Posted on 12/24/2002 7:26:58 PM PST by FreeSpeechZone
Rep. Pombo pursues key resources post Tracy Congressman seeks to head panel on water, logging, mining
WASHINGTON -- He hasn't been there the longest. He hasn't pushed through the most bills.
But Rep. Richard Pombo is mounting what insiders call the most aggressive campaign in Congress to become the next Republican in charge of steering the nation's mining, logging, endangered species and water use policies, along with a host of other divisive land use issues.
A former rancher from Tracy who is perhaps best known for the cowboy hat he wears in congressional photographs, Pombo is the popular favorite among property rights activists to chair the House Resources Committee.
He has openly vied for the job ever since current chairman Rep. James Hansen, R-Utah, announced his retirement last year, and his advocates have kept up a steady stream of lobbying on his behalf.
It could be paying off.
"Pombo looks like he's been anointed by the leadership," said Myron Ebell, an environmental analyst with the conservative Competitive Enterprise Institute.
"If the leadership hasn't picked him yet, they're strongly leaning toward him," he said.
Pombo, who turns 41 next month was elected to Congress in 1992 and counts among his top accomplishments a consistent focus on reworking the Endangered Species Act to better protect property owners.
When asked about the race for chairman he said, "I feel real good about my chances. I feel pretty confident that I can do it, get the votes."
In fact, the field is still wide open. At least six politicians are in the running for the job, and none of the GOP kingmakers have openly promised away their votes.
Nor have they named Pombo or anyone else as a front-runner in the race. The vote count, which will be taken in early January, is closely guarded. Even after the vote, lawmakers themselves rarely find out the tallies.
"This is like electing the Pope," said Mike Hardiman, a property rights lobbyist and one-time Pombo aide who has been pulling hard for his former boss.
He noted that Pombo created a congressional task force on private property rights and founded a congressional caucus to address western land and water issues. He also credited Pombo with reducing funding for federal land acquisition.
Perhaps equally important, Hardiman said, are the things Pombo has done behind the scenes -- like travel annually to the districts of powerful lawmakers such as House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and House Whip Roy Blunt, R-Ind. -- to meet with agricultural leaders, lending to them his credibility as someone who intimately understands the needs of farmers and ranchers.
"He's done things for dozens of other members and never asked for anything in return up 'til now," Hardiman said.
One thing Pombo hasn't done is successfully steer bills on pet issues into law.
While some of his legislation, like a recent bill to require the Fish and Wildlife Service to peer-review studies before declaring a species endangered, have made it through the Resources Committee, few bills have even made it to the House floor for a vote.
"None of the candidates for the chairmanship has successfully passed any significant legislation," Ebell acknowledged.
But both he and Hardiman insisted it's the consistency of Pombo's work that counts.
"He's changed the debate dramatically. Ten years ago taking on the ESA was like taking on social security. It was like the third rail. Has he passed a law? No, he has not. Has he done the massive preparatory work of changing the basic public perception of that law? Yes, he has."
Pombo's dedication to that cause has won him the loyal backing of farmers, ranchers and others who feel the federal government owns too much land and has too much control over private property.
Chuck Cushman, director of the American Land Rights Association, praised Pombo as "a real farmer. He's a real guy with his hands dirty. He ran for Congress based on private property issues. It's not one of his issues, it's a major issue."
The Sierra Club, meanwhile, has branded Pombo an "eco-thug" and has accused him of catering to agribusiness in an attempt to decimate the Endangered Species Act.
In order for Pombo to nab the chairmanship, he will have to leapfrog over other lawmakers with far more seniority.
Seemingly at the top of the list is Rep. James Saxton, R-N.J., who will be serving his 10th congressional term. But analysts said other Republicans on the West-heavy committee would likely revolt at being led by an Eastern lawmaker who has won wide praise from environmental groups.
The League of Conservation Voters said Saxton cast environmentally friendly votes on 59 percent of the key issues in the 107th Congress, compared to 9 percent for Pombo.
Contact Lisa Friedman at lisafriedman@angnewspapers.net .
Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Oxnard, this week said the GOP leadership had cut a deal to take Saxton out of the running. According to lobbyists, Saxton will be offered the leadership of an important Armed Services Committee panel and will become, in the words of one insider, "Mr. Homeland Security."
"That would make me the senior person on the committee," said Gallegly, who has served on the Resources Committee 16 years and mentioned his seniority as a key part of his resume for the job. Also widely talked about as a top contender is Rep. John Duncan, R-Tenn.
Were Pombo to be chosen, the decision would likely ignite controversy among more senior lawmakers. Rep. Joel Hefley, R-Colo., the fourth most senior member on the committee, already raised concerns in a letter to House leaders.
In statements to the Associated Press Hefley said of Pombo, "I don't see any reason at all why he'd think he's eligible for this. ... There's a lot of good people ahead of him and good people ahead of me."
Pombo agreed that seniority is important. But, he argued, "When you look at what I've done on the committee, I think that outweighs seniority."
Also mentioned for the position are Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Riverside, and Barbara Cubin, R-Wyo.
"Every week it's a different name," said Melinda Pierce, director of the Sierra Club's lands program.
She said she wouldn't be surprised if Pombo was tapped.
"Pombo is the perfect person to follow in the rich tradition of (former chairmen) Don Young and Jim Hansen," she said. She did not mean it as a compliment.
"If it's Richard Pombo, he's made it very clear that he's no friend of the Endangered Species Act. If Richard Pombo is in fact anointed chair, you will see a very directed assault at the Endangered Species Act. That's top on his agenda."
Hot digget-ty!
-PJ
Send him a message of support.
We'll log the other planets later. ;^}
For those interested in some quotes by Sierra club watermelons (Green on the outside, Red on the inside) and other wackos, check out this :
Green Terror: The Misanthropic Roots of The Environmentalist Religion
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/707868/posts
Pod! You should be busy with fudge, presents and holiday cheer...what ARE we doing talking politics, today? Guess some things will never change...AIN'T IT GREAT!!! God Bless you, have a wonderful Christmas.
Guys, "Senority" in the Senate and House is old codgers "going along to get along". Those with senotity are most lkely close to being RINOs if they aren't. We NEED someone to challenge the EPA! Merrty Christmas. Peace and love, George.
He is to be supported. 'Pod
Well that settles it. He needs to be da man!
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