MOUNT DESERT, April 25, 2024 - In case you missed it … From Euronews.com, “As Europe nears peak summer season, tourist hotspots are increasingly feeling the strain.The Quietside Journal is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
A depressingly large percentage of species on this planet have left the party over the previous 3.5 billion years. Saber tooth kitty was gone long before jacked pickup trucks and cruise ships were were created. Realistically, we are probably next. Drinks on me.
We stayed on tiny Stewart Island, New Zealand for the second time this past March. They are struggling with same love-hate relationship with the ever increasing cruise ship traffic (how much is too much? should we charge entry fees?) Unfortunately there seem to be some island village elders making cruise ship decisions the local residents are not privy to. Luckily we don’t have that nonsense on Mt Desert (haha)
Leo is not only in noncompliance with a Senate subpoena. Leo refuses to cooperate with the DC Attorney General in an investigation of Leo's circular payment scheme between his nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Leo and his machine
have mounted attacks on the DC AG on many fronts - including GOP Reps. James Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and James Comer, who heads the House Oversight Committee, working to obstruct the DC investigation.
[DC STATEHOOD NOW!]
A local twist. Leo's purchase of two NE estates, purchase of a NE church from the Catholic diocese, and the extensive renovations of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Bar Harbor - may all involve funds which rightly ought to have been paid in taxes.
"Today [2023] Accountable.US released a new report highlighting right-wing judicial activist Leonard Leo’s efforts to force an extreme agenda on Americans and influence-peddle at the highest levels of government. The report highlights the circular payment scheme between Leo’s nonprofit and for-profit organizations, which sparked the DC Attorney General’s investigation into Leo’s activities and his cozy financial ties to Supreme Court justices. Leo’s central role in the corruption crisis at the high court spurred Senate Judiciary subpoenas of Supreme Court “billionaire matchmaker” Leo and billionaire benefactor Harlan Crow."
"David Rivkin, Leo’s attorney, said in a statement to POLITICO that Schwalb has “no legal authority to conduct any investigatory steps or take any enforcement measures” because Leo’s multi-billion-dollar aligned nonprofits — which poured millions into campaigning for the nominations of conservative Supreme Court justices and advocating before them — were organized outside of D.C. . . . Leo’s consulting firm, CRC Advisors is registered in D.C. and his main aligned nonprofit, The 85 Fund, used a D.C. mailing address for at least a decade."
"Since news of the probe broke last August, the GOP chairs of powerful congressional committees launched their own investigation of Schwalb’s investigation; conservative media wrote articles criticizing Schwalb on unrelated crime issues — based on a social media post from a top Leo lieutenant; and a group of his Republican law enforcement peers sent letters warning Schwalb to stand down. . . Meanwhile, GOP Reps. James Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and James Comer, who heads the House Oversight Committee, on Oct. 30 announced a probe of Schwalb’s Leo investigation, saying it was politically motivated. According to a federal disclosure form dated Oct. 20, the Concord Fund had hired a Virginia lobbying firm to handle issues related to “oversight” and “law enforcement,” matters over which Jordan and Comer have jurisdiction."
"Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) sent a letter to Washington, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb demanding information on his politically motivated investigation of Leonard Leo and certain nonprofit groups he is affiliated with.
Leonard Leo was baselessly accused of receiving "excessive payments for consulting and other services from the several conservative nonprofit groups" by the Campaign for Accountability with no evidence to substantiate the complaint. Now, he is being investigated by Attorney General Brian Schwalb even though he and the organizations with which he is affiliated are based outside of Washington, D.C. "
"CREW [Citizens for Ethical Responsibility in Washington] sent a letter to Comer and Jordan urging them not to interfere in the investigation, and laying out the precedent for investigators not cooperating with such congressional efforts. As the letter says, “Congressional interference in an ongoing investigation is not legitimate oversight; it is itself a weaponization of Congress’s oversight power that threatens to undermine our justice system and the American people’s faith in it.”"
Appreciate the references of other countries and places struggling with overtourism. Overtourism is a symptom of overpopulation. We add 80 million more people to the planet every year, many of who will join the growing throngs of travelers to iconic places. Until the world grasps this fact, Mainer's freedoms will continue to erode. Freedom to commute without long creeping lines of traffic to and from the mainland, freedom to live on the island at affordable prices, freedom of the pollution from too many visitors, freedom of the accessibility of using the park without timed permits and fees.
A depressingly large percentage of species on this planet have left the party over the previous 3.5 billion years. Saber tooth kitty was gone long before jacked pickup trucks and cruise ships were were created. Realistically, we are probably next. Drinks on me.
