(Rep.) Miller (R-Calif.) helped free land for a business partner

[quaoar]

http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/033006/news2.html

By Susan Crabtree

Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.) pushed for a provision in last year’s transportation bill that allowed the city of Rialto, Calif., to shut down its airport.

By doing so, he paved the way for his business partner, Lewis Operating Corp., one of his top campaign contributors, to buy the land from the city and make plans to build Renaissance, a community consisting of 2,500 homes, parks and 80 acres of retail space on the former airport property and adjacent land.

Normally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has sole authority to close airports.

“This is the first time … an airport has been closed through the legislative process,” said FAA spokesman Hank Price. “We follow Congress’s direction.”

[rodeodance]

1. “Even if it’s legal, it’s horribly unseemly,”

Miller denied that his actions created a conflict of interest.

“There was no quid pro quo,” he said.

But Theis Finlev, a policy advocate for Common Cause, argues that members of Congress must go out of their way to avoid using their offices to benefit private business partners directly, especially if they also are major campaign contributors.

“Even if it’s legal, it’s horribly unseemly,” Finlev said about Miller’s work to shut down the airport. “It’s not something that inspires confidence in the political process, and should not happen.”

[depakid]

2. There are just no bounds to the corruption

and influence peddling anymore. None.

Republicans will say and do anything- and people will keep right on voting them in.

[quaoar]

5. It really does depress you

if you dwell on it.

[salin]

3. his BUSINESS PARTNER, as well as a top campaign contributor

I would be looking into the nature of the business partnership, and if there was anyway the congressman's "business interests" were helped - in which case there is a huge case of conflict of interest, and personal enrichment via the elected office.

[cleofus1]

4. crook

>cough< crook....

[WhiteTara]

6. Call this repuke and let him know

he's been unmasked and that you don't like what he's done and is doing. Here's is page
http://www.house.gov/garymiller/district.html

[WhiteTara]

7. I just called and let his staffer know

the staffer was shocked of course, but I assured him that he couldn't hide, that we were going to unmask every bandit in the bunch.

[quaoar]

8. Good for you!

Where in California is this bozo's district anyway?

[WhiteTara]

9. southern

most of the real wackos are in the southern part of the state. But do call, it's quite fun. His phone numbers are listed at the bottom of the page I sent.

[Supersedeas]

10. another Pubby abuse of office - when will it end?

[0rganism]

11. was it quid pro quo, or just quo for the hell of it?

I can never tell with the GOPers anymore. It's like a cute little game to them.