Is there a bigger congressional whore than Richard Pombo of California?

[LynneSin]

Great article in Salon, man I'd love to see a strong democrat give him a run for the money since one of Pombo's whoring partners was none other than Tom Delay!

http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2006/01/10/muckraker/

California's environmental bad boy

Republican Rick Pombo wants to drill, mine and develop America down to the last acre. But will close ties to Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff pollute his reelection chances?
By Amanda Griscom Little

Jan. 10, 2006 | Just a week into this election year and already environmental strategists are up to their elbows in plots to snatch Congress from the grip of anti-environment GOP leaders and turn it over to a conservation-minded majority.

Leaders of green groups including the Sierra Club and Defenders of Wildlife are hatching plans to help political allies who face tough battles this coming November, including Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., and Bill Nelson, D-Fla.

But an even bigger priority for enviros is thwarting the reelection of Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., chair of the House Resources Committee and a zealous advocate of major environmental rollbacks -- among them, weakening the Endangered Species Act, drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the outer continental shelf, selling off national parks and monuments, and changing mining law to allow thousands or even millions of acres of public land to be transferred into private hands.

"Pombo hasn't met a part of the country that he doesn't want to drill, mine or develop," says Mark Longabaugh, the former political director for the League of Conservation Voters who is now spearheading a Defenders of Wildlife campaign against Pombo. "He tops the list of history's most ruthless environmental bad boys." But Pombo's transgressions, eco and otherwise, are catching up with him, Longabaugh says: "He's gotten himself mired in a number of ethical dustups, and this year faces the most difficult election of his career."

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You'll have to watch an add to read the rest of the article unless you're a Salon member - but the article is worth it!

[acmejack]

1. four more

That's not to say defeating Pombo will be easy -- quite the contrary. This former rancher has represented California's 11th congressional district -- composed largely of conservative ranching and agricultural communities -- for more than a dozen years, and in recent elections has won with about 60 percent of the vote.

"Pombo's chances of reelection look fairly good at this point," says Amy Walter, who covers House elections for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. "His district is mostly rural and Republican leaning, certainly not a Democratic swing district. Ousting any incumbent who has served seven straight terms is an uphill battle."

Pombo also has support from the Bush administration on a number of his legislative proposals and has come to be seen as a golden boy by Republican ideologues. Three years ago, he leapt over more senior colleagues to take the helm of the House Resources Committee thanks to strong backing from then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas.

Of course, Pombo might not be bragging about that connection these days, with DeLay awaiting trial on charges of laundering campaign money and trying to explain away his close ties to former high-flying lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who recently pleaded guilty to fraud and conspiracy charges. And Pombo has some explaining of his own to do: He received more than $35,000 in donations from Abramoff and his Indian-tribe clients between 1999 and 2004 and has been accused of letting that influence his committee dealings.

[Le Taz Hot]

2. Analysists, however, do not generally reside

in the areas in which they are analyzing and are, therefore, not tuned into to the real dynamics.

Pombo's district is located in the northern part of the San Joaquin Valley. This is an area in which people from the Bay Area and Southern CA are just now discovering, due mainly in part to the "affordable" housing (read, under a mil.). These people tend to be more left leaning, tend to vote that way AND tend to be more activists (though care must be taken to leave your "we gotta go deal with the hayseeds" attitude at the door -- that's another thread).

Further, the locals are used to being able to take a quick jaunt up to the Sierra for a weekend of camping, hiking, picnicking, hunting or fishing. I find it hard to believe that most of the locals are happy with his fatwa to sell the wilderness to the highest bidder -- just the opposite as a matter of fact.

Sadly, the Democrats in the area are woefully understaffed and unorganized. There are other problems as well that I won't get into here.

Anyway, those are a few of the things the analysis fails to take into account. I truly believe that given the personpower and the right candidate, Pombo IS beatable.

[blindpig]

3. Say No To Pombo!

Goddamn but I hate that sumbitch. I'd not be sad if he were disembowelled by rabid coyotes. Short of that :

http://saynotopombo.blogspot.com/

http://www.actblue.com/list/saynotopombo

http://saynotopombo.blogspot.com/2005/10/two-democratic-challengers.html