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Posted on 04/27/2012 3:51:05 PM PDT by Libloather
House GOP wants to haul EPA official before Congress over 'crucify' comments
By Andrew Restuccia - 04/27/12 06:12 PM ET
House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans want an Environmental Protection Agency official to testify on his 2010 comments comparing enforcement of air pollution laws to crucifixion.
Republicans pounced this week on EPA Region 6 Administrator Al Armendariz’s comments soon after Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) drew attention to them in a Wednesday floor speech.
The comments quickly became the subject of a GOP campaign to blast the Obama administration’s environmental policies, with Republicans arguing in a stream of media interview and statements that the EPA is unfairly targeting oil and gas companies.
“[T]he Committee anticipates that it will request your presence at a hearing in the near future to examine enforcement priorities and practices of the agency,” the committee Republicans wrote to Armendariz in a letter Friday.
The letter notes that the committee invited Armendariz to testify at a field hearing in Texas last year, but EPA clean air chief Gina McCarthy testified in his place.
The lawmakers suggest that they would consider subpoenaing Armendariz if he declines to testify.
“As this will be our second request to have you appear before our Committee, and in light of the seriousness of the concerns that need to be addressed, the Committee is prepared to use all authorities at its disposal to ensure your attendance,” the letter says.
The letter also seeks information about the agency’s enforcement practices.
“While you have apologized for these comments, there is genuine concern that your comments reflect the agency’s overall enforcement philosophy,” the letter says. “The recently dismissed enforcement action against Range Resources is a concrete example of this concern. In light of this concern, we seek to examine how enforcement policies are being developed and implemented in your region.”
EPA officials have insisted that Armendariz’s comments do not reflect the agency’s enforcement philosophy.
Armendariz apologized for the comments Thursday, shortly after Inhofe brought them up.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson called the comments “disappointing” Friday. But she declined to say whether the official would be fired or face any disciplinary action, saying the agency "will continue to review" the situation.
A steady stream of Republicans have called on Armendariz to resign or be fired. Seven House lawmakers pressed EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to fire Armendariz in a letter Friday.
Rep. Jeff Landry (R-La.) introduced a House resolution later Friday calling on Armendariz to resign over the comments.
Inhofe released a 2010 video Wednesday of Armendariz comparing his enforcement philosophy to that of Roman soldiers who crucified villagers in towns they wanted to conquer. He made the comments after calling the oil-and-gas sector an "enforcement priority."
“I was in a meeting once and I gave an analogy to my staff about my philosophy of enforcement. And I think it was probably a little crude, and maybe not appropriate for the meeting, but I’m going to tell you what I said,” Armendariz says in the video.
“It is kind of like how the Romans used to conquer the villages in the Mediterranean — they’d go into a little Turkish town somewhere and they’d find the first five guys they saw and they’d crucify them. Then that town was really easy to manage for the next few years.”
Armendariz continued: “And so, you make examples out of people who are, in this case, not complying with the law. You find people who are not complying with the law and you hit them as hard as you can and you make examples out of them. There’s a deterrent effect there. And companies that are smart see that. They don’t want to play that game and they decide at that point that it’s time to clean up. And that won’t happen unless you have somebody out there making examples of people.”
The video was removed from YouTube on Friday.
EPA’s enforcement division works with the Department of Justice and other agencies to bring civil and criminal legal actions against companies accused of violating environmental laws, such as the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.
After waiting two years? Why apologize?
What the H? Henry “Nostrilitis” Waxman and John Conyers used to drag everyone before Congress all the time, for anything and everything. Boehner has no guts. Keeps a lid on his obys (Issa et al)
Didn’t Mr. Halderman have a colorful comment about how to get someone’s attention? Remind me....
“Civility”. The commie ‘RATS are always whining that they want “civility”. Then along comes one of their braindead, incompetent pinheads who says something like this. I hope Congress “crucifies” him. I hate commie pigs like this madman. They are destroying our country.
I think they should crucify him.
I noticed the BRAVE Armandiaz (?) sent a woman out on tv to apolize for the EPA. Brave men the democrats have. Weenies!
ANYONE who agrees with this hippy dirtbag, Armendariz, needs to boycott all electricity companies and have all electrical connections to their home removed. IOW, go back to the Stone Age.
Lots of educated Mexicans are like that, as are their first cousins in the United States.
McCain actually hired one of them to advise him (and us) on Hispanic grievances.
Send Him Back!
Obviously we need to check these guys' IDs on sight!
Like Issa and Grassly and fast and furious.
