Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) released the following statement expressing her concern with the Obama Administration’s alarming pattern of playing election-year politics at the expense of transparency and accountability:
“For over five years, Nebraskans have watched as the Obama Administration has placed a premium on protecting the president and his political allies facing tough re-elections rather than being forthcoming with the American people. Documents recently released under a court order confirmed what many had suspected all along: the White House was directly involved in instructing Susan Rice to blame the Benghazi terrorist attacks on an Internet video. The White House’s repeated, misleading statements and subsequent decision to withhold the briefing documents from congressional investigators suggest greater concern with political cover for a president facing reelection than with transparency and accountability. Nebraskans demand the truth.
“We also learned this week that EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy may have misled senators in her January testimony, stating that the EPA submitted a controversial climate change regulation to the Federal Register ‘as soon as the proposal was released’ in September. In fact, the rule was not submitted to the Federal Register until November 15, running the clock to protect vulnerable Democrats from having to cast an election-year vote on a proposal that will drive up energy costs for American families. This alarming pattern of election-year politics demonstrates either the height of incompetence or a wanton disregard for the truth. The American people deserve better, and I will work with my colleagues to hold this administration accountable.”
Benghazi Background
Documents obtained under court order this week by Judicial Watch include an e-mail with the subject line: “PREP CALL with Susan” in which Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes stressed that Susan Rice should “underscore these protests are rooted in an Internet video, and not a broader failure of policy.” A copy is available online HERE.
During a White House briefing on Wednesday, Press Secretary Jay Carney sparred with ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl about the White House’s misleading statements. The video is available HERE.
Climate Change Rule Timeline
September 20, 2013 – EPA released a new proposal, “Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants.”
November 25, 2013 – Federal Register received the proposed rule from EPA – two months after the proposal was released by EPA.
December 24, 2013 – EPA asked the Federal Register to publish the proposal on January 8, 2014. According to the Federal Register, the proposed rule was originally scheduled to publish on December 30, 2013.
January 16, 2014 – EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy testified, “As soon as that proposal was released, we had submitted it to the Federal Register office. The delay was solely the backup in the Federal Register office.”
The Clean Air Act provides one year for review of the rule upon publication in the Federal Register. Delays in publishing the rule likely prevent the Senate from voting on its repeal until after the November election.
“For over five years, Nebraskans have watched as the Obama Administration has placed a premium on protecting the president and his political allies facing tough re-elections rather than being forthcoming with the American people. Documents recently released under a court order confirmed what many had suspected all along: the White House was directly involved in instructing Susan Rice to blame the Benghazi terrorist attacks on an Internet video. The White House’s repeated, misleading statements and subsequent decision to withhold the briefing documents from congressional investigators suggest greater concern with political cover for a president facing reelection than with transparency and accountability. Nebraskans demand the truth.
“We also learned this week that EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy may have misled senators in her January testimony, stating that the EPA submitted a controversial climate change regulation to the Federal Register ‘as soon as the proposal was released’ in September. In fact, the rule was not submitted to the Federal Register until November 15, running the clock to protect vulnerable Democrats from having to cast an election-year vote on a proposal that will drive up energy costs for American families. This alarming pattern of election-year politics demonstrates either the height of incompetence or a wanton disregard for the truth. The American people deserve better, and I will work with my colleagues to hold this administration accountable.”
Benghazi Background
Documents obtained under court order this week by Judicial Watch include an e-mail with the subject line: “PREP CALL with Susan” in which Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes stressed that Susan Rice should “underscore these protests are rooted in an Internet video, and not a broader failure of policy.” A copy is available online HERE.
During a White House briefing on Wednesday, Press Secretary Jay Carney sparred with ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl about the White House’s misleading statements. The video is available HERE.
Climate Change Rule Timeline
September 20, 2013 – EPA released a new proposal, “Carbon Pollution Standards for New Power Plants.”
November 25, 2013 – Federal Register received the proposed rule from EPA – two months after the proposal was released by EPA.
December 24, 2013 – EPA asked the Federal Register to publish the proposal on January 8, 2014. According to the Federal Register, the proposed rule was originally scheduled to publish on December 30, 2013.
January 16, 2014 – EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy testified, “As soon as that proposal was released, we had submitted it to the Federal Register office. The delay was solely the backup in the Federal Register office.”
The Clean Air Act provides one year for review of the rule upon publication in the Federal Register. Delays in publishing the rule likely prevent the Senate from voting on its repeal until after the November election.
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