[Fwd: [CPEO-MEF] The Navy and the Vieques vote]

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

Saul Bloom <saulbloom@arcecology.org>wrote:
> 
> It is my understanding that the United States military is barred from
> participating in elections, either for candidates or referenda. Given its
> funding, economic impact, the loyalty of its present and former members, and
> its role in society; lawmakers feared that allowing the military to lobby or
> participate in electoral politics could potentially provide it with undue,
> even determinative influence over outcomes. Prior to the passage of the
> Hatch Act, the military was occasionally accused on using the economic
> impact of its installations, industrial programs, and personnel to influence
> elections. Advocates for limiting the military's access to the electoral
> process often cite the Hawaii and Alaska Statehood elections as examples of
> where local independence advocates claimed that it was the unusual
> participation of military personnel assigned to facilities in those
> communities that swung the result away from indigenous and other supporters
> of independence. Since the  military was barred, it has become more
> circumspect, but in practice has always hewed very close to this line. The
> concerted efforts to win the popular hearts and minds during the 1980's MX
> deployment and Strategic Homeporting debates are two examples of this. A
> contribution of $1.6 million to influence the vote in Puerto Rico would put
> the Navy among the top contributors seeking to influence the outcome of a
> political campaign. With an annual budget larger than General Motors, this
> report on the Navy's possible role in the Vieques referendum is indeed
> worrisome.
> 
> Saul Bloom
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: military-bounces@list.cpeo.org
> [mailto:military-bounces@list.cpeo.org]On Behalf Of Lenny Siegel
> Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2005 11:00 AM
> To: Military Environmental Forum
> Subject: [CPEO-MEF] The Navy and the Vieques vote
> 
> Firm Hired by Navy to Sway Vieques Vote
> 
> By JOHN J. LUMPKIN
> The Associated Press/Washington Post
> July 22, 2005
> 
> WASHINGTON -- The Navy hired a communications firm for $1.6 million in
> 2001 in an apparent attempt to influence the outcome of a vote on
> whether part of the Puerto Rican island of Vieques would continue to
> serve as a bombing range, according to documents obtained by a watchdog
> group.
> 
> Judicial Watch obtained the material under the Freedom of Information
> Act and provided them to The Associated Press.
> 
> According to the documents, the Navy's Fleet and Industrial Supply
> Center in Norfolk, Va., initially contracted with the Rendon Group of
> Washington for advice on "dissemination of accurate information"
> regarding the referendum of Vieques residents on whether to keep part of
> the island as a training range.
> 
> ...
> 
> For the entire article, see
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/22/AR2005072201
> 571.html?sub=AR
> 
> --
> Lenny Siegel
> Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
> c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
> Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
> Fax: 650/961-8918
> http://www.cpeo.org
> 
> _______________________________________________
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-- 


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 278-A Hope St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/961-8918
<lsiegel@cpeo.org>
http://www.cpeo.org
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