Last month, we found out how Rep. Mike Pompeo succeeded in getting his amendment passed that would strip out funding for a new public database, operated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The database would allow people to make informed decisions on product safety, having access to injury reports on things like toys, cribs, and strollers.
Turns out, Pompeo was doing the bidding of his most valued constituents. the Koch brothers. And Rep. Pompeo the Kochs have a new target:
As it turned out, the Koch brothers were the ones who wanted the online consumer-product-safety database scuttled, and Pompeo was happy to do their bidding -- he represents the district where Koch Industries is located, and the Koch brothers and their political action committee were his most generous campaign contributors.The Washington Post had an interesting piece over the weekend, noting that Pompeo is now also trying to gut an EPA registry of greenhouse-gas polluters—another Koch Bros' goal—and has hired a former Koch Industries lawyer as his chief of staff.
"It's the same old story— member of Congress carrying water for his biggest campaign contributor," said Mary Boyle of Common Cause, a liberal-leaning group that has spearheaded protests against the Kochs. "I don't know how you make the argument to your constituents that it's in their interests to defund the EPA or a consumer database."Burdett Loomis, a University of Kansas political science professor, added, "I'm sure he would vigorously dispute this, but it's hard not to characterize him as the congressman from Koch."
The online database defunding passed, with 227 GOP votes, and seven from Dems, though probably won't survive in conference with the Senate. So actually, while Pompeo might be the congressman from Koch, he's got lots of company. And given the hostility of some of the Conservadems in the Senate to the EPA, they might actually have better luck on that one.
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