Man, does Owen Robinson make the Brawler laugh.
The Brawler still gets a chuckle out of the way Owen was used like a two dollar ho by his beloved Republicans during "copiergate." The image of Owen wasting a day photographing the scene of the "crime" still elicits copious tears. Hey Owen: Any word on your other big scoop about Dem skullduggery from that time?
But his impassioned explanation of why Paul Ryan is not a dirty pol for writing letters on behalf of a constituent -- Dennis Troha -- who's been a big sugar daddy is just as funny.
Bice had a story in Sundays MJS about (among other things) how Ryan wrote some letters urging the passage of legislation that would loosen hauling regulations so trucks could carry four truck cabs behind them. Legislation that benefited Troha.
Owen quickly penned a piece telling readers that Ryan -- unlike Jim Doyle -- is a virtuous man.
First off, let’s seperate Troha’s giving of money to Ryan from the Doyle incident, because there are significant differences.
1) Ryan is not a direct decision maker over the issue.
2) Ryan’s reason for supporting the legislation is very plausible. If he truly believed that there was not a safety issue and that it would benefit a large local firm, he was acting correctly in supporting it.
3) Ryan, unlike Doyle, does not have a history of questionable campaign schenanigans.
4) Ryan immediately and forcefully criticized Troha.
5) Ryan gave the money to charity after the Troha indictment.
Owen preceded to get smacked around in comments:
You are awfully generous with Ryan; he takes very serious money from a guy he knows to be hip deep in a huge business proposal, the casino, in Ryan’s district and that this proposal requires federal approval to go forward.
While this stuff makes for good campaign mud, I have seen nothing to suggest that anyone broke the law taking Troha’s money. But, Ryan not so easily distinguished from Doyle as you try and suggest.
Posted by bob laughalott on March 18, 2007 at 1152 hrs
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Also, don’t forget that Ryan intervened on Troha’s behalf wothe the Bureau of Indian Affairs on the casino issue. It wasn’t all about the trucking with Ryan.
Posted by folkbum on March 18, 2007 at 2043 hrs
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Owen: Paul Ryan is a pol who listens when the big money talks and has demonstrated a willingness to throw his principles aside for one of this pet schemes (supporting a ridiculously expensive Medicare drug benefit due to an HSA sweetener). The Brawler would suggest that one of the reasons the legislation sounded good to Ryan at the outset was because he received tens of thousands from Troha.
Ryan's a whore like the rest. Just admit it.
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