Ravalli Republic: Viewpoint: Rehberg serving himself, not Montana
What world does Congressman Dennis Rehberg live in? His latest newspaper column takes hypocrisy to new heights. What he tells Montanans is much different than his record of secrecy, finger-pointing and hiding from the public.
In his column, Rep. Rehberg attacked the bipartisan Supercommittee for taking the “wrong approach.” But while preaching about the need for transparency, Rep. Rehberg is struggling with his own transparency.
As chairman of the House Labor and Health Appropriations Subcommittee, Congressman Rehberg has the responsibility of writing one of the most important bills in Congress.
For the first time in a decade, with Rep. Rehberg now as chairman, the subcommittee this year failed to pass this annual bill. Rehberg even cancelled three public hearings on the bill.
What happened instead? After holding zero public listening sessions, Rep. Rehberg wrote his own controversial “draft proposal” of what he thinks should be in the bill. Instead of turning to the “genius of the American public” as he preaches, Rehberg insists on passing only his ideas for gutting women’s health care and student financial aid.
There’s more. Rehberg continues to tell Montanans he has held “more than 100” listening sessions since 2009.
But just this summer, while Jon Tester held nearly 20 public listening sessions and field hearings across the state, Congressman Rehberg was nowhere to be seen.
