Richard Pombo
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 11th district
In office 1993-2007
Preceded by	Tom Lantos
Succeeded by	Jerry McNerney
Born	January 8, 1961 Tracy, California
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Annette Cole
Religion	Roman Catholic

Richard William Pombo (born January 8, 1961) is a former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing California's 11th congressional district from 1993 to 2007. After multiple allegations of corruption, misuse of official resources, nepotism, questionable campaign contributions, and concerted opposition from national environmental groups, Pombo lost a reelection bid to to Democratic challenger Jerry McNerney on November 7, 2006. Image File history File links Rep. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is the lower of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ... Contains Morgan Hill, California. ... Tom Lantos Thomas Peter Lantos (born February 1, 1928 as Lantos Tamás Péter) has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since 1981, representing Californias 12th congressional district, located just south of San Francisco. ... Jerry McNerney is a nationally recognized expert in wind engineering and renewable energy, with a PhD in mathematics. ... January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... 11th Street and Central Avenue, Tracy Tracy is a city in San Joaquin County, California, in the United States. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Democratic Party. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States; the other being the Democratic Party. ... Seal of the House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is the lower of the two chambers of the United States Congress, the other being the Senate. ... Contains Morgan Hill, California. ... Reelection is when someone runs for election after already being elected once, and already having served out their first term. ... Jerry McNerney is a nationally recognized expert in wind engineering and renewable energy, with a PhD in mathematics. ... November 7 is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 54 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Early life and career

Pombo was born in Tracy, California, just outside Stockton. Pombo attended Cal-Poly Pomona for three years before dropping out to work for his family's cattle and dairy business. He is a descendant of Portuguese immigrants. Pombo is married to the former Annette Cole and has three children. Even after being elected to Congress, he continued to own a 500-acre ranch near Tracy, returning to it every week. [1] Pombo is a member of the Roman Catholic Church. 11th Street and Central Avenue, Tracy Tracy is a city in San Joaquin County, California, in the United States. ... City nickname: Californias Sunrise Seaport City slogan: Stocktons Great, Take A Look! County: San Joaquin Area code: 209 ZIP code: 952xx Area:  - Total  - Water 144. ... California State Polytechnic University, Pomona The California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is a public, coeducational university situated at the western corner of the city of Pomona, a suburb of Los Angeles, California, and is adjacent to Mt. ... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Twelve Apostles, in particular Saint Peter. ...

Pombo served as a Councilmember for the City of Tracy from 1990 to 1992.   This is a redirect from a plural word to the singular equivalent. ... 11th Street and Central Avenue, Tracy Tracy is a city in San Joaquin County, California, in the United States. ...

House of Representatives

1992 election

In 1992, Pombo won the Republican primary, defeating several candidates, in a race for an open seat in a district newly created by redistricting. California had added seven seats in the House after the 1990 Census. Pombo's strongest opponent in the Republican primary was moderate-Republican Sandra Smoley, a Sacramento County Supervisor.

In November, Pombo defeated Democrat Patti Garamendi (wife of current Lieutenant Governor of California John Garamendi) in a majority-Democratic district won by Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996 [2]. Pombo was assisted greatly by his family's name recognition in the Central Valley. His late uncle Ernie Pombo's real estate and land development firm, Pombo Real Estate, made the Pombo family the largest land owner in the 11th district. This a List of Lieutenant Governors of the State of California, 1850-present. ... John Raymond Garamendi (born January 24, 1945) is a U.S. politician and a member of the Democratic Party. ...

The 2000 redistricting changed the 11th district to a plurality of registered Republicans beginning with the 2002 election.

Political positions

Status within the Republican party

Pombo has a conservative track record. ^[1] In 1994, during the Republican Revolution, he was one of the signatories of the Contract with America. American conservatism is a constellation of political ideologies within the United States under the blanket heading of conservative. ... The Republican Revolution refers to the success of Republican Party in the 1994 U.S. midterm elections, which resulted in a net gain of 54 seats in the House of Representatives, and a pickup of eight seats in the Senate. ... The Contract with America was a document released by the Republican Party of the United States during the 1994 Congressional election campaign. ...

