July 19, 2007 - 8:32am
News

Congressman threatens to bite Scott Garrett “like a mink”

New Jersey Rep. Scott Garrett better watch out now that a feisty Alaskan Congressman has threatened to bite him.

When Garrett suggested cutting $34 million in funds to The Alaska Native Education Equity Program, he faced an odd and angry response from Alaska Congressman Don Young, a fellow Republican notorious for his love of pork.

"Apparently the students in New Jersey are trying to take money from Alaskan students. Splitting state against state instead of talking about education,” said Young on the House floor. "If we continue this, we will be called biting one another, very much like the mink in my state that kill their own……….. Those that bite me will be bitten back.”

“My people have risen and become leaders because Congress saw the wisdom of providing this money, and now we have an individual from a state that doesn't have the greatest reputation in the world trying to take money from one state and give it to another state" said Young.

Garrett unsuccessfully tried to have Young chastised for his comments. He did not offer comment, but his spokeswoman Mary MacLean told the Anchorage Daily News that the Garrett was "just fighting to put more money back into the pockets of the American taxpayer.”

Apparently Young's slight of New Jersey wasn't enough to make the rest of the state's delegation vote against the earmark. All 12 voted against Garrett's amendment.

While not condoning Young’s statement, Rep. Bill Pascrell said that the Alaskan's work in the transportation committee had been beneficial to New Jersey.

Pascrell, who passionately defended New Jersey after North Carolina Rep. Patrick McHenry made a disparaging remark about it, said that Garrett's anti-earmark stance was mere posturing.

“For six years Scott went along with all the earmarks put forth by a Republican legislature” said Pascrell. “He’s trying to create an image of himself that’s austere, but where the hell was he for the last six years?”

Maclean, Garrett's spokeswoman, responded by pointing out two instances of Garrett's calls for fiscal disciplin during the Republican majority.

MATT FRIEDMAN is a PolitickerNJ.com Reporter and can be reached via email at matt@politicsnj.com.
Related topics: Scott Garrett, Don Young

Comments

Whose money?


Thanks for sharing the video.

Unbelievable - Young ranting about "MY money". I guess the entitlement mentality of incumbents is not limited to New Jersey Democrats.

Too bad the camera didn't pan - I would love to see who was cheering.

George Ajjan
http://www.georgeajjan.com

07/19/07 9:49 am

Go Scott


Go Scott!

If any state needs to elect a new Congressman, it's Alaska.

07/19/07 10:10 am

Thank you Congressman Garrett - need another 434 just like him!!


As the Representative from the Fifth District of the State of New Jersey, I remind the gentleman from Alaska that the State of New Jersey has 13 congressional Representatives from both sides of the aisle. And so when the gentleman from Alaska makes reference to our Representatives from the State of New Jersey not doing their job and not appropriately representing the people of the State, I remind him that it is an accusation not against simply this one gentleman who is standing at the microphone right now proposing this one amendment, but it is an entire body of 13 gentlemen from both sides of the aisle who I say, and I commend both Representatives from the Democrat and the Republican side of the aisle, for appropriately and admirably representing the good citizens from the State of New Jersey. My colleagues from the other 12 districts do not need to be defended against these rash accusations by the gentleman from Alaska. But I do come to the floor now to appropriately defend them, nonetheless. [snip] I also take up the comment that the gentleman from Texas was just making reference to which the gentleman from Alaska stated in his statement what was ``my money'' or it is Alaska's money. Well, maybe that is the problem we have had in this Congress for too long, even when Republicans were in the majority and now that the Democrats are the majority, too. Too many Members of Congress see the dollars that we appropriate here not as the taxpayers' dollar, but see it as their very own personal checking account. Maybe that is the fundamental problem that we have with why we spend more and more each year. I remember when the Democrats were running for office this past election. They were railing against the Republican Party, that we were the party out of control, spending more and more and more. If they were elected to office, they would come here and rein things in when it came to spending. And I served on the Budget Committee when the Democrats were in the minority, and how they railed against us from the other side of the aisle. And at times I even agreed with them on some of the charges that they made, that we were spending too much money. And now when the Democrats take control, what do they do? Give us the largest tax increase in U.S. history, and we see spending continue to go through the roof. Where do those dollars come from? They come from American taxpayers, from the family budgets, from men and women in Alaska and New Jersey and across this country, working hard just to get by, and yet they are being forced by the Democrats' tax increases to send more dollars here to Washington. When the gentleman from Alaska comes forth and says it is "my money,'' maybe that is why in some respects when there are projects that are appropriated such as bridges to nowhere and the like, the American public says that is our dollars going to Washington, and it shouldn't be looked at for just such frivolous things as this. The amendment that's before us right now is an appropriate amendment to say that the hard-earned tax dollars should go to programs that are necessary but be spent in an effective manner. Members from all 50 States see the need to educate our children. Members from all 50 States, including the State of New Jersey, see the need to deal with the issue of Alaska native students, and that is why this administration has already requested appropriations of $1 billion for that, $118 million in other categorical aids such as that. So all we are doing is saying make sure that those dollars that come from New Jersey and elsewhere are spent effectively. Finally, to close on this point of ``my money,'' maybe the gentleman from Alaska was not listening at the opening of my comments when I said that New Jersey taxpayers send a dollar to Washington and only get 63 cents back on the dollar, whereas his constituents, yes, they do much better. They send a dollar to Washington and then they get $1.80 back. I would ask the gentleman from Alaska and other Members from the Democrat side of the aisle, where do they think that other 80 cents on the dollar is coming from? I will tell you it's coming from the good, hardworking taxpayers from the State of New Jersey and Connecticut and New York that are donor States to States like Alaska, that we are subsidizing their programs. I would ask the gentleman from Alaska to refrain from, therefore, referring to it as his money. It is the taxpayers in the Fifth Congressional District and the rest of New Jersey, whether you're in a Democrat district or Republican district, who are helping fund these programs.

