Robert Wexler Smoldering, Not a Fire Breathing Liberal
U.S. Representative Robert Wexler has announced that he will resign his office in the House of Representatives. In a story about the resignation, home town newspaper The Miami Herald quotes Wexler as calling himself a “fire-breathing liberal”.
Our legislative scorecard for the current session of Congress shows something different: 20 members of the House have more progressive voting records than Wexler, who has a total legislative score of 54. A true fire-breathing liberal would have gotten between 80 and 100. There aren’t any real fire-breathing liberals in the House, but Representative Bob Filner comes closest, with a score of 76 – 22 points higher than Wexler.
A further examination of Wexler’s recent legislative agenda indicates some downright unprogressive legislative action, including Wexler’s primary sponsorship of H.R. 2742, a bill to normalize trade relations with Azerbaijan, a nation with a terrible human rights record – and a some oil reserves, as well as some territory that’s included in a projected oil pipleline.
That’s troubling, given Congressman Wexler’s reason for resigning from public service. Wexler is going to become the new director of the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation. Azerbaijan is a Middle Eastern nation.
I’d like to know more about the connections being made by the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation. I’d also like to know about what other work related to economic interests in the Middle East Robert Wexler intends to take on, using the governmental influence he has gained as a member of Congress.
I’m not saying that I know of any corrupt relationships involved in this sudden shift of power. In fact, so far I’ve found nothing sinister. I will say, however, that soon to be ex-Congressman Wexler might want to watch his back.
There was another member of the House of Representatives who left Congress to head the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation. Wayne Owens of Utah co-founded the Center in 1989, and left Congress to become its president in 1993. He was found dead on a beach in Tel Aviv in 2002. Some alleged foul play, although no evidence of murder was found.
