A bad smell is coming from the East, and it ain’t landfill.
It was reported this week that Denny Rehberg’s son, A.J., as well as Rehberg’s former chief of staff Leo Giacometto and former GOP senator Conrad Burns, are all hard at work together at their lobbying firm, representing the government of Mongolia before Congress, acting as Mongolia’s lobbyists. Denny, mind you, serves on the Mongolian relations caucus, and has had contact with the Mongolian government.
The government watchdog group CREW is investigating this whole filthy circle of sleaze, and the efforts of these insiders to develop a uranium mine in Mongolia.
Their firm is called GAGE. GAGE is essentially a receptacle–similar to the receptacle on the end of a condom–for all people in Montana who work for Republican politicians and then leave these government jobs to cash in as quickly as possible on their connections, by lobbying their former bosses on behalf of monied players like corporations or even foreign governments.
Rehberg’s son has even been named vice president of a Mongolian mining corporation, whose headquarters–get this–is in Washington DC.
And also mentioned in connection with GAGE, shockingly, was Matt McKenna, a former Tester communications director who apparently was working with Burns, Rehberg Jr. and Giacometto on the Mongolian uranium deal.
I’m not really sure what to make of that. Perhaps we all have a price. Let’s hope he made a nice penny for spreading his legs.
At least we know McKenna’s ashamed of his behavior. If you do a Google search with the terms “McKenna” and “Gage” and “Burns”, you will see, amid the links that come up on the first page of returns, several mentions of Mr. McKenna’s name made in conjunction with the GAGE firm, including what looks like a bio of him on GAGE’s website. But these links are ghosts. When you click on them, you discover that they’ve been scrubbed of any mention of McKenna.
The corruption in government is truly astoudning. Nixon brought the criminal element into the federal government in a big way, and now, they’re so firmly entrenched that most folks think that that has always been the case. It hasn’t. I’m talkin’ REAL criminals bent upon ONLY self-enrichment. It really is time to get the criminal element OUT of our government, starting with Congo Man Dopey Reeburp and kin!
Larry, though I agree with you most every time. we are gonna have to look in our own back yard at Corruption in government!
William Clark was one of our senators who started the ball of corruption long time ago when the position of Dems and rethugs were switched!
There was a time up the to 1040′s us Dems were a dirty word, and the Rethugs actually had compassion! The Dixiecrats are what changed the parties and the GOP took them in,that awful group of DEM southerners who wanted Jim crow laws didn’t disband after the Democrats of the 40′s kicked them out…. they infected the Southern GOP party and then the nation… their racist corporatisms linger, as well as the fear nonsense they created in evangelical… Renewed in the GOP party of today!
We cut off an arm to save our democratic soul! Because of people like Clark!
Montana owns the William Clark Nasties!
Clark’s dream of becoming a United States Senator resulted in Huge scandal in 1899 when it was revealed that he bribed members of the Montana State Legislature in return for their votes. At the time, U.S. Senators were chosen by their respective state legislators; the corruption of his election contributed to the passage of the 17th Amendment.
The U.S. Senate refused to seat Clark because of the 1899 bribery scheme, but a later senate campaign by Clark was successful, and he served a single term from 1901 until 1907 as one of Montana’s senators.
We as a state reelected this dog of a man, because men in Montana could be bought then and the tradition continues now with the GOP… and some Democrats!
Clark was A scumbag confederate soldier who deserted his post, came to Montana and made a fortune.
In his 1935 book, “The War of the Copper Kings,” C.B. Glasscock gives many examples of how Clark, forced successful companies out of business, manipulated stock values, manipulated copper prices to increase profits, and used his immense power to have laws written that favored his personal interests, and that of his rich friends…. Sound familiar to the GOP code of today?
Mark Twain is quoted as saying that Clark was “…as rotten a human being as can be found anywhere under the flag ….
“To my mind,” Twain added, “he is the most disgusting creature that the republic has produced since Tweed’s time.”
Clark is recreated in the Montana GOP today…. and his Midas touch was just the push that was needed for the start of real corruption in DC. We have a over a hundred years of back room deals to erase in that town!
Another little factiod was that he was one of the people who coined the word “lobbyist.” Senators like him use to live in a “Well to do” hotel down the street from the Capital! Companies who had concerns about laws, and wanted to sway the visiting senators from other states waited in the lobby to speak to the senators after work on the hill!
sorry, third sentence “1940′s”
Though it’s nice that Rehberg was able to put his son on the payroll of the Mongolian People’s Republic, how’s that going to play with the TEA party folks?
And this, from a comment at the Flathead Beacon:
The rest of the story (straight from Mongolia Forward’s website)
http://mongoliaforward.com/index.html
Mongolia Forward (where Rehberg’s son works) is uniquely positioned to help fulfill increasing demand from Russia, China and other international uranium consumers
So the Congressman’s son is lining his pockets to help Russia and China. How do these people sleep at night?