Private property rights

Pombo is especially known for his defense of private property rights. This was spurred by the Southern Pacific Railroad's abandonment of the Altamont Pass route through Tracy, California. Pombo owned land adjacent to the abandoned railroad line. Pombo argued that the abandoned easement should legally revert to the adjacent property owners (such as himself) rather than to the local park district. He argued that as the easement was granted based on a promise that the land would be used for railroad purposes only, that the easements ended entirely when they were abandoned. Pombo's case resulted in Congress passing the Rails to Trails Act. This page deals with property as ownership rights. ... The Southern Pacific Railroad (AAR reporting mark SP) was an American railroad. ... The Altamont Pass is a mountain pass in Northern California, United States, located between Livermore in the Livermore Valley and Tracy in the San Joaquin Valley. ... An easement is the right to do something or the right to prevent something over the real property of another. ... Rail trails are former railway lines that have been converted to paths designed for pedestrian, bicycle, skating, equestrian, and/or light motorized traffic. ...

In a New York Times editorial (October 30, 2005), Pombo was called "an outspoken product of the extreme property rights movement." In 2005, he proposed legislation which would allow mining companies to buy lands on which they have staked claims, even if there is no evidence of valuable minerals on that land. According to the editorial, "This has nothing to do with mining, and everything to do with stealing land that is owned by the American people."

Pombo has written a book with Joseph Farah, founder of WorldNetDaily, about private property issues, entitled This Land is Our Land: How to End the War on Private Property. St. Martin's Press, New York, 1996. (ISBN 0-312-14747-3) It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with WorldNetDaily. ... WorldNetDaily, also known as WND, is a conservative online news site, founded in 1997. ...

Pombo was a co-founder of the San Joaquin County Citizen’s Land Alliance, a group of farmers and other landowners who advocate private property rights and oppose government encroachment on these rights.

Environment

Pombo has proposed legislation to sell roughly a quarter of the land managed by the National Park Service. In November 2005, Pombo and Jim Gibbons (R-NV) co-authored an amendment to the Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill easing restrictions of sale of federal lands to mining companies. This amendment was opposed by environmentalists, anti-growth advocates, and even some Republican Senators concerned about the measure's effects on hunting and fishing.^[2] The amendment narrowly passed the House, but was defeated in the Senate. The legislation was later described by his chief of staff as a "bureaucratic exercise" designed to evaluate the costs of not drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... James Arthur Gibbons (born December 16, 1944) is the 28th Governor of the U.S. state of Nevada. ... The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) covers 19,049,236 acres (79,318 km²) in northeastern Alaska, in the North Slope region. ...

Pombo has likewise pushed for oil drilling in the ANWR, despite concerns about the fragile ecosystem and opposition from moderate Republicans. [3].

In September 2005, Pombo helped rewrite the 1973 Endangered Species Act. The proposed revision "was widely denounced by environmentalists as a disturbing retreat from habitat protection and a paperwork nightmare for agencies seeking to revive the 1,268 threatened and endangered plants and animals in the country, 186 of which are in California."^[3]

By March 2006, Environmental Science & Technology reported that Pombo was coordinating efforts with Pac/West Communications to weaken the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Pac/West has created the Save Our Species Alliance, an anti-environmental front group that is campaigning for Pombo's bill to change the ESA.^[4] The Save Our Species Alliance (SOSA) is an American political group, established in 2005, which is critical of the Endangered Species Act and other environmental legislation. ...

The League of Conservation Voters, a nonpartisan PAC, assigned Pombo a lifetime average rating of 7 on a scale of 0 to 100. In 2005, he scored a 6. Subsequently, the organization has also named Pombo as one of the "Dirty Dozen" in 2006 [4]. LCV released an ad on October 31, 2006, citing Pombo's acceptance of $120,000 from oil companies and his ties to indicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff [5]. The League of Conservation Voters is an American environmentalist lobby. ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 61 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Abramoff on the cover of the January 16, 2006 issue of TIME magazine after pleading guilty earlier that month. ...

For his anti-environment views, the magazine Rolling Stone ranked him one of the worst congressmen and called him "Enemy of the Earth" [6]. This article is about the magazine. ...

