Shocking Story out of Utah

[Ben Lamb]

I am shocked. Absolutely shocked.

http://m.sltrib.com/sltrib/mobile3/58525386-219/grouse-sage-benson-utah.html.csp

A private contractor hired to help Utah keep greater sage grouse off the endangered species list had a lot to say about how the state will save the iconic bird, but much less about his own efforts.

About one-fourth of the way through a one-year, $2 million contract, consultant Ryan Benson assured members of the state’s Natural Resources interim committee, "We have made treatment progress."

Benson did not say how he is spending the generous special appropriation lawmakers set aside in March.

And members of the committee didn’t press him Wednesday.

Salt Lake City Democratic Sen. Jim Dabakis called Benson’s written submission "an embarrassment."

But Dabakis, who has been deeply skeptical of the money spent on the effort, also remained silent during the contractor’s presentation.

"They have been so elusive and so unwilling to provide documentation and what they did provide was so flimsy, I thought it would be a waste of the committee’s time," Dabakis said later. "Their response would just be more PR and spin."

 

[Big Fin]

Obviously, those of us working for a living are in the wrong business in the wrong state. Maybe it's not corruption, graft, or misappropriation if your "bought and paid for" legislators approve it.

Seriously, how many times and for how much money do Utah hunters and taxpayers need to be fleeced by the SFW/BGF franchise before anything changes?

 

[Ben Lamb]

Obviously, those of us working for a living are in the wrong business in the wrong state. Maybe it's not corruption, graft, or misappropriation if your "bought and paid for" legislators approve it.

Seriously, how many times and for how much money do Utah hunters and taxpayers need to be fleeced by the SFW/BGF franchise before anything changes?

I'm gonna get in on some of this action. MT has a surplus and if they just give me $1 million, I'll make sure that nothing bad ever happens again.

I refuse to accept any kind of oversight though.

I hope I can count on your support [/pats envelope full of $100's.]

 

[noharleyyet]

Two choices Mr. Lamb, hire him or go to work for him ...big wink

PT Barnum would have owned Utah.

 

[Ben Lamb]

I'm a free market kind of guy. Especially when Benson is my competition.

 

[Big Fin]

PT Barnum would have owned Utah.

Beyond funny. Funny because it's so true.

 

[What Map]

If it wasn't so predictable......................

 

[sbhooper]

Another wise expenditure on the part of state politicians.

 

[Don K]

Living the high life at the cost of the hunter...........

 

[schmalts]

Here is some reports that Benson is free to use in his next presentation.

"we done good"
"more birds are here now"
"we spent it all on good stuff"
"I am not qualified to be a consultant but you are stupid enough to give me money"
"It is good you Peay'ed us this money for us to elimlinate predators that kill birds"
"it was a good start, the next contract and money will really take a hold"
"this money will help build chapters throughout the country"
"this really makes me want to make a full curl"

 

[Gerald Martin]

Ben Lamb you are going to need help. I can be your henchman...err cohort, err accomplice... I mean right hand man. Yeah that's it. Let's go fleece those suckers! Wait, I mean let's go save the world. Give us a cause and we'll take the dough.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

If I join the team can I have a gold plated toilet?

 

[bigskyblueman]

Often times, what is legal , can be more odious than what is illegal. Legalized theft of public funds comes to mind. The hunters of Utah deserve better, but should take care not to re-elect the Legislature that authorized this bunko caper.

 

[1_pointer]

'Twould be interesting to see how much, if any, of this money has made it to the local Sage Grouse Working groups? Some of these have been working on sage grouse issues since at least 2001. The one I worked with had a backlog of projects often due to lack of funding. Most of these were set up at the direction of the UT DWR. It would have been nice to sprinkle that $2mil among the groups that have been working on this already...

 

[Ben Lamb]

'Twould be interesting to see how much, if any, of this money has made it to the local Sage Grouse Working groups? Some of these have been working on sage grouse issues since at least 2001. The one I worked with had a backlog of projects often due to lack of funding. Most of these were set up at the direction of the UT DWR. It would have been nice to sprinkle that $2mil among the groups that have been working on this already...

It's been spent on Ryan Benson's salary. The funding is for lobbying officials on the Gardner/Bishop sage grouse bill that would forestall any listing decision for ten years.

BGF was in MT during the state fair soliciting signatures for their weird petition. I'm sure they got a number of folks to sign on, but other than that, I've not heard much in terms of actual work other than some paid advertising through google ads and facebook.

It will be interesting to see if they team up with the Western Energy Alliance, who is also advocating for the same bill. I can't imagine they wouldn't, especially since the Montana Petroleum Association's communications person was helping organize around the petition.

 

[OriginalOscar]

Shameful.

 

[UTK14]

It's things like this that make me feel ashamed to be from utah. Sadly this just seems like the status quo here anymore. It is unreal to me that that kind of money is given with so little accountability.

 

[CabinFever]

I got a lot of practice biting my tongue HARD and walking away when I shared hunting camp with Benson this fall, especially the multiple times he claimed responsibility for any and all wolf delisting. It was even more painful to see other hunters and camp staff pat him on the back for that and other "accomplishments."

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

I got a lot of practice biting my tongue HARD and walking away when I shared hunting camp with Benson this fall, especially the multiple times he claimed responsibility for any and all wolf delisting. It was even more painful to see other hunters and camp staff pat him on the back for that and other "accomplishments."

Not much worse than sharing camp with a BLOWHARD. A strong liquid laxative covertly deployed can assist with that...