We stayed on tiny Stewart Island, New Zealand for the second time this past March. They are struggling with same love-hate relationship with the ever increasing cruise ship traffic (how much is too much? should we charge entry fees?) Unfortunately there seem to be some island village elders making cruise ship decisions the local residents are not privy to. Luckily we don’t have that nonsense on Mt Desert (haha)
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/guests-book-stewart-island-cruise-get-timaru-instead-po-reconsiders-rakiura-port-of-call/ZJIQ2SZTUBBPDG6KJP3LMRF3TM/
Leo is not only in noncompliance with a Senate subpoena. Leo refuses to cooperate with the DC Attorney General in an investigation of Leo's circular payment scheme between his nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Leo and his machine
have mounted attacks on the DC AG on many fronts - including GOP Reps. James Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and James Comer, who heads the House Oversight Committee, working to obstruct the DC investigation.
[DC STATEHOOD NOW!]
A local twist. Leo's purchase of two NE estates, purchase of a NE church from the Catholic diocese, and the extensive renovations of Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Bar Harbor - may all involve funds which rightly ought to have been paid in taxes.
"Today [2023] Accountable.US released a new report highlighting right-wing judicial activist Leonard Leo’s efforts to force an extreme agenda on Americans and influence-peddle at the highest levels of government. The report highlights the circular payment scheme between Leo’s nonprofit and for-profit organizations, which sparked the DC Attorney General’s investigation into Leo’s activities and his cozy financial ties to Supreme Court justices. Leo’s central role in the corruption crisis at the high court spurred Senate Judiciary subpoenas of Supreme Court “billionaire matchmaker” Leo and billionaire benefactor Harlan Crow."
https://accountable.us/report-leonard-leos-no-good-very-bad-2023/
Accountable report with timeline of Leo activities.
https://accountable.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Leos-No-Good-Very-Bad-2023.pdf
"David Rivkin, Leo’s attorney, said in a statement to POLITICO that Schwalb has “no legal authority to conduct any investigatory steps or take any enforcement measures” because Leo’s multi-billion-dollar aligned nonprofits — which poured millions into campaigning for the nominations of conservative Supreme Court justices and advocating before them — were organized outside of D.C. . . . Leo’s consulting firm, CRC Advisors is registered in D.C. and his main aligned nonprofit, The 85 Fund, used a D.C. mailing address for at least a decade."
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/03/brian-schwalb-arabella-investors-00119751
"Since news of the probe broke last August, the GOP chairs of powerful congressional committees launched their own investigation of Schwalb’s investigation; conservative media wrote articles criticizing Schwalb on unrelated crime issues — based on a social media post from a top Leo lieutenant; and a group of his Republican law enforcement peers sent letters warning Schwalb to stand down. . . Meanwhile, GOP Reps. James Jordan, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and James Comer, who heads the House Oversight Committee, on Oct. 30 announced a probe of Schwalb’s Leo investigation, saying it was politically motivated. According to a federal disclosure form dated Oct. 20, the Concord Fund had hired a Virginia lobbying firm to handle issues related to “oversight” and “law enforcement,” matters over which Jordan and Comer have jurisdiction."
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/23/brian-schwalb-leonard-leo-investigation-00148385
"Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) and House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) sent a letter to Washington, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb demanding information on his politically motivated investigation of Leonard Leo and certain nonprofit groups he is affiliated with.
Leonard Leo was baselessly accused of receiving "excessive payments for consulting and other services from the several conservative nonprofit groups" by the Campaign for Accountability with no evidence to substantiate the complaint. Now, he is being investigated by Attorney General Brian Schwalb even though he and the organizations with which he is affiliated are based outside of Washington, D.C. "
http://judiciary.house.gov/media/press-releases/chairmen-jordan-and-comer-launch-inquiry-dc-attorney-generals-politically
"CREW [Citizens for Ethical Responsibility in Washington] sent a letter to Comer and Jordan urging them not to interfere in the investigation, and laying out the precedent for investigators not cooperating with such congressional efforts. As the letter says, “Congressional interference in an ongoing investigation is not legitimate oversight; it is itself a weaponization of Congress’s oversight power that threatens to undermine our justice system and the American people’s faith in it.”"
https://www.citizensforethics.org/legal-action/letters/congress-should-not-interfere-with-investigation-into-leonard-leo/
Appreciate the references of other countries and places struggling with overtourism. Overtourism is a symptom of overpopulation. We add 80 million more people to the planet every year, many of who will join the growing throngs of travelers to iconic places. Until the world grasps this fact, Mainer's freedoms will continue to erode. Freedom to commute without long creeping lines of traffic to and from the mainland, freedom to live on the island at affordable prices, freedom of the pollution from too many visitors, freedom of the accessibility of using the park without timed permits and fees.