As the chairman of the House Resources Committee, Rep. Pombo blocked legislation that would have created the Wild Sky Wilderness area in Washington state, despite broad support for the bill ^[5]. The U.S. House Committee on Resources, or Resources Committee (often referred to as simply Resources, as in Hes on Resources) is a Congressional committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... The Wild Sky Wilderness is a proposed wilderness area in the western Cascade Range of Washington state. ... Official language(s) None Capital Olympia Largest city Seattle Area  Ranked 18th  - Total 71,342 sq mi (184,827 km²)  - Width 240 miles (385 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 6. ...

Iraq

Pombo has expressed support for the Iraq war. In August 2006, anti-war activists criticized him for this support, citing an estimate that taxpayers in the 11th Congressional District had spent $974 million on the war by that time. ^[6] For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ...

Warrantless wiretapping

Pombo said at a May debate that "intelligence agents should obtain surveillance warrants before monitoring phone calls," but "less than five months later, he voted to allow warrantless wiretapping."^[7] He told the Tracy Press that his vote was consistent with his statement. The Tracy Press is a weekday newspaper published in Tracy, California, United States. ...

Committee and caucuses

Committee assignments

Until Pombo's 2006 defeat he was the Chairman of the House Resources Committee.^[8] The committee has oversight and sets policy on matters involving natural resources, Indian Country and Indian gaming. He was also a member of the House Agriculture Committee. The U.S. House Committee on Resources, or Resources Committee (often referred to as simply Resources, as in Hes on Resources) is a Congressional committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... Indian Territory in 1836 Indian Territory in 1891 Indian Territory, also known as Indian Country, Indian territory or the Indian territories, was the land set aside within the United States for the use of Native Americans (Indians). The general borders were set by the Indian Intercourse Act of 1834. ... In 1987 the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that as sovereign political entities, Native American tribes could operate gaming facilities free of state regulation. ... The U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, or Agriculture Committee (often referred to as simply Agriculture, as in Hes on Agriculture) is a Congressional committee of the United States House of Representatives. ...

Pombo was also a co-Chair of the House Energy Action Team (HEAT). This team's stated goal is to find alternative energy solutions.

Caucuses

Pombo was a member and former Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus. The Western Caucus is made up of Western State members of Congress concerned about Endangered Species Act reform, water rights, private property rights and other issues affecting the western states. [[Image:{{npov}} {{expert-subject|Law}} The Endangered Species Act (, et seq. ... Water Rights refers to a legal system for allocating water from a water source to water users. ...

Pombo was the co-founder of the Portuguese Caucus, a coalition of Members of Congress who promote positive Portuguese-American relations.^{[citation needed]} He has hosted prominent visitors of Portugal to the United States. The Portuguese government bestowed Pombo with the Grand Order of Infante D. Henrique, Portugal's highest civilian honor, in recognition of his efforts to improve Portuguese-American relations.

Controversies and criticisms

In September 2006, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan watchgroup founded in 2005 by liberal and Democratic Party activists^[9] released a report naming Pombo as one of the seventeen most corrupt members of the House of Representatives; he had also been named in the group's prior report in January. The organization said "His ethics issues stem from accepting campaign contributions in return for legislative assistance, keeping family members on his campaign payroll, and misusing official resources."^[10] Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a Washington, DC-based advocacy organization which professes to fight corruption by U.S. government officials. ...

Corruption allegations

Main article: Jack Abramoff Indian lobbying scandal

Pombo and his political action committee RICH PAC ^[11] are among a dozen leaders in the House of Representatives reportedly under investigation as part of the corruption and influence-peddling scandal centered around disgraced Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and his policy issues including Indian gaming. Pombo has taken more money from Abramoff than any other member of Congress ($500,000). Fundraisers organized by Indian gaming interests and tied to the 2005 MLB All-Star Game are among those activities under scrutiny.^[12] This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group organized to elect or defeat government officials in order to promote legislation, often supporting the groups special interests. ... Abramoff on the cover of the January 16, 2006 issue of TIME magazine after pleading guilty earlier that month. ... In 1987 the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that as sovereign political entities, Native American tribes could operate gaming facilities free of state regulation. ...

