Thursday
Mar192009
Pelosi: “New, Subject, New Subject, New Subject"
Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 2:37PM
By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) held a press conference this morning, but appeared to have no desire to talk about the AIG bonuses at length with reporters.
Pelosi opened the conference by talking about the Iraq war. She said: “On this day in 2003, the President called for the initiation of hostilities into Iraq. Here we are six years later, six years later in Iraq. The good news is that our new President has called for an end to the war and a timetable to bring our troops out of Iraq.”
The Speaker then went on to talk about the President’s budget. She called it “an outline of transformation” and an “outline for the future” and a “budget that is the statement of our values, as a Federal budget should be.”
Third on Pelosi’s list of talking points was the news of the AIG bonuses. She said: “We see the outrage of the American people in terms of bonuses paid by AIG and perhaps others who have received TARP funds and on the floor of the House today we will present legislation to address the concerns of the American people. To bring some justice to the situation and to get the taxpayers money back.” Pelosi added that as a result of the scandal “legislation may be written in the Judiciary Committee that relates to the contracts.”
Opening up to the questions, the issue of top priority for journalists was the AIG scandal. Pelosi made clear that the issues of bonuses with AIG could be linked back to the previous administration and refuted an accusation from one reporter who claimed she was being blamed for the AIG bonuses scandal. Pelosi said: “You are the first person to tell me I am being blamed for this.” Pelosi added: “I think you go right back to September 16th, when the announcement was made by the Chairman of the Fed, that they would be making this big infusion of cash into AIG...the question is why were there even bonuses in the first place.” Pelsoi further commented that “we are sweeping up after them,” when taking about the Bush Administration's handling of TARP contracts with CEO’s.
Talking about a loophole in the legislation that stemmed from Conference Committee, Pelosi stated that this ‘was language discussed on the Senate side, that was never in any Conference that we agreed with or disagreed with.” Pelosi did not want to comment further on the loophole, deferring journalists to speak to the Senate about this matter.
Pelosi observed that “The public interest knows no date, the authority to look into these bonuses or in our case today to tax them exists if the public interests is not served and nobody can hide behind a contract, or a date, or a conversation, that may or may not have taken place.”
Speaker Pelosi then refused to answer any further questions on the AIG matter. Stating, “New subject, new subject, new subject or else....” She took one question on the budget and then cut the press conference short. As she left, members of the press were shouting for further questions on foreign policy, federal reserve, immigration and issues on the floor, but she would not respond to answer any further questions.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) held a press conference this morning, but appeared to have no desire to talk about the AIG bonuses at length with reporters.
Pelosi opened the conference by talking about the Iraq war. She said: “On this day in 2003, the President called for the initiation of hostilities into Iraq. Here we are six years later, six years later in Iraq. The good news is that our new President has called for an end to the war and a timetable to bring our troops out of Iraq.”
The Speaker then went on to talk about the President’s budget. She called it “an outline of transformation” and an “outline for the future” and a “budget that is the statement of our values, as a Federal budget should be.”
Third on Pelosi’s list of talking points was the news of the AIG bonuses. She said: “We see the outrage of the American people in terms of bonuses paid by AIG and perhaps others who have received TARP funds and on the floor of the House today we will present legislation to address the concerns of the American people. To bring some justice to the situation and to get the taxpayers money back.” Pelosi added that as a result of the scandal “legislation may be written in the Judiciary Committee that relates to the contracts.”
Opening up to the questions, the issue of top priority for journalists was the AIG scandal. Pelosi made clear that the issues of bonuses with AIG could be linked back to the previous administration and refuted an accusation from one reporter who claimed she was being blamed for the AIG bonuses scandal. Pelosi said: “You are the first person to tell me I am being blamed for this.” Pelosi added: “I think you go right back to September 16th, when the announcement was made by the Chairman of the Fed, that they would be making this big infusion of cash into AIG...the question is why were there even bonuses in the first place.” Pelsoi further commented that “we are sweeping up after them,” when taking about the Bush Administration's handling of TARP contracts with CEO’s.
Talking about a loophole in the legislation that stemmed from Conference Committee, Pelosi stated that this ‘was language discussed on the Senate side, that was never in any Conference that we agreed with or disagreed with.” Pelosi did not want to comment further on the loophole, deferring journalists to speak to the Senate about this matter.
Pelosi observed that “The public interest knows no date, the authority to look into these bonuses or in our case today to tax them exists if the public interests is not served and nobody can hide behind a contract, or a date, or a conversation, that may or may not have taken place.”
Speaker Pelosi then refused to answer any further questions on the AIG matter. Stating, “New subject, new subject, new subject or else....” She took one question on the budget and then cut the press conference short. As she left, members of the press were shouting for further questions on foreign policy, federal reserve, immigration and issues on the floor, but she would not respond to answer any further questions.
Pelosi Paints the Capital Green
To mark Earth Day, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi introduced a plan to paint green the marble columns of the Capitol with energy efficiency and environmental initiatives. She calls it the “Green the Capitol Initiative.”
Pelosi’s plan involves 15 distinct steps to conserve energy and reduce waste, and is aimed specifically at congressional offices. Among Pelosi’s 15 measures are the use of compact florescent light bulbs, recycling used office items, and conserving electricity by powering off lights and computers while not in use. Additionally, Speaker Pelosi is encouraging the use of public transportation and the conservation of basic office supplies.
“The Capitol, which has always served as a beacon of freedom, is now a shining example of sustainability.” Pelosi said. She continued that the House has reduced its carbon emissions by 72 percent recently. She continued that if all Congressional offices adopt this plan, it will result in a savings of $1 million in energy costs and will cut energy consumption in the Capitol by nearly 10 percent.
Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Oreg.), who Pelosi called “the main instigator” of the green plan, believes that Congress is setting a good example for the rest of the country. He said, “If we model the behavior we want the rest of America to follow, it has a profound effect.”
Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) said that one of the first things he did when coming into Congress was institute a recycling program in his offices. He grinned at the savings
“Just during the transition from the 110th to 111th Congress, Congress saved over 60,000 pounds of paper. Lujan joked with the Speaker, “I was going to bring an example of that, but I couldn’t forklift it in, just to give an example of what we’ve truly saved.”
Pelosi called it the moral responsibility of Congress. Her office is encouraging all members to adopt these “green” plans. “I think most members of the Congress are doing some of this,” but she could not give exact numbers on who has implemented all of these recommendations. “The Speakers office is doing all of this,” Pelosi said proudly of the recommendations.