[Davis Democrats] FW:voluntary action opportunity: support our Congressman Mike Thompson for Secretary of Interior

[John Chendo]

Pam Nieberg, on the executive board of Sierra Club and DDC, believes we
should try to stop John Berry¹s appointment to Interior for the reasons
below.  

We know that our congressman Mike Thompson¹s credentials as an
environmentalist, a responsible sportsman, and a competent manager  have
made him a leading contender  for   this position of national stewardship.
This is the optimal time to convey your opinion to the Obama Transition Team
regarding Interior Secretary: contact info for John Podesta, team head, and
Greg Nelson, liaison, are at the bottom. If you do not want to give up our
Congressman, then, in the light of the information below,  you should opt
for Raul Grijalva, Dem-Arizona (Tucson area congressional district). Time is
of the essence. The redrock lands on the edges of our most inspiring public
lands are in jeopardy of auction  this week.
------ Forwarded Message
From: Pam Nieberg <pnieberg at dcn.org>
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:58:56 -0800
To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;>

Please act now, Sunday. Don't wait until it is too late. Obama will be
appointing the Secretary of the Interior very soon.
 
On Dec 13, 2008, at 9:16 PM, Calvin French wrote:

>  
> This message is from Scott Silver on the  Club's recreation committee. Please
> send a message supporting either Raul  Grijalva or Mike Thompson as secretary
> of the interior and opposing John  Berry.
> --Cal French
> 
> THIS IS IMPORTANT AND URGENT
>  
>  
>  
> Appended is a brief  message received from a trusted associate. It deals with
> the  appointment of John Berry to the position of Interior Secretary.  It
> further confirms what other sources have been suggesting, that  being:
>  
>>  
>>  John Berry appears  to be incoming President's top pick for the Interior
>> Secretary  position
>>  
>>  
>>  
>>  and 
>>  
>>  
>>  
>> The Obama  Transition Team could give Berry the nod as soon as  Monday...
>  
> .... and what a disaster that would be!!! Let me  explain.
>  
>  
>  
> John Berry has, my sources say, blown past the  environmental community's
> favored candidate, Raul Grijalva.
>  
> See http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=1137
>  
>  
>  
> John Berry is almost certainly the candidate  favored by the
> ANTI-environmental American Recreation Coalition --  the lobby group that
> worked with Interior's Paul Hoffman in an  effort  to weaken National Park
> policies and to open the parks to  increased motorized recreation.
>  
> See http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/10/opinion/10mon2.html
>  
>  
>  
> John Berry was recently appointed to the  ARC's Outdoor Resources Review
> Group. Having Berry appointed Interior  Secretary would be a phenomenal coup
> for the ARC. 
>  
> See http://www.funoutdoors.com/node/view/2166
>  
>  
>  
> John Berry was the Department of Interior's  Recreation Fee Demonstration
> point-person. In that capacity  Berry worked closely with the ARC's President,
> Derrick Crandall.  Crandall was a chief proponent of this immensely unpopular
> and  contentions program.  See Congressional testimony by both Berry  and
> Crandall http://www.wildwilderness.org/docs/hearing.htm
>  
>  
>  
> John Berry is the ONLY candidate now in the  running who would be receptive to
> the pressures exerted by the American  Recreation Coalition -- and those
> pressures promote the privatization,  commercialization and motorization of
> recreational opportunities in the  National Parks and other public lands.
>  
>  
>  
> ARC, I might add, was a highly visible and  staunch supporter of the
> nominations of Interior Secretaries  James  Watt, Donald Hodel and Gale
> Norton. No one who loves the great  outdoors should accept as Interior
> Secretary any  nominee favored by the ARC.
>  
>  
>  
> Barack Obama was elected because he promised  to bring change.  John Berry's
> appointment would ensure  continuity of the ARC's dominance over recreation
> policies. Is this the  "change" Mr. Obama promised us?  I hope not!!!
>  
>  
>  
> Pasted immediately below is the most current  information I have in my
> possession.  Below that you is contact  information for the Obama Transition
> team, should you wish to weight in. Time  is of the essence so please do not
> delay.
>  
>  
>  
> Scott Silver, Recreation Committee, Sierra Club
>  
>  
>  
>  
>  
> ----my sources say ----
>  
>  
>  
>     This is  bad news indeed - I would still encourage you
>     to  think about getting feedback directly into  the
>     Obama team about your concerns with Berry -  they don't
>     want controversial people - or get those  concerns to
>     some of the congressional delegates who  have
>     championed against fee demo and ask them to  spread the
>     word about these  concerns.
>  
>  
>  
>     Word I  heard at my meeting was that Grijalva and
>     Thompson  were fading and that Berry was rising.    I
>     don't have any sense of where the big nationals  stand,
>     but I would encourage you to try to get this  out
>     beyond the usual crowd and make the transition  team
>     uncomfortable with the idea. I don't think you  have
>     much time - he'll have to be announcing  Interior and
>     Ag soon.
>  
>  
>  
> ---- contact information for the Obama  Transition Team ---
>  
>>  
>> John Podesta, Obama Transition Team  Head
>> e-mail John.Podesta at ptt.gov, Fax  202-682-1867
>>  
>>  
>>  
>> Greg Nelson - liaison to Mr. Podesta
>> e-mail  Greg.Nelson at ptt.gov, Fax  202-443-4724
>>  
>> 
>> Webforms:
>> http://change.gov/page/content/contact/
>> http://change.gov/page/s/energyenviro
>>  
>>  
>>  
>> Voice:  202-540-3000, then  dial 2
> 


------ End of Forwarded Message