Shelby Tries to Shut Down US Senate to Benefit Foreign Company

[kpete]

Consider Richard Shelby’s decision to place holds on all of Obama’s nominees unless some federal money that may benefit Alabama gets released.

***** Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) has put an extraordinary “blanket hold” on at least 70 nominations President Obama has sent to the Senate, according to multiple reports this evening. The hold means no nominations can move forward unless Senate Democrats can secure a 60-member cloture vote to break it, or until Shelby lifts the hold.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/report-shelby-blocks-all-obama-nominations-in-the-senate-over-al-earmarks.php?ref=fpblg

The key issue is that Shelby wants the Air Force to tweak an RFP for refueling tankers so that Airbus (partnered with Northrup Grumman) would win the bid again over Boeing. The contract had been awarded in 2008, but the GAO found that the Air Force had erred in calculating the award. After the Air Force wrote a new contract in preparation to rebid the contract, Airbus calculated that it would not win the new bid, and started complaining. Now, Airbus is threatening to withdraw from the competition unless the specs in the RFP are revised.

Essentially, then, Shelby’s threat is primarily about gaming this bidding process to make sure Airbus–and not Boeing–wins the contract (there’s a smaller program he’s complaining about, too, but this is the truly huge potential bounty for his state).

....................

But underlying the refueling contract is the question of whether the US military ought to spend what may amount to $100 billion over the life of the contract with a foreign company, Airbus. Particularly a company that the WTO found preliminarily to be illegally benefiting from subsidies from European governments.

more:
http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2010/02/05/shelby-tries-to-shut-down-us-senate-to-benefit-foreign-company/

[madrchsod]

1. get used to it....

foreign companies/persons will be buying senators to get what they want.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. The American people should protest

but no, the sheep do not care

[madrchsod]

5. yes they should but they won`t.

most people are to busy trying to stay above the waterline.

[glinda]

7. Most people don't even know about this. This is the type of stuff the news needs to get out front.

This is why people do stupid things in voting or protesting at Tea Parties. They really do not understand. So what if we have the Internet. Stupid to think that all people read it or even have the time to read it. So many are ill informed in this Country and here is where the media could really push forward and help educate the Public.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. why is he supporting a foreign company (European) over an american company?

He not very patriotic! How much are they paying him?

Questions should be asked.

[nykym]

4. I find this reprehensable.

But why can't Obama just make the appointments during the next recess like shrub did?

[GoCubsGo]

6. Meanwhile, Schmuck Todd is discussing the new Heinz ketchup packets...

...and the Super Bowl. Yeah, those bets the politicians are making over a stupid game are much more important this. Uh huh.


Shaking my head in disgust...

[glinda]

8. They are required to cover some fluff to bring in viewers.

[City Lights]

12. Well their fluff cost them this viewer. nt

[glinda]

13. Fine. But it is part and parcel of the industry training. It is just the "amount".

[WhiteTara]

9. called Shelby's office...woman must be getting LOTS

of phone calls. Denied it was blanket, stated it was "several" all low level political appointees. I told her that if Shelby was so interested in National Security, he would make sure the department was fully staffed. I then stated I believed Shelby to be acting in a traitorous manner. She of course ended the phone call. But maybe they need a bit more love.
202 224-5744

[Overseas]

10. K&R. That's the GOP concept of bipartisanship.

Greedy Obstructionist Plutocrats in action.

[DemoTex]

11. Extort (transitive verb) .. Extortion (noun)

Extort: to obtain from a person by force, intimidation, or undue or illegal power.

Extortion: the act or practice of extorting especially money or other property; especially: the offense committed by an official engaging in such practice.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/netdict/extortion

Call it what it is. And call Shelby what he is: an extortionist.