Land Rights Network
American Land Rights Association
PO Box 400, Battle Ground, WA 98604
(360)687-3087 - Fax: (360)687-2973
Email: alra@governance.net
Web Address: http://www.landrights.org
Legislative Office: 507 Seward Square SE - Washington, DC 20003
(202)329-3574 - Fax: (202)543-7126
Email: landrightsnet@yahoo.com

Will John Tomke Take Your Land?

!!!!! ALERT — Liberal Republican John Tomke plans to seize or regulate millions of acres of private property using your tax dollars — !!!!!

*****Action Items Below

WARNING — Tomke is under consideration for nomination to a top level position in the Interior Department, which oversees the Endangered Species Act and Land Acquisition Funding. Tomke is presently Chairman of a very profitable “non-profit” outfit called Ducks Unlimited.

Once upon a time, Ducks Unlimited (DU) was a group of good old boy duck hunters who cooperated with landowners and government agencies to protect land over which ducks migrated.

However, under John Tomke’s rule as Chairman, DU has become radicalized, while still appearing to be “just a bunch of good ol’ boys” at first glance. DU has become extreme in its positions, attacking property rights and making demands for more land under federal government ownership and regulations.

PROBLEM. The largest source of income for DU has become re-selling, also known as “flipping,” land to government agencies. Not membership dues, not special fundraising events done by supporters, not magazine subscriptions or selling advertising, DU’s number one source of income is taking property out of private hands and profitably flipping it to government agencies. This earned DU $62 million dollars in 2005 alone. It is their biggest source of income, 32% of their total, according to the “National Fact Sheet” on their website. DU has become as much as anything a real estate agency working on behalf of the federal government.

RESULT. All the good work done by our allies in Congress and in the Administration for the past five years may be rolled back if Tomke is nominated for this position, called Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

For example, there is no question that Tomke will increase demands on Congress for land acquisition funding. This is a prime source of money for Ducks Unlimited, and John Tomke wants to stick his hand in the cookie jar and hand over cash to DU for profitable land deals.

Appropriations Committee member Congressman Charles Taylor has been a champion for property rights in Congress. Every year, Taylor has led efforts to cut back sharply on money appropriated to grab more land for federal agencies. This is tough work, because the pressure in Congress is always to spend, spend, spend.

Tomke will lead the charge in the opposite direction, and continue financing the cozy and very profitable relationship between environmental groups and many federal agencies.

Our budget deficit is big enough already without John Tomke busting the budget even further!!! And for what — to take private lands OUT of private hands!!!

*****ACTION ITEMS:

Let Congress and the Administration know that Liberal Republican John Tomke will roll back five years of progress on property rights. Tomke will reverse course and increase endangered species listings, increase funding for land acquisition, and attack court rulings that help property rights!

Also, if you know of a good person who is qualified for the position of Assistant Secretary for Fish Wildlife and Parks, recommend his or her name to us. If good people can be recommended to Interior Secretary Kempthorne, then maybe he will drop consideration of Liberal Republican John Tomke.

Help Kempthorne nominate a good property rights supporter instead, and continue in the tradition of former Assistant Secretary Craig Manson. Manson did an excellent job from 2001 to 2005 in promoting changes to the Endangered Species Act and cutting back on funding for land grabs. To reverse course now and roll back progress would be a terrible mistake.

-----1. Call or e-mail Brian Waidmann, who is Secretary Kempthorne’s Chief of Staff: Direct phone line: 202-208-5043. E-mail: brian_waidmann@ios.doi.gov

-----2. Call or e-mail Douglas Domenech,. He is Secretary Kempthorne’s White House Liaison (202) 208-5647. E-mail: doug_domenech@ios.doi.gov

-----3. Call Gary Smith. He is Secretary Kempthorne’s External and Intergovernmental Affairs Director at (202) 208-1923. E-mail: gary_smith@ios.doi.gov

-----4. Call, fax and e-mail the White House at (202) 456-1111, Fax: (202) 456-2461 or e-mail: comments@whitehouse.gov

-----5. Call, fax and e-mail Vice President Richard Cheney’ office at (202) 456-1111, Fax: (202) 456-2461 or e-mail: vice_president@whitehouse.gov

-----6. Call both your Senators to urge them to oppose John Tomke’s nomination.
Any Senator may be called at (202) 224-3121. This is especially important if your Senator is on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Here are the Members:

Republicans:

Pete Domenici (R-NM)
Larry Craig (R-ID)
Craig Thomas (R-WY)
Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Richard Burr (R-NC)
Mel Martinez (R-FL)
James Talent (R-MO)
Conrad Burns (R-MT)
George Allen (R-VA)
Gordon Smith (R-OR)
Jim Bunning (R-KY)

Democrats:

Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Daniel Akaka (D-HI)
Byron Dorgan (D-ND)
Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Tim Johnson (D-SD)
Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Ken Salazar (D-CO)
Robert Menendez (D-NJ)

Please circulate this message as widely as possible.