Elections have consequences. So apparently does dissent--even for Republicans.
Peter King the Republican chairman of the Homeland Security committee, has had his March Department of Defense junket to Iraq and the Middle East scuttled.
Representative Peter T. King's prominent opposition to a proposal to allow a Dubai company to take over some terminal operations at American ports may have earned him some punishment from the Bush administration: He has been grounded.
You've got to think these goons are feeling the walls closing in when they resort to this:
Mr. King, the New York Republican who is chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, confirmed Friday that a few days after he first threatened legislation to hold up the port deal, the Pentagon informed him that it could not provide an aircraft for his planned March Congressional delegation to Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East.
Who's in charge of assigning aircraft for congressional junkets?
A Feb. 22 e-mail notice to Mr. King's office said the legislative affairs branch of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's office had determined "they do not have any aircraft to support" the official trip to Baghdad and other points. "Please advise if the CODEL will now pursue commercial air," it concluded, referring to the Congressional trip. Mr. King said he did not know if the paucity of aircraft was related to his leading role in the port dispute, but he was suspicious.
But still being a loyal soldier, King didn't want this story to get out.
"It is very coincidental," said Mr. King, who talked reluctantly when pressed about the canceled trip, which had first been unintentionally disclosed by another lawmaker. Mr. King said that he did not intend to make an issue out of it or allow it to affect his stance in the port dispute.
Let's ask Mr. King and company who will now be flying commercial, like the rest of us, whether they'll be traveling coach or first class at taxpayer expense.
Two Congressional leadership aides, who would only speak anonymously because of the nature of the dispute, said Friday that some Congressional trips had been held up because of security concerns or a lack of aircraft, but the aides said they were surprised Mr. King's trip could not be accommodated.
You can read the entire story here:
http://www.nytimes.com/...