seems the k street project now goes to eleven (somehow a spinal tap reference feels appropriate)...
appears the administration may be denying staff-level technical and relevant substantive experts to participate in the u.s. delegation to a telecom gathering in lta next week (that sentence has got to be greek to the vast majority of sane people out there). rumor has it (and, in light of having been privy to an as-yet-not-public wh quote earlier today, i s'pose this is probably no longer rumor), the administration is checking potential delegate rosters against recent campaign contribution lists. if you gave to the other side, you're sol. not sure what other lists might be getting checked, or which or how many other people might be facing similar blackballing from other activities.
what's wild, at least in terms of the delegation to the lta event, is that those being selected out are, again, staff level folk, working level types, e.g. the people who have the relevant private sector expertise and knowledge that gov't negotiators actually need to best achieve goals that will (perhaps someday) benefit u.s. industry, our economy, etc. let's face it, these are almost certainly not people who could or would somehow be disposed to subvert whatever critical national regional telecommunications priorities we might have. and, frankly, based on the nature of the unfortunately targeted, i don't have the feeling these folk could have given that much to the dems anyway. and yet, and apparently with some pride, the administration is reportedly acknowledging the blackballing (if, that is, the purported wh quote mentioned above is accurate).
don't get me wrong, i'm not taking a partisan position here, just expressing serious concern about what would appear to be wildly petty and painfully shortsighted antics - this would be the case regardless of whichever political stripes anyone (including the current administration) might be wearing.
more on this as it breaks...
2 comments:
So will the indictments against Mr. Delay make this better?
nah, or at least not necessarilly. in fact, it remains unclear what motivated last spring's citel-related shenanigans or to what extent the outcome was actually intended. indeed, rumor has it that the most recent citel delegation was approved without any similar unfortunate activity.
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