The Congressional Research Service's dirty little Big Green secrets

WASHINGTON EXAMINER/OPINION, 12/17/2010 by Ron Arnold - EXCERPT: "The 900 CRS lawyers, economists, librarians, and scientists (2010 budget: $112 million) produce reports, memoranda, briefings, seminars and confidential consultations to all congressional members and committees that request them. CRS secretly helps lawmakers prepare for debate by providing data to support their positions.

CRS is so secretive that one member of Congress can't find out what it told another. Conversely, if it suits a member's political agenda, he'll get the New York Times to plaster a "confidential" CRS report all over the front page, as Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden did in 2000 with a four-page memo by CRS analyst Ross W. Gorte to bolster his position in a logging controversy. [Emphasis added]

Gorte, a respected CRS analyst since 1983, has become known in Congress as the "go-to guy" for Big Green's no-development brand of "objective, balanced, nonpartisan" reports." Read more at Washington Examiner...