Culture of Corruption: Obama and His Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks, and Cronies (55 page)

79
Michael A. Fletcher and Philip Rucker, “Obama to Add GOP’s LaHood to Cabinet,”
Washington Post
, December 18, 2008; available online at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/17/AR2008121703483.html
[accessed April 13, 2009].

80
William Neikirk and Judith Graham, “Illinois congressmen push child health plan,”
Chicago Tribune
, February 16, 2007; available online at:
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2007/feb/16/health/chi-0702160176feb16
[accessed April 13, 2009].

81
Craig S. O’Connell, “Mineta Unveils Bush Plan of Attack on Amtrak,” Light Rail Now! February 2005; available online at:
http://www.lightrailnow.org/features/f_amtrak_2005-02.htm
[accessed April 13, 2009].

82
Carol D. Leonnig, “LaHood Sponsored Millions in Earmarks,”
Washington Post
, January 14, 2009; available online at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/01/14/ST2009011402310.html
. [accessed April 13, 2009].

83
“Obama’s Secretary of Earmarks,”
Wall Street Journal
, December 26, 2008; available online at:
http://online.wsj.com/article/
SB12302 5488582034591.html [accessed April 13, 2009].

84
Carol D. Leonnig, “LaHood Sponsored Millions in Earmarks,” op cit.

85
John Kass, “Governor waxes poetic, but Combine rolls on,”
Chicago Tribune
, December 20, 2008; available online at:
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/dec/20/news/chi-kass-bddeadmeatdec21
[accessed April 13, 2009].

86
Tim Novak, Dave Mckinney and Chris Fusco, “Who is William Cellini?”
Chicago Sun-Times
, October 31, 2008; available online at:
http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/1252597,CST-NWSPROFILE31. article
[accessed April 13, 2009].

87
Impeached former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s criminal indictment; available online at:
http://www.slideshare.net/LegalDocs/findlaw-blagojevich-indictment
[accessed April 13, 2009].

88
Citizens Against Government Waste, “CAGW Names Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Porker of the Month,” Porker of the Month, January 2009; available online at:
http://www.cagw.org/site/Page-Server?pagename=news_porkerofthemonth_2009_Jan
[accessed April 13, 2009].

89
“Obama to Nominate First Black EPA Chief,” DiversityInc, December 15, 2008; available online at:
http://www.diversityinc.com//files/05/14/20/f051420/public/4968.cfm
[accessed April 13, 2009].

90
Brad Heath and Blake Morrison, “EPA nominee to focus on science not politics,”
USA Today
, January 15, 2009; available online at:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/environment/2009-01-14-epainside_N.htm
[accessed April 13, 2009].

91
Cited in Dave Burdick, “EPA Chief Pick’s Record Raises Eyebrows,”
Huffington Post
, December 15, 2008; available online at:
http://m.huffpost.com/top/14288/full/%3Bjsessionid=487E63004B9B438723FC3F70A42AA460.test
[accessed April 13, 2009].

92
“EPA Report Blasts New Jersey Toxic Clean-Ups—State Failures to Enforce Law Lead to Worst Delays in the Country,” Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, June 19, 2008; available online at:
http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1068
[accessed April 13, 2009].

93
Carol Ann Campbell, “Feds accept guilty pleas in Superfund kickbacks,”
NJ.com
, July 23 2008; available online at:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/07/feds_accept_guilty_pleas_in_su.html
[accessed April 13, 2009].

94
“N.J. Industrial Pipes Supply Company and Its Co-Owner Plead Guilty to Fraud at Two N.J. Superfund Sites,” PR Newswire, March 4, 2009; available online at:
http://www.redorbit.com/news/
business /1649228/nj_industrial_pipes_supply_company_and_its_coowner_pl ead_guilty/ [accessed April 13, 2009].

95
Christine Hall, “Statement on Nomination of Lisa Jackson to EPA Administrator,” Competitive Enterprise Institute, January 13, 2008; available online at:
http://cei.org/node/21486
[accessed April 13, 2009].

CHAPTER 5

1
Letter from Senator Robert Byrd to President Barack Obama, February 23, 2009; available online at:
http://www.eenews.net//files/05/14/20/f051420/public/25/9865/features/documents/2009/02/25/document_gw_02.pdf
[accessed March 27, 2009].

2
Tom LoBianco, “Senators ponder vetting czar Browner,”
Washington Times
, January 19, 2009; available online at:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/19/senators-ponder-vetting-czar-browner/
[accessed March 27, 2009].

3
Tom Hamburger and Christi Parsons, “White House czars’ power stirs criticism,”
Chicago Tribune
, March 5, 2009; available online at:
www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-czars_for_thursmar05,0,885860.story
[accessed March 27, 2009].

4
Byrd letter, op cit.

5
Ian Talley, “EPA Set to Move Toward Carbon-Dioxide Regulation,”
Wall Street Journal
, February 23, 2009; available online at:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123531391527642021.html
[accessed March 27, 2009].

6
Tom LoBianco, “Obama climate plan could cost $2 trillion,”
Washington Times
, March 18, 2009; available online at:
http://washington-times.com/news/2009/mar/18/obama-climate-plan-could-cost-2-trillion/
[accessed March 27, 2009].

7
“Browner is an environmental radical - and a socialist (seriously),”
Washington Examiner
, January 8, 2009; available online at:
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/Browner_is_an_environmental_radical__and_a_socialist_seriously_010809.html
[accessed March 27, 2009].

