AP: Gregg Bagged "At Least" 200K-600K from Earmarks

Yeah (0.00 / 0)

"At least" for sure ... who knows what else he and his family got away with. Where there is smoke, there is usually more fire ...

And this sheds so much more new light into Gregg's annual "Entitlements [not bloated and wasteful defense spending or corporate welfare] are bankrupting the future of our children" speech he does before the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce each and every year.

Why am I not surprised that Gregg is just another politician sitting at the trough? My question is, Why did he even toy, encourage, flirt with, whatever, with the nomination of Commerce Secy. if he knew there were these new reporting rules? He either didn't know or thought he could get away with it, which means he isn't so "smart" after all.  

Politizine.com

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by: Tony Schinella @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 07:50:56 AM CST

Answer to your question (4.00 / 1)

 

Why did he even toy, encourage, flirt with, whatever, with the nomination of Commerce Secy. if he knew there were these new reporting rules?

Arrogance. At first. Then he realized he wouldn't get away with it. Daschle and Richardson had to withdraw for a lot less. I also think there is more to this than meets the eye.

Also, the arrogance of demanding Lynch name a Republican to take his place!

And the sheer arrogance of Gregg and the other Republicans, trashing the economy and people's lives along with it, then having the cojones to vote against any relief. Even if this package doesn't work, doing nothing would be worse. Empirical evidence tells us so: The Great Depression, the decades long Japanese contraction.

What is it about these people that makes them non-reality based?

This is scary to me, for many reasons, not the least of which is there is no sane opposition party. I mean, I'm a lifelong Democrat, raised by Democrats (politics was the only topic we did not argue about at family gatherings), but I always appreciated a different perspective. Now it's not a perspective, but a trip down the hole with the White Rabbit.

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by: Jennifer Daler @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 08:11:26 AM CST

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I'm thinking we're seeing a new critter in Washington-- (4.00 / 4)

the offer that must be refused.

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by: hannah @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 08:56:22 AM CST

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Awesome (0.00 / 0)

Thanks, Dean. I look forward to checking this out later.

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by: JimC @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 09:02:21 AM CST

He Seen His Opportunities, and He Took 'Em (4.00 / 3)

I'm sure Sen. Gregg is correct when he says, "I am absolutely sure that in every way I've complied with the ethics rules of the Senate both literally and in their spirit relative to any investment that I've made anywhere."

What we have here is a text book example of honest graft. The legendary George Washington Plunkett, the turn of the century Tammany operative, explained to his biographer how politicians could do well by doing good:

Just let me explain by examples. My party's in power in the city, and it's goin' to undertake a lot of public improvements. Well, I'm tipped off, say, that they're going to layout a new park at a certain place. I see my opportunity and I take it. I go to that place and I buy up all the land I can in the neighborhood. Then the board of this or that makes its plan public, and there is a rush to get my land, which nobody cared particular for before. Ain't it perfectly honest to charge a good price and make a profit on my investment and foresight? Of course, it is. Well, that's honest graft.

The Pease project has no doubt been a plus for the Seacoast, providing new jobs and tax revenue. Sen. Gregg, as our senator, helped make it a success by rounding up government projects to anchor the facility. And he had the "foresight" to put his and his family's money where his mouth was.

"Ain't it perfectly honest" for the Gregg family to take advantage of the exciting opportunity? What's missing here - could evidence have possibly been found in those missing records from Gregg's years as governor? - is how his redevelopment efforts and his brother's investments were timed. It would be instructive to find out who knew what when.

You can read more of Plunkett's explanation of "honest graft" here. If you come across a copy of Plunkett of Tammany Hall at your local book shop, pick it up. Well worth reading.

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by: Tim Ashwell @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 09:59:46 AM CST

Your point is well taken, but that was a long time ago and (0.00 / 0)

things have changed.
First of all, there's now legislation on the books which removes the prior immunity from prosecution which public officials enjoyed as long as their actions weren't solely self-serving--i.e. as in taking bribes.  Now it's possible for someone to argue that they've been injured by favoritism towards someone else.
Also, Tammany was before the advent of the Freedom of Information Acts which make it possible for citizens to know and track what's going on.  That is, there's been an effort to intercept "honest graft" at the starting gate.
Finally, although I am not tuned into Portsmouth issues, it's my impression that not everyone in the city is delighted by commercial investments being syphoned off to the Trade Port and, I believe, is actually located in Newington and doesn't contribute to ease the tax burdens of the city.  Of course, I may be wrong.

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by: hannah @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 10:43:13 AM CST

[ Parent ]

more about the tradeport (4.00 / 2)

The Tradeport is located in both towns... the Newington-Portsmouth line is a straight line going down the center of Gosling Road.  Most of Pease is on the Portsmouth side of the line.

Gregg's Seacoast region office is at Pease, in a small building near the entrance on the Newington side of the line, which used to be a gatehouse and bus terminal.  Now ex-Senator Sununu's was at Pease as well, in an office building around the corner from Gregg's building (in Portsmouth.)  I don't know if the Gregg family was getting a share of the rent from those two offices.

Senator Shaheen oddly does not have a Seacoast office, even though she lives in Madbury.

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by: TimothyHorrigan @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 11:20:39 AM CST

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Gregg: I am more Catholic than the Pope (0.00 / 0)

That's the flavor of this interview, anyway, as Gregg tries to prove he's bona fide again. Warning: Nearly every word he says here is annoying.

http://www.npr.org/templates/s...

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by: JimC @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 10:08:33 AM CST

You may have missed the most important line in the article...NO RECORDS. (4.00 / 4)

State records that might show what, if any, other interactions Cyrus Gregg had with his brother's administration no longer exist. New Hampshire does not require governors to turn over their records to the state archives when they leave office and Judd Gregg didn't, State Archivist Frank Mevers said. Gregg's Senate office told AP that Gregg hasn't kept papers or other materials from his previous elected positions.

