Oil Executives Left U.S. Senate Unscathed
http://www.sptimes.ru/story/16113
Senator John Sununu (Republican, $64,480) praised
the executives for being “very reasonable.” He said
the industry’s profits are big “because they are
very big companies,” and he argued against higher taxes
on their profits.
From the start, the ferocity of the questioning seemed
to come in inverse proportion to the amount of industry
funds a questioner had received.
When Energy Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (Republican, $102,190)
announced that he would not require the executives to
give their testimony under oath, Senator Maria Cantwell (Democrat, $9,400)
asked for a vote on the issue. Stevens shot back:
“There will be no vote . . . It’s the decision of the chairman,
and I have made that decision.”
“I move that we swear in witnesses,” Cantwell persisted.
“I second the motion,” said Senator Barbara Boxer (Democrat, $9,450).
“That’s the last we’re going to hear about that,
because it’s out of order,” a piqued Stevens replied.
When the two women continued their protest, the chairman
informed them that “I intend to be respectful of the
position that these gentlemen hold.”
Stevens did not fail in this goal. When Boxer later
displayed a large chart showing the executives’ pay,
Stevens cut her off.
“We’ll stop the clock right here for you, Senator,”
Stevens said, ordering the chart taken down because it
was not “information that pertains to our issue.”
From the audience, a woman called out: “How about the consumers?”
When the same woman later let out a cheer, Stevens threatened
to “clear the room.”
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