07/19/07 11:37 am

An Alaskan pig disguised as a varmint


No wonder NJ consistently ranks at the bottom in the rate of return of money that we send to Washington. The pigs in Alaska disguise themselves as varmints and threaten those who are fiscally responsible. Then have the nerve to blame New Jersey students! Stick to your principles on this Congressman Garrett. And if Rep. Young persists with his threats, we should all write to advise him that here in NJ we don't eat our own, we look out for them. We have your back covered Congressman Garrett.

07/19/07 11:40 am

Sopranos


Maybe we can restart the show with Tony and crew taking a trip to Alaska to show people how we handle threats in NJ - Keep up the good fight Scott.

07/19/07 12:14 pm

Drill for oil


Drill for oil and stop crying. Stop spending our money period. Then check out the Garrett haters in Bergen and Sussex county and remove them. Problem solved

07/19/07 12:19 pm

God that's a wonderful Republican! Scott Garrett!


The only thing he's done worth noticing, is screwing his own Party! Way to go Scott!

Aren't you the same guy in that " last hundred yards" movie with Burt Reynolds who was the prison guard?

Scotty, beam yourself up! save yourself the embarrassment next November.

I dink "Paulie"'s got a suhprize for ya 11/08.

 Fagetabowdit!

07/19/07 12:55 pm

Those darned Republicans!


I don't know who's crazier...Garrett the neo-fascist or Young the borderline personality.

07/19/07 12:56 pm

"Yummy...."


....that is what Sussex County bears would think of Alaska's minks and their bites. Add ketchup and it is the perfect snack.

07/19/07 1:13 pm

Lovepolitics ?


Question? Has your friend Paulie finished his Political suicide bomb training course yet ??

07/19/07 1:44 pm

bridge to nowhere


the Alaska delegation is unparalleled when it comes to bringing home to bacon.

Some might argue that's part of a Congressman's job.

07/19/07 2:37 pm

Alaska


Could Alaska send anymore nuts to Washington?

07/19/07 2:38 pm

I hope not!


Thankfully their population is relatively stagnant...otherwise Sen. Tubes, Sen. Nepotism, and Rep. Mink would have more deranged company.

07/19/07 3:05 pm

If only Mike "Mad Dog" Gravel could ...


capture the White House.   It would be Thunderdome in DC.

 

"KNOWLEDGE IS GOOD" - Emil Faber

07/19/07 3:34 pm

Why does pennquake in her boots lie and slander Garrett


Because Garrett is such a great congressman and great American and pennquake in her boots is just another libtard?

07/19/07 3:32 pm

bill conservative


That was so eloquently put...thank you for the staggering insight...I also love what you did with pennquaker’s sign in name, you must be a very very VERY creative man!

If a nation expects to be ignorant — and free — in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.

-Thomas Jefferson

07/19/07 3:49 pm

Good for Garrett...


Garrett should use this in his campaign next year to show his independence and his pride in New Jersey. He should tell the fiscally conservative voters in Glen Rock and Ridgewood who may disagree with him on social issues that he stuck it to someone who makes Ted Kennedy look like a fiscal conservative. I think he can double his fund raising from the real conservatives of America (people who dont think the federal government should be spending at 75% of GDP like Young probably does). And how is Paul Ahronsohn or any other Democrat gonna argue with trying to bring more money back to New Jersey or putting it back in people's pockets. And if any of those minks come to NJ, we'll find a nice place off Route 7 in South Kearny to dump em!

07/19/07 4:07 pm

SCOTT!


Say what you want about him...he's got some ba$$s and he uses them well...BRAVO.

07/19/07 4:32 pm

No, he's allowing Scotty to pursue his own suicide.


Apparently Quite effectively.

Just keep in mind that Scotty lost in Bergen County.

AND more and more Blue is being added to the landscape every day!

He Better take care of the mountain men. Without them he is S.O.L.

07/19/07 5:04 pm

He won Bergen


by about 4,300 votes.

07/19/07 5:16 pm

And next year is a Presidential...


I don't think a district that voted for Bob Dole is voting for Hillary.

07/19/07 6:41 pm

The Taxpayer's Hero!


If we had more representatives such as Scott Garrett, the taxpayers wouldn't be taken advantage of by pigs such as Don Young and other appropriators of both parties who spend "our money" for their pet projects, regardless of their merit... or lack thereof.

All you Garrett haters out there should get some facts straight:

1) He did not lose Bergen, nor will he as the district is configured. 2) No Democrat is winning in this version of the 5th District. Even in a great Democrat year, he still won by double digits.

To echo what Dan B. said: a district that voted for Dole, Bush twice, Schundler, and Forrester twice is NOT voting against Garrett.

Great job, Scott.

 

07/19/07 10:10 pm

Three Cheers for Scott


This can only help make him look good for 2008. Few members of congress will stand up to someone from their own party when pork is involved.

07/20/07 10:19 am

the other white meat


RE:Don Young

Evidently it's not just Kermit's fingers that smell like pork...

07/20/07 10:49 am

A Pox on Both Your Houses


It's insanely absurd. A dispute between two cretins; both are wrong and for different reasons.

This idiot actually makes Garrett look halfway sane. What a sick sad pathetic joke.

 There is NO PLACE for "earmarks"! Every penny of spending needs to be PROPERLY reviewed and accounted for!

That applies at the state amd local levels too!

From Frederick Douglass

If there is no struggle there is no progress......Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.

07/21/07 11:39 am