On January 8, 2006, the Los Angeles Times alleged that Pombo helped one of Jack Abramoff's clients, the Mashpee Indians in Massachusetts, gain official recognition as a tribe. In return, Pombo received campaign contributions from both the tribe and Abramoff.^[13] January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Los Angeles Times (also known as the LA Times) is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California and distributed throughout the Western United States. ... Abramoff on the cover of the January 16, 2006 issue of TIME magazine after pleading guilty earlier that month. ...   Settled: 1660 â€“ Incorporated: 1870 Zip Code(s): 02649 â€“ Area Code(s): 508 / 774 Official website: http://www. ...

In the 2006 cycle, Abramoff was one of the top donors to Pombo's political action committee.^[14] Several of Pombo's top five donors are political influence brokers from Detroit, Michigan who mingled gambling with major league baseball when they hosted several $5,000 per person fundraisers for Pombo in their owners box at Comerica Park during the 2005 MLB All-Star Game. News reports indicated contributions from the two day fundraising event would go to RICH Political Action Committee; however, FEC reports filed by RICH PAC show only one such contribution and apparently contributions were diverted to some other entity making it difficult to track who attended and contributed. Nickname: Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Location in Wayne County, Michigan Coordinates: Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Area    - City 370. ... Mike and Marian Ilitch founded Little Caesars Pizza in 1959. ... Comerica Park is a baseball stadium located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. ...

As it is, the Ilitch family, owners of the MLB Detroit Tigers and Detroit's MotorCity Casino, are also financial backers of various Indian Tribes including one (Shinnecock Indians) seeking to build an Indian casino in the Hamptons, Long Island, New York. Various issues and tribal disputes involving the Shinnecock were before the House Resources Committee chaired by Pombo just days after the fundraiser.^[12] Marian and Mike Ilitch founded Little Caesars Pizza in 1959. ... Major league affiliations American League (1901–present) Central Division (1998–present) Current uniform Name Detroit Tigers (1901–present) Ballpark Comerica Park (2000–present) Tiger Stadium(1961-1999) a. ... MotorCity Casino is one of three 75,000 square foot casinos located in Detroit, Michigan. ... Shinnecock Reservation is an Indian reservation located in Suffolk County, New York. ... In 1987 the U.S. Supreme Court recognized that as sovereign political entities, Native American tribes could operate gaming facilities free of state regulation. ... The Hamptons, shown highlighted The Hamptons refers to a group of towns and seaside villages on the South Fork, Suffolk County on the east end of Long Island, in New York State, some dating from the 1600s. ... This article is about Long Island in New York State. ...

On October 11, 2006 it was reported that Pombo "says he never worked with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff in his 14 years in Congress, but billing records suggest at least two interactions between the two in 1996."^[15] October 11 is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Freeways that could enhance owned real estate

Pombo's father (Ralph Sr.) is one of eleven children. This large and diverse family was born and raised in the Tracy, CA. area. Various members of the Pombo family individually own more than 1,500 undeveloped acres near two proposed freeways. If even one of the proposed freeways is eventually built, the value of the property owned by Pombo's relatives and located near the proposed freeway will be worth far more than its currently assessed value.

Pombo has led an effort to build a multilane freeway (California State Route 130) through the mostly uninhabited Diablo Range to facilitate Bay Area-bound commuting from the greater Tracy.^[16][17] Interstate 80 (Eastshore Freeway) in Berkeley, a typical American freeway (MUTCD definition) A freeway is a type of highway that is designed for safer high-speed operation of motor vehicles through the elimination of at-grade intersections. ... JUNCTION MILE POST US-101 0. ... The Diablo Range is a large group of mountain chains and ranges in western California. ... USGS satellite photo of the San Francisco Bay Area. ...

