November 3, 1997

Volume 1, Issue 19

Bruce Babbitt testified last Thursday before the U.S. Senate Committee investigating the campaign finance scandal. Babbitt’s college classmate and early law partner had earlier testified, under oath, regarding conversations with Babbitt that linked him to the controversy. The Interior Secretary was alleged to have denied a casino gambling permit as a quid pro quo for over $284.000 in contributions to the DNC and state democratic campaigns. The donations were received from entities connected with another Indian tribe with an existing casino operation supposedly hoping to derail any competition. The allegations forced Attorney General Janet Reno to conduct a 30 day review under the Independent Counsel Statute. Faxback Documents 208 & 209.

Since Clinton’s move to create the American Heritage Rivers Initiative (AHRI) by Executive Order, there has been widespread congressional and grassroots’ opposition. In fact, there is a campaign to remove localities and rivers from the federal grasp of AHRI that to date has been extremely successful. A number of states, counties and localities have taken Katie McGinty at her word – "if you do not want a designation, you will not get one." Proponents of AHRI are encouraging local communities all across the country to support the Initiative but are finding significant local resistance in some areas. To start the process to exclude your land, town, county or state order faxback document 200. For information on areas which have already chosen to opt-out, select document 201.

Last Friday, on our Liberty Matters’ television program, the American Policy Center (APC) launched a nationwide project to send a loud and clear message against the Climate Change Treaty (Global Warming Treaty) to the U.S. Senate. The strike will occur on Friday, December 5, 1997, the date Clinton is scheduled to sign the Treaty in Kyoto, Japan, which coincidentally is two days before Pearl Harbor Day. Tom DeWeese, president of APC, stated: "Isn’t it ironic that 56 years after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor our president is surrendering the American economy to the UN in Japan." To find out what you can do to join this nationwide "Strike for Liberty," and stop Clinton from delivering the U.S. economy to third world control, order faxback documents 202-207 or call:American Policy Center – 703-925-0881, Fax 703-925-0991, e-mail apc@american policy.org

Senator Kempthorne has stepped up his attempts to get Senate passage of S. 1180, the Endangered Species Recovery Act of 1997. It has been reported that Kempthorne personally contacted Senate offices for their support last week. Simultaneously, the Wall Street Journal ran an editorial in support of his bill. The editorial stated the Kempthorne bill in committee "won bipartisan support in part because property rights advocates were shut out of deliberations and not permitted to testify during senate hearings." Precisely! The bill has no protections for landowners and does not deserve their support. Senator Inhoff from Oklahoma has publicly stated he will not support the bill without just compensation, and with your increased pressure, more will follow Inhoff’s lead. There should be no reauthorization without compensation. Keep the pressure on by calling your Senators and tell them to oppose the Kempthorne ESA reauthorization bill. Faxback docs 210, 8003

Last month, the Global Climate Information Project began running paid advertisements on the CNN cable network in opposition to the Climate Change Treaty, giving Americans an opportunity to learn about the credible science challenging the global warming myth. However, CNN immediately canceled the advertisements claiming they were unnecessary because they would be covering the issue in their own news reporting. After much pressure from the grassroots, CNN reversed its decision and will now allow the advertisements to continue. In a letter to CNN, a project representative wrote: "Advertisements like ours can only heighten public awareness of this important issue. This is the way democracy should work." Your calls and letters to CNN matter. Good Work!