More Whoppers From Smith
Gordon Smith contradicts himself – twice – in an interview with The Bulletin.
Oops, Smith did it again.
In the same week The Register-Guard criticizes U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) for not being honest about the Klamath River water diversion, he contradicts himself – twice – in an interview with The Bulletin.
“Does Gordon Smith think people will just believe anything he says, no matter how contradictory or untruthful?” DPO Chair Meredith Wood Smith asked. “In the same month that he tells The Register-Guard there is no connection between the low water and the fish kill, he tells The Bulletin he never claimed there was no connection. Six years after publicly providing clear knowledge of Vice President Cheney’s direct intervention on Klamath, he says he was unaware that Cheney was directly involved. Time and time again Gordon Smith has let the truth become a casualty in his re-election bid. He continues to break the trust of Oregonians.”
Read the contradictions on the jump.
IN EARLY AUGUST SMITH TELLS THE REGISTER-GUARD THERE IS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN THE LOW WATER AND FISH DIE-OFF
“Smith said he was convinced that the die-off was the result of a gill disease, ‘which is not uncommon and happens periodically.’ And he said his recollection was that the die-off occurred long after the water diversion.
‘I don't know that there's a connection between water for sucker fish that went to farmers and salmon 18 months later that died of a gill disease,’ Smith said.”
(The Register-Guard, 8-8-07)
IN MID-AUGUST HE TELLS THE BULLETIN HE NEVER SAID THERE WAS NO CONNECTION BETWWEEN THE LOW WATER AND FISH DIE-OFF
“‘I’ve never said there wasn’t a connection,’ Smith told The Bulletin. ‘I’m just saying you can’t blame it entirely on the diversion as being the exclusive cause of the salmon die-off.’”
(The Bulletin, 8-17-07)
IN 2001 SMITH EXPRESSES CLEAR KNOWLEDGE OF CHENEY’S DIRECT INTERVENTION
"‘Dick Cheney stopped that order from coming down,' Smith said. ‘He ordered the biologists back to Washington' to see if there were some way to get around the conclusion that all available water must go to protect endangered suckers in Upper Klamath Lake and threatened coho salmon in the lower Klamath River."
(Herald and News, 4-9-01)
IN 2007 SMITH SAYS HE HAD NO IDEA CHENEY WAS DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE SITUATION
“He added that he was unaware Cheney became directly involved in reversing the decision to keep water in the river.”
(The Bulletin, 8-17-07)
Even after all the media coverage of Smith and the White House’s political coordination to abuse environmental and commercial resources to get him re-elected in 2002, Smith still acts like he can contradict the public record and no-one will notice. The 2002 Klamath River water diversion destroyed coastal fishing communities and garnered statewide and national media attention.
“Does Gordon Smith think he can mislead reporters, editors and Oregonians and get away with it?” Wood Smith asked. “It is sad to see a U.S. Senator consistently destroying his credibility.”
Posted August 20, 2007 Smith vs. Smith 1 comments
Comments
What a surprise most of our Journalists these days are just as intentionally obtuse as our politicians. What I would like to know is why these two men Cheney and Smith are not relegated to preform at sea world like the sea lions near Bonneville Dam . They certainly are responsible for the deaths of more salmon than the sea lions are
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