Windfarm regulations

Pombo's home town of Tracy, California has a large wind farm on Altamont Pass. In 2004, Pombo’s office sent a letter to then-Secretary of the Department of the Interior Gale Norton, urging the suspension of environmental guidelines opposed by the wind power industry. Pombo’s parents have received hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties from wind-powered turbines on their 300-acre ranch. Pombo owns an interest in his parents' ranch.^[18] 11th Street and Central Avenue, Tracy Tracy is a city in San Joaquin County, California, in the United States. ... Wind turbines in Neuenkirchen, Dithmarschen (Germany). ... The Altamont Pass is a mountain pass in Northern California, United States, located between Livermore in the Livermore Valley and Tracy in the San Joaquin Valley. ... Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton Gale Ann Norton (born March 11, 1954) served as the 48th United States Secretary of the Interior, serving under President George W. Bush. ...

Payments to family

Between 2000 and 2004, Pombo used his campaign and PAC funds to pay his brother Randall $272,000, and his wife (between 2003 and 2004) $85,000. In that 2003-04 campaign cycle, Pombo paid more to his family members — $217,000 — than his opponent, Jerry McNerney, spent on his entire campaign. The two have been paid for duties listed as bookkeeping, fundraising, consulting and other unspecified services.^[19] Jerry McNerney is a nationally recognized expert in wind engineering and renewable energy, with a PhD in mathematics. ...

After the publicity about the payments to his family, Randall is no longer on Pombo's payroll (total payments between January 2005 and mid-2006 were less than $7,000). Pombo's wife continues to be paid at the rate of $3,000 per month.^[20]

Steven Ding

In January 2003, Pombo named Steven Ding, a member of his personal staff, to be chief of staff to the House Resources Committee at an annual salary of $150,000. Ding remained in Stockton, California, traveling to Washington when Congress was in session. Pombo's California district office paid $87,000 (with federal funds) for travel, meals and other expenses Ding incurred over the two and one-half years he commuted between California and Washington, D.C. City nickname: Californias Sunrise Seaport City slogan: Stocktons Great, Take A Look! County: San Joaquin Area code: 209 ZIP code: 952xx Area:  - Total  - Water 144. ...

During this same period, Ding was paid a monthly salary of $100 to work in Pombo’s personal office. According to Ding, he worked 80 to 90 hours a week for both the Resources Committee and Pombo’s district office. At the same time, Mr. Ding also earned $57,000 in outside political consulting fees for work he performed in California.^[21]

Mailings during 2004 campaign

In October 2004, Pombo used the franking privileges afforded members of Congress to mail approximately 175,000 copies of a two-page leaflet that openly praised the House Resources Committee and the Bush Administration for overturning Clinton Administration limits on snowmobiling in national parks. The leaflets were sent to snowmobile owners in the swing states of Wisconsin and Minnesota. Pombo authorized the expenditure of $68,081 from House Resources Committee funds for the mailing of the leaflets as "official business." House members are required to seek prior approval and obtain advisory opinions before sending out franked mail; no such approval was obtained prior to the October mailing.^[22]

2003 RV trip charged to the federal government

In August 2003, Pombo and his family rented an RV and "spent two weeks on vacation, stopping along the way to enjoy ... our national parks." ^[23] The 5,000-mile trip included stops in the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Joshua Tree, Sequoia-Kings Canyon and Mount Rushmore, the Badlands and other parks. The $4,935 cost of the rental was charged to the federal government.

When asked in February 2006 about the trip -- rules forbid government-funded travel for personal vacations, but allow lawmakers to bring family members on official trips, Pombo said that he had looked into flying into the parks by commercial air or charters, but found the costs to be excessive, and that after choosing to travel instead by RV, he invited his family along with him. ^[24]

At Yellowstone, Pombo had a lengthy meeting with the park superintendent, which a spokesman charactizered as non-official. Pombo's visit to the Badlands National Park is in dispute: the secretary to the superintendent said he did not show; a spokesman for Pombo said that Pombo was certain he was there and met with a group of Native American tribal leaders nearby. Reports concerning Pombo's visit to Joshua Tree are also contradictory. The Los Angeles Times was told that Pombo had shown up for his meeting but "they were not there." The Tracy Press was told that Pombo met with the park's acting superintendent. Yellowstone National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the western states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. ... Badlands National Park, in southwest South Dakota, preserves 242,756 acres (982 km²) of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Los Angeles Times (also known as the LA Times) is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California and distributed throughout the Western United States. ... The Tracy Press is a weekday newspaper published in Tracy, California, United States. ...