HA! Rehberg is such a phony. This really is beyond the pale. All these men care about is making cash-they don’t care how. I suppose you could say that’s all fine and good, but you can’t pretend to be so principaled at the same time.
I hate that we are talking about Rehberg’s kid. Unfortunately, I know from personal experience Denny’s not above it. We should be.
Let’s take the high ground here and let his mountain of bad votes, misrepresentation of our state, & arrogance do the talking for him.
Tattoo his ass on the way out the door at the ballot box. Leave his kid out of it.
Oh bullshit, Truxton. The turd don’t roll too far from the asshole as the old saying goes. Explain for us just HOW Dopey Reeburp’s son obtained a job RIGHT OUTTA FRIGGIN’ COLLEGE with freakin’ MONGOLIA?! Like I said, the turd don’t roll too far from the asshole!
Let’s get the CRIMINAL element out of OUR government! End of story.
Truxton, I have a great deal of sympathy for your position here. Generally, candidate’s families should be left out of political debate.
But, this is a clear case of nepotism and hypocrisy. A.J. clearly got his current job as a result of Dennis’ influence, position and connections. In turn, Dennis benefits, and has the gall to claim that Tester is too tied to lobbyist’s money (not lobbyists themselves. That would be Rehberg’s gig.)
I understand where you are coming from Rob, Larry, & Bobby. This is the latest shining example of political hypocrisy.
Dragging family members in (& yes, I know AJ willingly took the job) and beating them up along side the candidate, is a symptom of a larger problem that I believe is keeping decent people from running for office across the board, both sides of the isle.
I’m just not going to do to AJ what his Dad did to my folks.
And what exactly did he do to your parents, Truxton?
Denny attacked my Mom over my involvement in the first Tester campaign at a Masonic event that his daughter and my sister were attending.
My mom was stunned and pretty upset about the names he called me. Yes, our ever so eloquent Representative decided to go fourth grade on my mom, in pubic. My folks used to hold fundraisers for Denny at their house. They wrote him checks out of their hard earned dollars. He re payed them by trashing their son in public.
The worst part was, as word got around to him that my folks were no longer going to support Denny, instead of calling my mom, he called my dad. My dad let him know why they were upset and instructed Denny to call my mom if he wanted to make things right. He never did.
If America’s oldest and largest news gathering organization, the AP thought it was important to report, I can’t see why we should be censored from talking about it.
In fact, we would be stupid not to.
censorship doesn’t exist in amelika, right?
First, dump Dopey! Then, let’s go after the corporate bastards! Sorry, but contrary to Dopey Reeburp and his Kock brothers benefactors, corporations are NOT people! PEOPLE are freakin’ people! And we’re pissed! So, first we dump that dumbass Dopey Reeburp and put his dumbass son in the unemployment line. THEN, we pass the 28th Amendment! It’s time.
http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/cenk-uygur/39057/how-to-regain-our-democracy
We can expect nothing less of Rehberg’s family and staffers, but what’s disturbing is that this supposed Democratic political hack went to work for the lobbyist firm that Conrad Burns is a part owner of. I would say its time for this individual to leave democratic politics, but it sounds like he already has…
Truxton, way to take the high road. Nothing wrong with that.
The focus here is on DC Dingbat and his hypocrisy: Calling out Jon on lobbyist support, while Denny not only has among the most support of any member in the House, but his son, without expertise, benefits from lobbyist support due to dad’s elected position.
The idea that a firewall has been created is beyond a joke. It insults our intelligence.
“But Denny and A.J. have taken it a step further, establishing a professional firewall. There’s an understanding between them that they just don’t talk shop together.”
They just don’t…
Junior doesn’t owe us a duty to act ethically. But his elected official of a dad does.
News flash: Rehberg’s a liar.
I mean, seriously, just WHAT talents and abilities could Dopey’s kid have EXCEPT influence right outta college that would be of interest to Mongols? Nuthin’ I’d say. Cowgirl’s right. It stinks to high heaven! Cornhole Burns, Leo Jerkoffmetto, Dopey Reeburp, ALL of them. Let’s get ALL the criminals OUT of our government! BTW, at LEAST Dopey’s kid has a college degree. Just WHAT degree did Jerkoffmetto have when ol’ Cornhole Burns picked him off the farm to be U.S. Marshall? Time to end the coporate fascist PATRONAGE system!
These bozos need to just go away and get REAL jobs!
You are missing a major point, Cowgirl. Rehberg’s peeps brought McKenna in on the deal for one reason only: so that when the shit hit the fan in the press (about Rehberg’s former staffer and son doing this shady lobbying stuff), Tester would be unable to use the story against Rehberg because of Tester’s own former staffer’s involvement. So, for a handsome payday, this McKenna guy did a giant political favor for Rehberg. Now every story about this issue will include mention of the fact that Tester’s people, too, were involved. Thanks a lot.
The more interesting question is whether we will see him involved again with Tester, Baucus, Clinton, and all these guys he once served.
psst…
guess what hg…
party don’t matter…
they are all scum.
