Here it is, plain and simple. The DC Democrats like to create this cloud of corruption with old outdated information and mistruths. Their hope is to create such confusion that people ignore what is currently going on.
Here is the set up with the cast of characters:
Leading woman: Pelosi, Leading man: Cohen...and introducing Tester as supporting lead.
The set up goes like this:
Some Dem leaders have large vested interest in a company -- Del Monte...tied to Heinz? Del Monte is in the Speaker's district. Del Monte owns Starkist who happens to can in Samoa. http://www.youthnoise.com/page.php?page_id=2747
Politically, Dems want to keep rehashing old news on the outdated Abramoff scandal and carry it through the "08 elections, while at the same time punish his former client -- the CNMI
Leading man has strong roots in Samoa.
Delivery:
It starts with a bill to increase the minimum wage in the Insular areas -- specifically the CNMI, but waives Samoa. It protects Del Monte, gives Samoa an edge over the other Insular areas in wages and allows the rehashing of old and "kicking a dead horse" scandal. Lead roles meet and fall in love.
Conflict:
The American people smell a fish...(like that?). Light is shed on the Pelosi/Starkist connection. Light is also shed on Cohen/Samoa connection. All sides back down. What to do if minimum wage increase expands to Samoa? Maybe give them the edge by attacking CNMI immigration?
Enter:
Tester leads the charge in the Senate. Tester wants to protect the US Citizens in the CNMI (while not asking the people since he can't even find the CNMI on the map) and pushes for the federal takeover of Insular areas.....BUT doesn't speak of Samoa. Smell fishy yet? Ahhhhhhhh....where is Cohen? Why helping to organize the testimony of a victim of an isolated incident (the bad guys were severely punished BTW) and suggesting in hearings that the federal government should take over the CNMI's immigration.
No mention of Samoa's immigration. Could it now have an edge? With a federal takeover of the CNMI's immigration -- are there US working Visas? I don't believe so -- then when ALL the garment factories shut down and tourism really slows down in the CNMI-- guess which island wins?
Pelosi wins (thanks Starkist), Cohen wins (thanks Samoa), and Tester wins (kicking an old dead horse of scandal).
Meanwhile, meaningful debate on immigration reform in the US is ignored by them. It seems that the CNMI's immigration policies are of greater value to move quickly on as opposed to the US's
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I just read in the Saipan Tribune today (3/6/07), that the US Administration has no idea what Cohen is doing:
http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=66292&cat=1
This is getting more stinky by the moment.....smells of rotten tuna.
Cohen has an agenda and he just got caught doing it. I wonder how many other "agenda's for American Samoa" he has???
Anyone can shed light on this?
I have read today's article with deep concern.
I regard David Cohen as a friend, but I am deeply troubled by today's Saipan Tribune article
(http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=66292&cat=1)that states that the White House knew nothing about OIA's statement of administrative policy at the Senate Hearing.
This is completely opposite of what was said by Mr. Cohen when he gave his testimony before the US Senate Energy Committee which oversees the CNMI jurisdiction.
Below are the Comments from Mr. Cohen's testimony on Feb 8, 2007. You can view the testimony in an archive posted at this site:
http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=1599
The testimony below is NOT the submitted test from OIA. It is from Q&A done during the hearing after testimony was given. So the only way you can get this statement is by transcribing the discussion which is viewed online.
Take a read of this. OIA, through their Dep Asst Sec David Cohen, is making a policy statement on behalf of the US Administration (The White House/President Bush)to the US Senate.
Yet, later we find out there is no such policy and that the White House doesn't even know about it.
I am very disappointed as I thought Mr. Cohen was a friend of mine and the CNMI.
As it turns out, it looks as if he had an agenda for us....
I hope the White House seriously looks into this. He lied to the CNMI and he lied to the US Senate.
See below...
Feb 8, 2007
US Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
Testimony by David Cohen, Deputy Asst Sec for DOI
1:06:17 into the recorded Testimony
Chairman Bingaman: “….so is it the administration’s position that it wants to work with Congress to develop (federal immigration) legislation that will be sensitive to these problems and can be passed in this Congress? Is that the administration’s position?”
Dep Asst Sec Cohen: “YES………we are absolutely ready to work with our congress on good (federal immigration) legislation. We don’t necessarily say that that is the only option but we are here ready to work with you to fashion good (federal immigration) legislation…
Chairman Bingaman: “is there a better option”
Dep Asst Sec Cohen: “Perhaps not…..good (federal immigration) legislation perhaps is the best option and we are still studying that and we are studying that and the a legislation that had been passed before in light of a current circumstances and current needs, I think mostly we want to make sure that we don’t inadvertently do anything that would be harmful”
Chairman Bingaman: “right….in 2001 the administration strongly supported the bill that this committee reported out and passed through the full senate, a I guess you are saying that a you are a little luke warm on the whole idea of us passing (federal immigration) legislation in this area now…or am I misreading that?….I am just trying, I’m trying to figure out to what extent is the administration is willing to … to fully engage with the congress with this committee in developing (federal immigration) legislation that we can then move ahead with”
Dep Asst Sec Cohen: “yeah…Mr. Chairman I would not say that we are luke warm about working with you to pass (federal immigration) legislation, we are just cautioning a…you know…against a the potential side effects of bad (federal immigration) legislation….but I think good (federal immigration) legislation which is something that would result in the type of process that we are all talking about a….can really help the situation and put the CNMI on a path to a much stronger and more secure future”
Cohen is just doing what the Dems ask in order to give cover to Starkist.
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