to score political points, even if it means stealing another Senator’s bill, that ole sea slug heals up right quick. George Allen’s using government for his own personal and political gain is wearing very thin. This whole episode is shameful and not worthy of a sitting U.S. Senator,” Jarding said.

[areafiftyone]

Well Webb Apparently Durbin doesn't mind because now it's called the Allen-Durbin Amendment

Allen-Durbin Amendment Passes Providing More Funding to Treat Soldiers Suffering Brain Trauma

[msnimje]

Somebody do a screen capture on Webb's site -- QUICK!!

As soon as he realizes he is making an ass of himself he will pull it.

[jveritas]

Yep that is a campaign winner for Webb, I would like to meet the genius who is running his campaign (extreme saracasm).

[linda_22003]

If the Webb campaign is really accusing Allen of "plagerism" (sic), the Webb campaign is borderline illiterate.

[Fudd Fan]

George Allen *PING*

[areafiftyone]

Did the Senators (including Ted Kennedy) who accused him of using the same ones even think of asking Durbin if Allen was putting his name on the Amendment? Maybe that was the case?

[freespirited]

You don't suppose they wrote it together so they could have both a Democrat and Republican sponsor, pretty much SOP when you want something to pass something with as much support as possible.

[dfwgator]

He must have consulted with Joe Biden.

[linda_22003]

I think that would have been a bright thing to do, but I was specifically referring to the poor spelling of the word "plagiarism" in the headline.

[onyx]

Webb's really smart, huh? LOL

[top 2 toe red]

ROFLMAO! Not saying he did, but, if he did, I think it's brilliant. Beating the Dims at their own game any way you want to do it is NOT something that I am opposed to.

[areafiftyone]

Exactly what I said in my post #6

[freespirited]

Somebody do a screen capture on Webb's site -- QUICK!! As soon as he realizes he is making an ass of himself he will pull it.

Done! I have preserved this macaca for perpetuity.

[msnimje]

Allen had hopes of running for President. This is the worst I have seen since M.L.King plagiarized his doctoral dissertation verbatim.But then we avert our gaze on that theft. Maybe we will here too.

What are you talking about? Senator get together and Co-sponsor bills all the time. This is how they get bipartisan support.

[linda_22003]

Multiple sponsorship is common, and often has representation from both sides.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Since he was the sponsor of the bill, how could he plagiarize it?

[msnimje]

Multiple sponsorship is common, and often has representation from both sides.

Yeah, I do not understand the attempt to call it theft. Webb obviously has no idea what it is Senator's do for a living or how they do it.

[CFC__VRWC]

Explain why Durbin isn't all over every network screaming about how Allen "plagerized" his bill if this story is true. He's had three days to do so, according to the date on this release.

And then please tell us how much the Webb campaign is paying you to troll Free Republic.

[areafiftyone]

I JUST CHECKED DURBINS WEBSITE - ITS NOT CALLED THE DURBIN ALLEN BILL BUT HE MENTIONS ALLEN ON HIS PRESS RELEASE

SENATE PASSES BIPARTISAN DURBIN AMENDMENT TO FULLY FUND BRAIN INJURY TREATMENT