Thats what I would call a conflict of interest, being a congressmans son, and lobbying for another country, if it was say Sen. Jon Tester’s son instead of Denny Rehberg’s son the Republican party would be howling like scalded dogs. But also interesting is all the similarities that Conrad Burns and Denny Rehberg have, both Republicans, both kinda from Billings, both served in congress, both have had issues with firefighters, both have had issues with public access to public lands, both have had questionable associations with lobbiests, both will lose to Jon Tester, aint it wonderful.
I Agree, isn’t this the same thing that supreme court judge Thomas is guilty… of having his wife on the tea party payroll? If you are in politics, your familys in Politics also…. nepotism!
Everybody gets everything handed to them. The rich inherit it. I don’t mean just inheritance of money. I mean what people take for granted among the middle and upper classes, which is nepotism, the old-boy network.
quote of Toni Morrison
Leo G. And the makings of atomic weapons. What could go wrong?
Rob is right. Of course Rehberg got his son the job. And why would anyone-least of all a millionaire congressman-get his son a job he didn’t think was top notch.
Too funny.
But Herman Cain says the rich are rich because they’ve worked hard not because they got breaks
“Tester’s office, which says former staffers are banned from lobbying the office, said Tuesday it however has no control over where former staffers choose to work and has no comment on those choices.”
No comment? Why the devil not? Does McKenna have something on Tester?
Yeah, that is weird that they would say “no comment” why not just say former staffers are banned from lobbying the office. Either Tester is trying to be too nice a guy to his former staffer, or something is weird here. either way, it’s pretty sleazy that he even got put in this position by this juice box.
NPR (national petroleum radio, national propaganda radio, national pentagon radio, take your pick) fired THIS woman? But yet we STILL have nutless wonder sally mockery of KUFM outta Misoula who is SO stupid that she didn’t even KNOW what a “contractor” in Iraq was when she was INTERviewing one? Dumb, dumb dumb dumb, DUMB!
I’s sorry, folks, but if you’re STILL contributing to lost dog reports, OOOPS!, I mean sally mockery and pubic radio, you’re being stupid. NPR was co-opted loooong ago. It’s a joke.
Watch Lisa Simeone’s ad. It’s WHAT public radio SHOULD be, not a sorry dumbass like sally mockery who never met a fascist she didn’t like! Hell, what am I saying. ALL the npr dupes are the same!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0SHahAgbQs
larry…
been a “member” since wgbh first went “public” in the 70s and its staff spoke freely about american crimes in southeast asia…
simeone is the first npr staffer with the nads to make the right move since the good olde daze…
notified them today that they would see no moo from yours two-ly again.
“shot simon” is a cock er, koch, liquor and does balls gone editorials every week about our lack of respect for important institutions and would no doubt had the texass monkey boy on for a lick or two if given the op.
the “commercial free” radio went to “mass mutual, our sole corporate sponsor” to performance today is brought to you by a “grant” from koch industries.
merely another billboard of the endless sell-out by our “public sector”…
but hey, whadda want when large bowel powell’s kiddie, mikee, becomes the cheese of corpse-rat for public broadcasting? bill moyers had the berrie to say fug this.
they have been ever-so-kind while reporting the dufus de-state of the republiCONS, filling gaps in idiot comments from the 9-9-9er with “clarifying” comment.
you are probably on top of MOCKINGBIRD, proof that our “free press” has been every bit as free as pravda…
just more proof every time we churn around.
A note to all. Dennis Rehberg is not “Denny”. I have it on some small authority that Dennis hates to be called Dennis, in no small part because most negative press refers to him as Dennis and most positive press refers to him as Denny. As a messaging note, do keep that in mind.
How does Dennis the menace poll?
Heh
UH oh! Clean your boots, Dopey. You done stepped in it again, boy!
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20111021/NEWS01/111021009/Rehberg-offers-settle-lawsuit-against-Billings?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage
“A lawyer hired by the city lashed back at what she described as a settlement letter full of “self-serving, and unsubstantiated assertions”
Poor widdle Dopey. Stupid is as stupid does, and THIS fool just keeps diggin’ deeper and deeper and deeper! Dopey just doesn’t know when to quit. Methinks the little woman wears the pants in the Reeburp family and she’s got poor Dopey by the SHORT hairs!
I live and work in Mongolia on natural resource and protected area management. It’s been quite a downhill ride. The last five years or so has seen a wild west (wild east) free for all land grab for minerals. Almost every sq mile of Mongolia is now licensed for some type of mining. Mongolia is literally selling the soil beneath its feet. International corporations are basically running the country. The latest now, is influencing the government of Mongolia to dam most of the major rivers in the country to provide water for the large scale copper, gold and coal mining operations in the Gobi desert. It’s an unprecedented water grab and will devastate an already arid country. But, there’s a lot of money to be made by a very small number of people. It attracts the ugliest kind. And, like in Montana before them, it’s the people of this country who get left with the cleanup bill. Something stinks in DC and it starts here.