Cheney leaving as he arrived?

In the early days of the Bush presidency, Vice President Dick Cheney came under attack for drafting a national energy policy in secret. Now, as the Bush presidency winds down, Cheney is again coming under attack for his behind-the-scenes efforts to play down the threats of global warming in order to thwart regulation of greenhouse gas emissions.
 
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who chairs the Senate Environment Committee, leveled the attack today, accusing the vice president and other administration officials of "recklessly" seeking to censor testimony about the dangers of global warming and working behind the scenes to block new regulation.

"This cover-up is being directed from the White House and the office of the vice president," she said.

Joining her at a Capitol Hill news conference was a former high-ranking Environmental Protection Agency official, Jason Burnett, who said he had been told by the vice president’s office -– he declined to give a name -– to change testimony highlighting the threat of greenhouse gas emissions.

He said that he also sent the White House an e-mail finding that greenhouse gas emissions pose a threat but shortly thereafter, "I was asked to send a follow-up note saying that the e-mail had been sent in error."

Boxer said she believes that the testimony from Burnett, whom she plans to bring before her committee later this month, will help California and other states overcome Bush administration opposition to implementing their own vehicle emission standards.

Burnett acknowledged that he has contributed to Democratic candidates but said, "Following the law and responding to the Supreme Court is not a partisan issue." The court ruled last year that greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, were subject to federal regulation.

Cheney's spokeswoman, Lea Anne McBride, was ready with a response: "We won't discuss internal deliberations."

The issues Boxer raised reflected only the most recent escalation in a fight between congressional Democrats and the White House over a number of the administration's actions relating to the environment. Recently, the White House invoked executive privilege in refusing to turn over documents to a congressional committee investigating EPA's decision to deny California permission to implement its own vehicle emission standards.

-- Richard Simon

Photo credit: Regelio V. Solis / Associated Press

Comments

[Gina]

Meanwhile, the US subjugation and colonization of Iraq is official and complete. Iraq's national security adviser Mouwaffak al-Rubaie today said the US must propose, by December 31, a timetable for troop withdrawal. Bush flips the bird at Mouwaffak al-Rubaie and says absolutely no timetable; troops will stay indefinitely and the Iraqis have no say in the matter. If Iraq is a sovereign nation and has decided the troops should leave, yet Bush says they must stay, then we're not "liberators," we're conquerors.

Slimebucket Corrupt Crook

[can you see it]

Guilty. hang'm at high noon!

[John Shermer]

Cheney is an evil troll and he smells bad.

[Clark]

If I had his heart and were Cheney's age, it'd be easier to dismiss global warming.....but not much easier.

[Samuel]

Good for VP Cheney! He's an avid fly fisherman and hunter and with more interest in seeing the earth's atmosphere is protected than Boxer.

Global warming is another scam to get people to buy different sorts of products that are called "green". Global warming is just a huge lie.

[Alex Johnson]

States can levy all the restrictions they want.. But why state governments then think it's the Federal Government's responsibility to pay for the State decisions is beyond me (Federal road funds, education, loss of productivity due to state environmental policies, etc).

If a state wants to ban all cars, fine. Just don't ask the other states (& Federal government) to pay for your mass transit (or the loss of jobs from businesses fleeing your policies).

[jjake]

barbra baby the last 30 years you democracks have stopped managing our forests for production, but for forest fires. you have bankrupt nuclear facilites, you have stopped building new refineries, and drilling for oil. its now time to take our country back. we will tell you what we think in November. we don't want or need kerry, kenndey, scummer, waxman, peloski, reid cant well, murray to keep tearing this natiion apart. capitalism built this great country USA and capitalism will take it back. just so you know what I'm saying you democracks energy policy stinks.

[Aaron]

Good for him. Global warming is a crock.

[tapper]

But there's so much more that Cheney and his lackeys are doing that aren't addressed here. For example, why not look into "fracking" of the Marcellus Shale beds in the midwest and northeast. "Fracking” involves injecting water, sand and extremely toxic chemicals into the shale layer in order to drive gas out of the shale deposits. Fracking is destroying nature preserves, water supplies and more ... sad that this administration pushes to keep things like this out of the public eye and under the radar.

Wow attack a Vice president of the United States. Great

[anonymous]

The Bush administration supports Yucca Mountain, killing whales with sonar, and offshosre drilling. It opposes stricter standards for emssions by both big oil and big auto. It is disgusting!

[Smith]

He should be behind bars in Guantanamo Bay.

[Steve Mehr]

the global warming front put up by democrats is a bunch of bologna and everyone knows it. Research says if anything Humans (that means the world, not just America) contribute no more than 2% of the total carbon in the atmosphere. so i guess paying trillions to cut human emissions down 10% is worth it? 10% of 2%? wrong! do you guys really think that will do anything. meanwhile you think china cares about global warming? Russia? nope they dont, so while they gain more economic power we have stupid liberals politicians that believe they are scientists scaring pushovers like yourselves into believing it is this amazing problem. 40 billion dollars has been put into the research of proving global warming is a problem and there still is no certainty. 16 million (yes only 16 million) has been put to disproving this and even with little amount money it is contending the 40 billion. i guess though you would need a lot of money to try to change truth. we can thank people like gore (again, not a scientist) for the wastes of money.

[Bob Gillie]

Environmentalists will sound better to me when they start supporting Nuclear Power Generation and the Yucca Mountain storage project.

Finally SOMEONE has the Balls to try to counter the LIE.

[Richard from AZ]

"Global Warming" is worst in Arizona in the summer

If the White House has nothing to hide, they shouldn't hide it to just to defend executive privilege on principle. Twisted. Cheney wouldn't tell Congress what he ate for breakfast that morning.

Maybe because it was baby bones, 'cause he's a troll.

[rjw]

A terrific fly fisher no doubt - surely far better than hunter, I hope (as is, I'm sure his friend with a face full of the VPs shot). I have to admit I'm having trouble buying "green" products having lost my job in the economy this criminal gang has fostered for us and especially in light of the money I have to spend on the product this cabal would prefer that we gorge ourselves on.

[Mr Truth]

Whose is going to rein in these corporate fascist pigs? They OWN 99% of the media, the courts are heavely stacked with corrupt corporate sympathizers and the flood gate of illegals are steeling EVERY job in sight.... NOT just 'lettuce' picking jobs..

Cheney and this administration are so obviously anti-american. But they wear nicle flag lapel pins to dupe all the simple rubes out there.

Where #1..... NOT! We are the #1 most evil nation on the planet. Hitler had nothing on this administration.

[Charles Johnson]

This country (USA) has some of the best politicians money can buy!
Earth now! We'll mine the other planets later!

[AJ]

Samuel, you must be living in a cave somewhere to make such an illogical and isane statement!
From what you are saying that makes it sound like all of the worlds scientist are hooked to a green product and trying to get you to buy it. You are another one of those people who can't believe what is in front of your face. Cheney doesn't give a rip about anything but himself and how to get more contracts and money to companies he has contacts with or has stake in behind the scenes. He shoud never been elected to the V.P.'s post period.

[Devil in Hell]

Come on down, Dick. I's saving a special place for you.

[Alex]

Yes, and he is probably behind the "research" showing that oil is not finite, but is being created deep within the earth by unknown chemical processes.

[Steve]

Just the latest...I'm confident that once these pair are out of office we'll find more than enough to bring them to trial. At least you can rest assured that they will not likely be traveling outside the U.S. much for fear of arrest after being indicted by The Hague.