The small western Kentucky town of Paducah loves Mitch McConnell. Even if progressives loathe McConnell for his ruthless effectiveness as master of the Senate, and even if plenty of his fellow Kentuckians disapprove of his performance, he can always find a warm embrace here on the banks of the Ohio River
WASHINGTON — The small western Kentucky town of Paducah loves Mitch McConnell. Even if progressives loathe McConnell for his ruthless effectiveness as master of the Senate, and even if plenty of his fellow Kentuckians disapprove of his performance, he can always find a warm embrace here on the banks of the Ohio River.
Over the past decade and a half, Paducah has reaped $509 million in funds from federal departments Chao has been in charge of, according to Restore Public Trust, a progressive group that has tracked the Chao-McConnell relationship. Outwardly, that funding appears to violate no laws, but critics say it is improper all the same.
A spokesperson for the Department of Transportation, where Chao has served as the secretary since the beginning of the Trump administration — and, until recently, without the kind of controversy that has befallen some of her colleagues — took umbrage at suggestions that she was susceptible to such influence.
“The House of Representatives should investigate, see what they can find” about Chao’s work intersecting with McConnell’s political prospects, said Painter, a vociferous opponent of the Trump administration. He added that Chao was “a lot shrewder” than Conway and a lot more “subtle.” He also acknowledged that there were ways for Chao to support her husband’s political career without violating the Hatch Act. Indeed, the couple’s supporters say she has done only that, and nothing more.
A spokesperson for the Department of Labor said that the payments to Paducah were “comparable” to those made to former workers at another gaseous diffusion plant, this one in Portsmouth, Ohio. The payments were lower than those made to workers at the only other gaseous diffusion plant in the United States, at the Oak Ridge facility in Tennessee.
In this case, a violation would have occurred if Chao presented herself as the federal labor secretary, Painter explained. He said there is “strong” reason to make the inference that she did so, since the editorial did praise Chao for “working to keep America's workforce competitive in a rapidly evolving global economy.” At the same time, it is impossible to say whether that apparent reference was made at Chao’s explicit urging.
McConnell ultimately defeated his Democratic rival Lunsford, but not by much. “Kentucky Republican McConnell Survives Political Battle of His Career,” said a headline in U.S News & World Report.
In 2017, National Maintenance and Repair of Kentucky received $377,000 from Chao’s new department to “boost Paducah’s dry dock capabilities,” according to a department briefing the following year. It was the first grant to the dry dock in a decade. In her announcement of the new office during a department briefing, Chao reminded that “this is the second government office I have established in Paducah,” a reference to a Department of Labor office she had opened some 12 years before to handle compensation claims from the Gaseous Diffusion Plant.
Brasil Últimas Notícias, Brasil Manchetes
Similar News:Você também pode ler notícias semelhantes a esta que coletamos de outras fontes de notícias.
House votes to clamp down on DOT ethics rules after Elaine Chao reportsThe House voted to forbid Department of Transportation funding from being used to violate federal ethics rules that guard against using a public office for personal gain, in response to investigations into Secretary Elaine Chao
Consulte Mais informação »
Mitch McConnell Will Meet With 9/11 Responders Despite Calling Jon Stewart “Bent Out Of Shape”Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has agreed to meet with a group of 9/11 first responders tomorrow, just more than a week after wondering on Fox & Friends why Jon Stewart was all “b…
Consulte Mais informação »
Adam Scott Tells Mitch McConnell Social Media Team to Stop Using His Image'Please refrain from using my image in support of anything but your own stunning and humiliating defeat,' the actor says.
Consulte Mais informação »
Adam Scott Calls Out Mitch McConnell’s Social Media Team for Using His Image on TwitterAdam Scott took to social media on Wednesday to tell Mitch McConnell’s reps not to use his image after the politician’s social media team tweeted a “Parks and Recreation” gi…
Consulte Mais informação »
Former White House lawyer: 'I’m not aware of any situation like' Elaine Chao's reported conflicts of interestDepartment of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao’s personal connections are raising concerns on Capitol Hill and beyond amid recent reports of various conflicts of interest.
Consulte Mais informação »