Officials from Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks did not return calls seeking comment. [7] ^[25] Crescent Meadow in the Giant Forest, called by John Muir the Gem of the Sierras Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Visalia, California in the United States of America. ... This article is about Kings Canyon National Park, USA. For Kings Canyon, Australia, see Kings Canyon (Northern Territory). ...

Investigation of Charles Hurwitz

One January 8, 2006, the Los Angeles Times reported that Pombo and Representative John Doolittle had joined with then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay of Texas to oppose an investigation by federal banking regulators into the affairs of Houston millionaire Charles Hurwitz. The Times reported that "When the FDIC persisted, Doolittle and Pombo — both considered proteges of DeLay — used their power as members of the House Resources Committee to subpoena the agency's confidential records on the case, including details of the evidence FDIC investigators had compiled on Hurwitz." The investigation was ultimately dropped. January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Los Angeles Times (also known as the LA Times) is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California and distributed throughout the Western United States. ... This page is about the politician; for the fictional animal doctor, see Doctor Dolittle. ... Thomas Dale Tom DeLay (born April 8, 1947) is a former member of the United States House of Representatives from Sugar Land, Texas. ... Official language(s) None See: Languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 268,581 sq mi (695,622 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... // MAXXAM Inc was founded in 1955 and is based in Houston, Texas. ...

According to the Times, "Although Washington politicians frequently try to help important constituents and contributors, it is unusual for members of Congress to take direct steps to stymie an ongoing investigation by an agency such as the FDIC." The article concluded, "in the Hurwitz case, Doolittle and Pombo were in a position to pressure the FDIC and did so."^[13][26]

Removal of text from Wikipedia article

Pombo's staff has attempted to excise critical information regarding his ties to Abramoff from Wikipedia. [8] According to High Country News, as reported by the Argus, a newspaper in California's East Bay area, this was not just an attempt, but an actual "scrubbing/sanitizing" of his Wiki entry, done during the 2006 Super Bowl weekend.

Corruption at the Interior Department

On September 23, 2006, the Central Valley Record reported that East Bay Representative George Miller and six other House Democrats had requested that Pombo hold "immediate" congressional hearings concerning oil lease payments to the Interior Department. The article noted that "Miller and his allies — including Pombo's challenger, wind-energy consultant Jerry McNerney — want oil companies such as Chevron to renegotiate contracts they inked with Clinton administration officials that failed to include language requiring the firms to pay taxes when oil prices pass $36 a barrel." Pombo "had a provision written into the House's offshore drilling legislation, which passed earlier this year, that would instead levy a fee on those firms that refuse to renegotiate their contracts." ^[27] September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... George Miller (born March 3, 1945) is an Australian film and television screenwriter, film director and producer. ... Jerry McNerney is a nationally recognized expert in wind engineering and renewable energy, with a PhD in mathematics. ...

Probed oil firm linked to Pombo

An Alaskan oil services company under federal investigation in connection with allegations of influence peddling has contributed nearly $18,000 to Pombo.^[28] The investigation sparked a Washington state candidate for the U.S. Senate to return his contributions from Anchorage-based VECO Corp the day after the FBI raided offices of several Alaskan state legislators last week.

Pop Culture

Perhaps due to his views and actions towards the environment, campers have coined the term "taking a Pombo" for the act of defacating out-of-doors (presumably when restrooms are unavailable).

2006 re-election campaign

Main article: California 11th congressional district election, 2006

Former Republican representative of California's 11th congressional district, Pete McCloskey, and Thomas A. Benigno ran against Pombo in the Republican primary. Pombo faced his most significant primary challenge yet, defeating McCloskey with 61% of the vote. McCloskey had been endorsed by the Sacramento Bee, the San Jose Mercury News, and the League of Conservation Voters. Seven weeks later, McCloskey endorsed Pombo's Democratic opponent, Jerry McNerney, who had won the Democratic primary over Steve Filson and Steve Thomas. McNerney received just over half of the Democratic vote and faced Pombo in the 2006 general election in November.^[29] GOP incumban, Richard Pombo Dem primary winner and nominee, Jerry NcNerney The California 11th congressional district election, 2006 is an election for the United States House of Representatives. ... Contains Morgan Hill, California. ... Paul Norton Pete McCloskey Jr. ... The Sacramento Bee is a daily newspaper published in Sacramento, California. ... The Mercs sections vary by day of the week, but Business, Sports, and The Valley are standard daily fare. ... The League of Conservation Voters is an American environmentalist lobby. ... Jerry McNerney is a nationally recognized expert in wind engineering and renewable energy, with a PhD in mathematics. ... Steve Filson is a Democratic candidate for the Eleventh District of California seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2006 election. ...