The Republicans only use these scandals to gain political points to make sure they continue to control other peoples money, live lavish privileged lifestyles, and of course maintain private tables at all DCs finest restaurants.
When am I going to see some arrests. Answer, never.
Term Limits, NOW.
But that doesn't mean he shouldn't be crucified ~
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He's done more than just talk nasty. He's shut down oil and gas companies in Texas with EPA regs and leftist thuggery. He's hurt people and their families by taking away their livelihood. He's a leftist thug. We need to get something on this punk and hand him a felony conviction, financial ruin, and permanent ban from any public sector job.
We have MUST take the gloves off with these people. Apologies are not going to cut it. They must be punished severely. We need to start making examples out of these freedom hating radicals. Trust me they don't give a crap about you or your families needs.
WOW!
That's gonna' be some party ~ those Mexicans always got a lot of them.
(Bet by now that ol'boy is sorry he ever said "Crucify")
I wish that were true but the reality is the next stop for this Marxist creep is likely an even higher paying do nothing government job.
Just for kicks it would be an eye opener for the American people to publicize how much the taxpayers are paying this jackass. I bet it's over 150k with lifelong benefits and retirement as early as age 55.
I have a term for leftists like this. They are Non-American Citizens. Meaning they are citizens of the US but they are NOT Americans.
Harsh I know but it's the truth. It's time we realize these left wing kooks are actually hurting people.
Obama has an endless supply of these faggy university profs who want to impede the real producers in America who go out there and hump it in the private sector. In this case the oil and gas industry. These administrator types make me sick. Cass Sunnstien is their guru
You have love this wuss’s tough talk where in his mind he is a merciless Roman conqueror
Qualifying for the system takes only 5 years, but you only get 1% of your high three per year over your period of employment (if you retire before 62) or 1.1% if you retire at 62 or after.
This guy would probably still be well under 10% of his high 3, so even if he'd been making $186,000 per year, his retirement would be $18,600 per annum. Go here to see the cold hard facts of federal retirement: http://www.opm.gov/retire/pre/fers/computation.asp#hi3
A "failed crucifixion" that left him alive but badly maimed would qualify him for a disability retirement ~ something most folks would prefer not having if they could avoid it.
I"d expect him to object strenuously to not getting the full treatment.
I'm not sure where you are getting a federal worker who makes 186k would only get 18k per year. That's just nonsense. These guys are soaking the taxpayers at an unbelievable rate.
Try to "qualify" for retirement in the private sector and guess what? You can't qualify for something that does not exist. We in the private sector have to PAY FOR OUR OWN RETIREMENT and pay for all those in government.
I know someone in a typical federal government job. He is making over 200k and will retire soon with a pension greater than most people make while they are working. He is not yet 50 years old!
This system simply can't continue and it won't.
And you know that from reading the articles and discussions about them right here on FreeRepublic.
The claim was that private sector workers, on average, made half or less than the average federal employee ~ and that didn't include the military or postal workers in the mix.
Turns out that your average lawyer makes more in private practice than does the average government lawyer (just for example), and it's the same for physicians, research chemists, and so forth.
Plus, the federal government has only 1 CEO while the private sector has 7 million CEOs, and none of those salaries were included in the computations.
The result was you ended up comparing department store sales clerks against military analysts ~ which is just crazy talk.
But let's go further, federal workers don't get to pad salary in key years to drive up retirement payout ~ that's pretty much a state and municipal trickbag so you'll need to address your comments to those guys, not the federales.
For salary information check out http://www.opm.gov/oca/12tables/html/ex.asp ~ an Executive Level I, the very highest federal salary level, is $199,000 per annum.
That's applicable to Cabinet Secretaries.
You may also wish to consider http://apps.opm.gov/SpecialRates/2012/IndexByOccupations.aspx which goes occupation by occupation.
Now, back to your point which was that you just don't understand how a guy earning $186,000 per year would end up with an $18,600 a year pension? I explained it to you and provided a reference to the system computation. First of all, that guy would need to work 100 years (covered by the FERS system) to get 100% of his high 3 at retirement ~
That means he's going to earn a lot less since he's only been a federal government employee for less than 10 years. if he gets fired now, he can't collect on any of it until he is 62 years of age!
Yes, federal employee retiree benefits just aren't what they're cracked up to be by the uninformed!
Then you'd really pay for it. The old disability retirement system left you with 75% of your current salary, untaxed until age 62! The new system is less generous, but not by much.
I suppose he could put his "Nails" on tour with a Leftwingtard "Geek show" and make a few extra bucks on the deal.
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