Frank Wolf: Fraud Peacock

This post is confusing on so many levels. (0.00 / 1)

Let me count the ways.

1) First, are you saying that an independent auditor is a bad idea? How would you justify such a stance?

2) At the beginning of the project is precisely the best time to bring in an auditor. It is far, far more preferable to have oversight and accountability from the outset of a project than to come in halfway through.

3) You seem to think that, because the project hasn't started yet, that Congressman Wolf is simply trying to "get attention", and inventing a problem for the sake of a press release. This line of thinking ignores the fact that cost overruns are a hallmark of every major construction project. Show me a project of this size that didn't go over budget. Please tell me on what planet you found a belief system that gives you faith that Metro, of all things, will become the first in history to keep its costs in check.

4) Why would Wolf need to divert attention away from anything else? He was just overwhelmingly re-elected a month ago, and his position on taxes hasn't changed since then. Moreover, Wolf represents the 4th-most wealthy district in the country. His position on tax cuts represents the best interests of his constituents (as does Gerry Connolly's, in the neighboring 11th, who holds a similar position).

5) But for the sake of argument, let's say you're right and he was diverting attention away from his tax stance. Why would he wait until Dec. 7th, the same day that President Obama announced his compromise plan, to divert attention away? It seems to me that the time to distract people is when there isn't a bi-partisan compromise on the table.

6) The "billion-dollar expenditure" you shoehorn in a reference to is not one project, but the aggregate of all transportation projects in Virginia.

7) If you'll remember, an independent audit would be unnecessary for VDOT, since an independent audit was just completed a few months ago, over the objections of Democrats who found the exercise pointless.

8) Those projects are state projects, under the purview of Governor McDonnell, Secretary Connaughton, and the General Assembly. Congressman Wolf is a federal official; it would be highly irregular for him to come in, heavy-handed, on state projects, especially those outside of his district.

9) Transportation projects aren't partisan. The construction and maintenance projects proposed by McDonnell's VDOT I'm sure would look suspiciously similar to the projects proposed by Governor Deeds' VDOT. This is what VDOT does: transportation construction projects. Wolf has never attacked VDOT projects in the past when we've had eight years of Democratic Governors; to turn around and suggest that he's biting his tongue about VDOT because a Republican is in charge is incredibly absurd.

10) Along the same lines, Metro to Dulles isn't partisan. It's not "supported by Democrats", and opposed by Republicans. Frank Wolf has been a steadfast supporter of the Metro extension, and has worked with Governors of both parties, worked with Congressmen of both parties, and worked with local officials of both parties, to see it through. The fact that he wants to see it done in the best manner possible, and wants to protect his constituents from paying for cost overruns, is a natural extension of his support for the project, and of his duty to his constituents. That's the hallmark of a great Congressman.

I cannot possibly fathom how anybody could read Wolf's letter and reach the conclusions you did unless they're 1) completely removed from reality, and 2) so vehemently opposed to Frank Wolf for personal reasons that you can find fault in the most benign actions. This post is simply amazing in its unsubstantiated vitriol and its hyperpartisan inanity.  

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by: VA Blogger @ Wed Dec 08, 2010 at 14:57:33 PM UTC

Why won't you tell us ... (0.00 / 0)

... who you are & whether you have any personal interests in this? Quite strange you have so much to say but don't want your name attached.

Read more at TheGreenMiles.com and follow me on Twitter

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by: TheGreenMiles @ Wed Dec 08, 2010 at 17:12:12 PM UTC

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I've been blogging under the same name since 2007 (0.00 / 0)

And enough people know who I am; if you want, send me an email at vablogger@gmail.com and tell you everything you want to know.

I've never worked for Frank Wolf and have only met him a handful of times, but I think he's a great public servant and if he's going to be criticized (which is anyone's right), I'd prefer to see it done intelligently and rationally, rather than whatever this post is.

Any response to the ten well-laid-out thoughts I have?

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by: VA Blogger @ Wed Dec 08, 2010 at 17:37:03 PM UTC

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Yawn (0.00 / 0)

When you have enough confidence in your thoughts to put your name to them, I'll take the time to respond to them. Deal?

Read more at TheGreenMiles.com and follow me on Twitter

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by: TheGreenMiles @ Wed Dec 08, 2010 at 17:46:05 PM UTC

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So (2.00 / 1)

So because you won't take the time to email me, you're also not going to take the time to correct any of the massive leaps of logic you made in a post that can only be described as immature and absurd?

At least Lowell bothers to back his arguments up, even when they are illogical. You just throw crap up and hope no one challenges you, then find petty excuses to duck out of supporting the bizarre claims you've made.

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by: VA Blogger @ Wed Dec 08, 2010 at 19:05:22 PM UTC

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Metro to Dulles was a bipartisan (0.00 / 0)

cluster****.  Among the many people who bear a share of the blame for this debacle, I'd put Frank Wolf high on the list, although Connolly and Kaine weren't particularly helpful either.  My main objections, now as they were then: 1) no-bid contract to Bechtel; 2) the fact that "Big Dig" Bechtel was awarded the contract; 3) an overhead option as opposed to a smart-growth-friendly "tunnel" in Tysons; 4) no real thought given to how the "Silver Line" - or whatever it's called - will impact the rest of the (struggling) Metro system; 5) no serious thought given to whether this massive expenditure on Metro out to Dulles Airport was really the best use of finite mass-transit resources (e.g., as opposed to just building Metro to Tysons, putting in excellent bus service from the airport to the Orange Line, investing to upgrade capacity on the Orange Line...); 6) just poorly thought out in general, such as not figuring out all these funding issues BEFORE the project went through!  Bottom line, this whole thing was done in a slipshod manner, without sufficient transparency and competition, without funding in place, without safeguards against "Big Dig" type cost overruns, etc., etc.  It's a little late NOW for Frank Wolf to come in and be "shocked, SHOCKED!" about what's going on with a project that HE PLAYED A HUGE ROLE in getting to where it is now.  Hecukva job.

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by: lowkell @ Wed Dec 08, 2010 at 17:32:23 PM UTC

From the looks of things... (0.00 / 0)

He's not "shocked" about anything, and as Miles pointed out, nothing is "going on" with it. He simply wants an independent audit to limit all the things that could and probably will go on.

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by: VA Blogger @ Wed Dec 08, 2010 at 17:38:16 PM UTC

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That's wonderful. (0.00 / 0)

Such leadership, I'm so impressed! (snark)

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by: lowkell @ Wed Dec 08, 2010 at 17:47:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]