On October 3, 2006, a Democratic-commissioned poll was released with McNerney leading Pombo 48 percent to 46 percent.^[30]. There were two polls commissioned by the NRCC, but results weren't released. Based on these events, in early October, CQPolitics.com changed their rating of this race from Republican Favored to Leans Republican^[31] October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

On November 7, 2006, Pombo was defeated by McNerney.^[32] McNerney got 53.1 percent of the vote to Pombo's 46.9 percent. Apart from the prevailing national Democratic trends and the corruption allegations dogging Pombo, Pombo was also the number one national target of environmental groups. The Sierra Club -- which is the nation's largest environmental group and happens to be based in San Francisco -- sent over 300 volunteers and organizers to work for McNerney in the final weeks of the campaign. The group, allied with the League of Conservation Voters, also aired issue ads attacking Pombo. And Pombo and Heather Wilson were the two Representatives targeted by the Humane Society, which spent over $100,000 in Pombo's district, including organizers.^[33][34] November 7 is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 54 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Jerry McNerney is a nationally recognized expert in wind engineering and renewable energy, with a PhD in mathematics. ... Heather A. Wilson (born December 30, 1960), is a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New Mexico, the first woman veteran ever elected to the United States Congress. ... HSUS logo The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), founded in 1954, is the largest animal welfare organization in the world with nearly ten million members and constituents, an international arm called Humane Society International, and a 2005 budget of $95 million USD. HSUS does not run any animal...

References

November 28 is the 332nd day (333rd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 16 is the 197th day (198th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 168 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... March 8 is the 67th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (68th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Seattle Times is the leading daily newspaper in Seattle, Washington, United States. ... February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... August 31 is the 243rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (244th in leap years), with 122 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Tracy Press is a weekday newspaper published in Tracy, California, United States. ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a Washington, DC-based advocacy organization which professes to fight corruption by U.S. government officials. ... July 13 is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 11 is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... August 24 is the 236th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (237th in leap years), with 129 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 3 is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105 in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 13 is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... December 28 is the 362nd day of the year (363rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 3 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 24 is the 267th day of the year (268th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Record may refer to: The Record (Bergen County), a daily newspaper in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States The Kitchener-Waterloo Record, a daily newspaper in Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada The Record (Sherbrooke), a daily newspaper based in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada serving Quebecs Eastern Townships The Record (Stockton... September 7 is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Record may refer to: The Record (Bergen County), a daily newspaper in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States The Kitchener-Waterloo Record, a daily newspaper in Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada The Record (Sherbrooke), a daily newspaper based in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada serving Quebecs Eastern Townships The Record (Stockton... October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... August 18 is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in Leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... KCRA is a television station in Sacramento, California owned by Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. ... November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... November 8 is the 312th day of the year (313th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 53 days remaining. ... November 12 is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 49 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

External links

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Official

• 2006 Candidates for CD-11

Profiles/voting records

• Profile in San Diego Union Tribune
• Voting record maintained by the Washington Post
• League of Conservation Voters gives Pombo a lifetime score of 7 on a scale of 0 to 100
• PoliticalFriendster - originally a Stanford University student project

...

Criticism

• Complaint against Pombo's franked mail
• Tribe's backers are Pombo's Donors by Indianz.com

News articles

• Pombo's position as public enemy number 1 for environmental groups from Wall Street Journal article
• Congressman's donors tied to tribal dispute ABC News
• "Will the Real Mr. Pombo Please Stand Up?", profile of Pombo by High Country News
• Probed oil firm linked to Pombo. The Record September 7, 2006