Eye On Boise

Oops, no mouse in S.F….

Feb. 18, 2009 1:03 p.m. • 17 comments

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office says there is no truth to Idaho Sen. Jim Risch’s contention today that the federal stimulus package contains $50 million to save the “red-breasted harvest mouse” in Pelosi’s California district. Drew Hammill, spokesman for Pelosi, called the story about the mice “a total fabrication.” It apparently originated a week ago in talking points distributed by Republicans in Congress, charging that $30 million would go to the mouse. That, it turned out, was the entire amount the California State Coastal Conservancy, a state agency, had put together to show its “shovel-ready” projects eligible for stimulus funding, the San Jose Mercury-News reported. Those included five major wetlands restoration projects including some involving salt marshes, where the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse lives. However, Pelosi’s office said there are none in San Francisco. The conservancy is involved in a major restoration of the South Bay Salt Ponds south of San Francisco, but that’s not in Pelosi’s district, a small, urban district concentrated in the city.

Brad Hoaglun, Risch’s director of communications and senior adviser, said, “That’s good to know - I’ll make sure the senator doesn’t say it any more. That was apparently in there last week.” Hoaglun said the issue shows the complexity of the 1,100-page stimulus bill. He had no explanation for why Risch claimed the mouse would get $50 million, when last week’s claims were that it would get $30 million. “This was something that last week everyone was saying was in the bill,” he said. “It was part of talking points that circulated on Capitol Hill.”

17 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

darcyism on February 18 at 1:44 p.m.
I hope it is a good early lesson for the Senator to do some research and to question the propoganda of the GOP. Who knows, maybe this misstep will actually mean that the information coming back to Idaho is correct from now on.
Sisyphus on February 18 at 1:46 p.m.
Ahhh, it was the “They were only talking points” defense. Betsy, while you have him on the phone ask him if he sponsored a counter proposal to the stimulus. If not, then ask him whose advice was he taking that the government should just do nothing.

Jim Risch, attack dog for the Party of NO.
Sisyphus on February 18 at 1:52 p.m.
Maybe Risch’s opposition was based on the rumor the mouse might be gay. Was that in the talking points?

So darcyism, do you really think the newbie senator will parse any future talking points he’s handed? I think the lesson here is to look askance at Republicans looking for a camera and a mic.
CyborgElf on February 18 at 2:21 p.m.
There might not be agreement about climate change.
There might not be agreement about a recession.
There might not be agreement about what to do about any problem facing us today.

Could we at least agree to become informed before we speak, to respect other opinions, to be agreeable whilst we disagree, and to act collaboratively to make a difference?
BRR on February 18 at 2:40 p.m.
Sen. Risch get your white flag of surrender out on “$8 billion for a “magnetic, levitating, high-speed train from Disneyland to the Las Vegas strip” too. You’re trip, stumbling, and falling all over your Limbauagh/Hannity/Beck talking points. You’re off to a good start as Larry Craig’s replacement as Idaho’s national embarrassment.
Sisyphus on February 18 at 2:42 p.m.
Might you be talking about this bi-part-is-an-ship I heard tell about? Them TV people keep crowing about the glory of Republican unity. But their polls keep slipping. Reckon the people know better who was being the obstructionists to progress.
BRR on February 18 at 2:53 p.m.
Maybe Sen Risch and his staff can limit their comments to those bills that are not complex, you know simple enough for them. Can’t wait to hear their take on healthcare reform, the tax code, and new banking, mortgage, and Wall Street regulations.

Also repeating Hill hearsay has not been generally considered a best practice.
JamesBond on February 18 at 3:56 p.m.
This is as lame as screwing up the punchline for a joke.

For years, I have thought the quality of staff work for Republicans has deteriorated quite a bit. The GOP used to have some very smart people pulling the levers, but over time the staffers grew younger and stopped thinking, instead just recycling the same stuff that, at one time, had context and factual support. Now, it’s just spin, and like this statement, completely devoid of any context or factual basis.

I hope one day soon the GOP gets rid of the sycophants and starts thinking again.
slfisher on February 19 at 8:53 a.m.
Way to impress people at your new job, Senator. Not.