HYDE-SMITH ASSERTS PAST ECO-TERRORISM LINKS, LACK OF VERACITY SHOULD DISQUALIFY BLM NOMINEE
Senator Critical of Senate Dems Move to Confirm Tracy Stone-Manning Despite Ongoing Controversies, Unanswered Questions
VIDEO: Senator Hyde-Smith Delivers Remarks on Controversial BLM Nominee.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Senate Democrats moved to confirm President Biden’s nominee to lead the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today argued Tracy Stone-Manning’s “involvement in eco-terrorism, as well as her dishonesty to the Senate” should disqualify her for the job.
Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, delivered a floor speech Tuesday as Democrat Leader Charles Schumer moved to clear Stone-Manning for confirmation after the committee stalemated on her nomination last week.
“The office of Director of the Bureau of Land Management is tasked with an enormous responsibility as it manages an eighth of our nation’s land. Its leadership should be held to the highest standard,” Hyde-Smith said.
“Tracy Stone-Manning’s involvement in eco-terrorism, as well as her dishonesty to the Senate is more than alarming. There are questions that need to be revisited and answered,” Hyde-Smith said. “The statements from the former lead investigator of the Idaho tree-spiking scheme, as well as the actions of the federal grand jury, tell a different tale than what Ms. Stone-Manning led the Committee to believe. These discrepancies must not be cast aside.
Republicans on the ENR Committee have been united in raising concerns about Stone-Manning’s past policy positions and, most critically, her involvement in a tree-spiking incident in Idaho in the late 1980s and the subsequent federal investigation in which she was granted immunity.
“In this sworn statement, Ms. Stone-Manning told the Committee that she has never been arrested or charged and, to her knowledge, has never been the target of an investigation. Unfortunately, as many of us are now aware, Ms. Stone-Manning’s responses were not forthcoming or fully accurate,” Hyde-Smith said.
Earlier this month, Hyde-Smith joined fellow Republicans on the committee in signing a letter to Biden that encouraged him to withdraw the Stone-Manning nomination. The correspondence included an appendix that details the facts of the case and demonstrates why Stone-Manning’s nomination must be withdrawn.
With Schumer’s action to discharge the nomination, support from only Senate Democrats and the Vice President would be sufficient to confirm Stone-Manning.
Read the text of Hyde-Smith’s remarks below.
Madam President, I rise to join my colleagues in expressing my grave concern over the nomination of Ms. Tracy Stone-Manning to be Director of the Bureau of Land Management.
The office of Director of the Bureau of Land Management is tasked with an enormous responsibility as it manages an eighth of our nation’s land. Its leadership should be held to the highest standards.
Every nominee referred to the Energy and Natural Resources Committee must complete and submit the Statement for Completion by Presidential Nominees, which is the standard Committee questionnaire. In this sworn statement, Ms. Stone-Manning told the Committee that she has never been arrested or charged and, to her knowledge, has never been the target of an investigation.
Unfortunately, as many of us are now aware, Ms. Stone-Manning’s responses were not forthcoming or fully accurate.
I am particularly disturbed by Ms. Stone-Manning’s involvement with the eco-terrorist organization, Earth First!, which organized the “tree-spiking” plot in Idaho. As you all may know, tree spiking involves hammering a metal or ceramic rod into a tree trunk in order to prevent loggers from harvesting the timber. If a saw makes contact with the spike, it can result in severe injury or even the logger’s death.
Make no mistake, the people who put these spikes into the trees are well aware of the potential consequences of their actions. These schemes are carried out with intent to harm, or even at the very least, intent to frighten the loggers who are carrying out their jobs.
I want to be clear, no one is claiming Ms. Stone-Manning put any spikes in any trees herself. However, it is undisputed that Ms. Stone-Manning assisted the people who did.
Ms. Stone-Manning wrote a letter laced with vulgarities to the U.S. Forest Service, threatening loggers who were simply carrying out their job. Doing what they do for a living.
In the aftermath of this tree-spiking conspiracy, Ms. Stone-Manning was investigated and subpoenaed by a federal grand jury.
Ms. Stone-Manning was silent about her involvement in the plot; but when new evidence came to light four years later, she struck a deal for immunity in 1993.
Tracy Stone-Manning’s involvement in eco-terrorism, as well as her dishonesty to the Senate is more than alarming. There are questions that need to be revisited and answered. The statements from the former lead investigator of the Idaho tree-spiking scheme, as well as the actions of the federal grand jury, tell a different tale than what Ms. Stone-Manning led the Committee to believe. These discrepancies must not be cast aside.
I am concerned for the precedent that will be set for future nominees if my colleagues simply agree, accept, or disregard these inconsistencies.
I’m very disappointed that my Democratic colleagues on the Energy Committee moved forward with Ms. Stone-Manning’s nomination. There are serious, unanswered questions about her veracity and qualifications to lead.
I applaud my colleagues who have sought the truth and I am disheartened that those efforts have been met with resistance.
The American people deserve transparency.
I cannot support this nominee and I would urge my colleagues to do the same.
Thank you, Madam President.
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