8
Michelle Malkin, “The Trouble with Obama’s Energy Czar,”
Human Events
, December 12, 2008; available online at:
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=29896
.

9
John Solomon, “EPA Head Browner Asked for Computer Files to Be Deleted,” Associated Press, June 29, 2001.

10
Ibid.

11
Michelle Malkin, “Crooked Carol Browner: Obama’s Ethically-Challenged Energy Czar,”
michellemalkin.com
, December 12, 2008; available online at:
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/12/12/crooked-carol-browner-obamas-ethically-challenged-energy-czar/
.

12
Ibid.

13
“Judge Lamberth’s Contempt Order Against the EPA,” posted by Landmark Legal Foundation, July 24, 2003; available online at:
http://www.landmarklegal.org/uploads/jl1.htm
[accessed March 28, 2009].

14
John H. Cushman Jr., “E.P.A. Chief Is Accused Of Lobbying,”
New York Times
, March 4, 1995; available online at:
http://www.nytimes.com/1995/03/04/us/epa-chief-is-accused-of-lobbying.html
[accessed March 28, 2009].

15
Kathy Shaidle, “The Rule of the Green Czar,”
FrontPage Magazine
, January 16, 2009; available online at:
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=B733BA80-D8A2-42FD-8859-C15F36C5A6A1
[accessed March 28, 2009].

16
Max Schulz, “Browner and Greener,”
National Review Online
, December 11, 2008; available online at:
http://article.nationalreview.com/print/?q=NWQyZWEzOWQ3MTRhOTYxMzZjNDlkYTg5NzdhODRmOWM=
[accessed March 28, 2009].

17
Brad Haynes and T. W. Farnam, “Browner’s Husband Lobbied on Energy Issues,”
Wall Street Journal
, December 11, 2008; available online at:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122903665464999775.html
[accessed March 28. 2009].

18
Charlie Savage and David Kirkpatrick, “Spousal Ties to Lobbying Test a Vow From Obama,”
New York Times
, December 14, 2008; available online at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/15/us/politics/15lobby.html
[accessed March 28, 2009].

19
The web site for Downey’s lobbying firm, Downey McGrath Group Inc., states that the firm no longer accepts energy or environment-related work before the Executive Branch or the Congress. See
http://www.dmggroup.com/clients.htm
[accessed March 28, 2009].

20
Josh Barbanel, “An Embattled Downey Defends His Record,”
New York Times
, October 31, 1992; available online at:
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/31/nyregion/an-embattled-downey-defends-his-record.html
[accessed March 28, 2009].

21
Allison Mitchell, “For One Lawmaker, Allure of Capital Had Double-Edge,”
New York Times
, November 8, 1992; available online at:
http://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/08/nyregion/for-one-lawmaker-allure-of-capital-had-double-edge.html?
[accessed March 28, 2009].

22
Robin Shulman, “White House Urban Affairs Chief Picked,”
Washington Post
, February 20, 2009; available online at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/19/AR2009021903148.html
[accessed March 28, 2009].

23
“Executive Order: Establishment of the White House Office of Urban Affairs,” The White House, February 19, 2009; available online at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Executive-Order-Establishment-of-the-White-House-Office-of-Urban-Affairs/
[accessed March 28, 2009].

24
Benjamin Lesser and Greg B. Smith, “Buildings sprang up as donations rained down on Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion,”
New York Daily News
, March 1, 2009; available online at:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/bronx/2009/02/28/2009-02-28_buildings_sprang_up_as_donations_rained_.html
[accessed March 28, 2009].

25
Ibid.

26
Ibid.

27
Robert Gearty and Greg B. Smith, “White House urban czar Adolfo Carrion OKd architect Hugo Subotovsky’s Bronx plans,”
New York Daily News
, March 12, 2009; available online at:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/03/12/2009-03-12_white_house_ urban_czar_adolfo_carrion_ok.html
[accessed March 28, 2009].

28
“Press Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs,” The White House, March 11, 2009; available online at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Briefing-by-WH-Press-Secretary-Gibbs-3-11-09/
[accessed March 28, 2009].

29
Benjamin Lesser, “Obama appointee Adolfo Carrión spent big on lavish staff retreats in Bronx,”
New York Daily News
, March 15, 2009; available online at:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/bronx/2009/03/15/2009-03-15_obama_appointee_adolfo_ carrin_spent_big_.html
[accessed March 28, 2009].

30
Ibid.

31
Thomas DeFrank, “Adolfo Carrión stepping down as President Obama’s urban czar for lesser job with HUD,”
New York Daily News
, May 4, 2010; available online at:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/05/04/2010-05-04_carrioacuten_moves_over_to_hud_job.html
[accessed May 17, 2010].

32
Mary Clare Leury, “Journalists Living Large,”
Washingtonian
, January 29, 2007; available online at:
http://www.washingtonian.com/blogarticles/Homes/openhouse/3247.html
[accessed March 28, 2009].

33
Significantly, DeParle simultaneously sat on the board of directors of DaVita and served on MedPAC at the time that MedPAC recommended a change in Medicare regulations favorable to dialysis providers—a change championed by the president and CEO of DaVita Inc.

34
Andrew Zajac, “Health czar has deep ties to industry,”
Chicago Tribune
, March 29, 2009; available online at:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-deparlemar29,0,7090806.story
[accessed March 29, 2009].