Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I am here today to express my extremely grave concerns about the person we have just begun to move to a vote to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. He would be Commissioner McNamee if we were to confirm him. This is in an administration that has distinguished itself with terrible energy appointments--conceivably the worst. It is too important to our country to have an independent and reality-based Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to allow an industry plant like Mr. McNamee--who will never be independent, who will always have his thumb on the scale for the vested interests--get onto the Federal Regulatory Commission. In addition to the bad decisions he will make because he will be trying to throw decisions for the fossil fuel industry, he will also create an enormous amount of litigation because people who come before a Federal administrative agency are entitled to an honest look at their claims, and if the regulatory agency is incapable of giving them that honest look, that is grounds for appeal. McNamee is a walking failure of any honest look at any question in which the fossil fuel industry--and specifically the coal industry--has an interest. Sadly, his position isn't just a question of a personal failing; he comes out of a system, and I am going to take some time to describe the system he comes out of.…”