Sadly, NH was experiencing the worst downturn since the Great Depression with two bankrupt utilities, failing banks and real estate in the crapper during Judd's two terms as Governor. If he sweetened the Pease deal for the Gregg clan, what did he do for the family with the sale of bankrupt PSNH to his good friend and campaign chair Tom Rath's client Northeast Utilities...The sale made alot of junk bond holders very rich with ratepayer dollars. NO documentation, NO PROOF. How convenient!

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by: political chowder @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 12:05:31 PM CST

Something to correct. n/t (4.00 / 1)

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by: hannah @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 13:00:10 PM CST

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We need a law to preserve a Governor's records (4.00 / 3)

Are any of our state reps interested in sponsoring a law

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by: Putney Swope @ Sat Feb 28, 2009 at 07:11:07 AM CST

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Judd Gregg: Technical Virgin. (0.00 / 0)

That's all. Just sayin'.  

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by: jvwalt @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 12:31:04 PM CST

Urrgh. Mental image. DO NOT WANT! (4.00 / 1)

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by: Tim C. @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 13:12:27 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Picture Al Pacino saying what Judd said: (4.00 / 3)

"I've throughout my entire lifetime been involved in my family's businesses and that's just the way our family works," he said. "We support each other and our activities."

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by: Tim C. @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 13:27:45 PM CST

Senate appointment quid pro quo? (4.00 / 4)

Doesn't seem that unusual but I think in light of the recent controversy over Senate appointments it deserves mentioning:

Besides its activities at Pease, Two International also develops properties elsewhere in Portsmouth, recently selling a $1 million-plus condominium at its One Harbor Place development to J. Bonnie Newman, Judd Gregg's former chief of staff. Gregg agreed to become commerce secretary if the Democratic New Hampshire governor named her to succeed him.

Just imagine what could've happened if he'd actually gone through with it. SMH

It's time we steer by the stars, and not the lights of every passing ship

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by: Andy Edwards @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 13:46:12 PM CST

More to the story? (0.00 / 0)

1: Say you're Judd Gregg, and you're sending money to Pease.  But you have investments there.  Why not ask your same-party-same-state Senate colleague or same-party-same-state Representative to be the one to direct cash to Pease simply to avoid the appearance of impropriety, whether or not it's innocent?

2. "Gregg, R-N.H., personally has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars", according to AP.  Gregg finished school in 1975 and was elected to Congress in 1980.  He has served either as a member of Congress or as Governor continuously since 1981.  Assuming he is financially savvy enough not to put all his eggs in one basket, when did he make enough money to have multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars in a single investment?  Are all his lottery winnings in Pease?  Is there a Gregg family fortune?

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by: This Was The Moment @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 17:37:24 PM CST

Is this from the AP accurate? (4.00 / 2)

Under new Senate ethics rules, Gregg had to certify that federal aid he directed to specific projects was not intended solely to enrich him or immediate family, including siblings.

• "Solely"?? So, if it is only primarily to enrich a Senator and/or his family, that's OK?
• "New"? You mean, the rules were even worse before? I'm having trouble imagining that worse standard. "intended solely to enrich him, plus spread a gangrenous plague"??

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by: elwood @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 19:54:25 PM CST

Yeah. (0.00 / 0)

Bonnie Newman also benefited from buying a Gregg Condo, and maybe a Senate seat, so, nothing to see here.

Everything's on the up and up.

birch, finch, beech

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by: Dean Barker @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 19:59:02 PM CST

[ Parent ]

That's not fair. (4.00 / 1)

We don't know enough about Newman's involvement to accuse her of that kind of thing.

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by: This Was The Moment @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 20:01:34 PM CST

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I was snarking on the ridiculously loose ethics rule, not Newman. (0.00 / 0)

Since people other than Judd Gregg also stood to gain from the earmarks (like Newman, who purchased a condo) then the hundreds of thousands of dollars Judd Gregg made off it are hunky-dorey, according to the rules.

But you are right, there's nothing in the article directly implicating any hijinks on the senate appointment.

birch, finch, beech

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by: Dean Barker @ Fri Feb 27, 2009 at 20:32:27 PM CST

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Notably (0.00 / 0)

This was a major story on all of the Boston-area news outlets last night, including WMUR - except for one, which was quite silent on it. Which one? WFXT, Fox 25, of course. A major story, and for their partisan reasons they decided to bury it. One more reason why they ought to be losing their license to broadcast from the FCC...

IT for John Lynch '04 and NHDP '08 - I'm liking my track record so far!

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by: RealNRH @ Sat Feb 28, 2009 at 13:03:08 PM CST

Cohen 2004 Campaign Finally Wins! (0.00 / 0)

Five years later, the world at last understands what I was about to say about Judd.

Self serving, elitist. Other accurate less-genteel words have been used elsewhere on BH.

And all these years he fooled so many people just by tossing out a few selected bags of dimes to we peasants and for his special parcels of land from his high horse.

Now can someone remind me: I have a button which says "Judd Sees Elvis." From what campaign/issue is that??  

No'm Sayn?

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by: BurtCohen @ Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 08:46:26 AM CST

Burt Cohen Would Have Made A Great US Senator... (0.00 / 0)

...and of course, still might.  There are possibilities.  Certainly if he hadn't been victimized by a consultant in 2004 we would be even better off now than we are -- with TWO Senators and two House members.  

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by: Rep. Jim Splaine @ Mon Mar 02, 2009 at 10:48:52 AM CST

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