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In my career as a conservative journalist I have compiled hundreds of interviews since I started by interviewing William F. Buckley in 1972. Yet I cannot remember ever being as surprised by the answers given to my questions as I was by the responses of 25^th Congressional District candidate Dr. Lee Rogers when I interviewed him this month. There is no need for me to say more. See for yourself:
1. Have you followed up on the California Fair Political Practices Commission on reported McKeon campaign violations? Will you pursue this matter?

We filed an FEC complaint about campaign mailers in which Congressman Buck McKeon used money from his campaign account to clarify the race between his assembly candidate wife, Patricia, and Paul Strickland. It is a blatant violation. He can’t use money raised for his federal campaign to benefit his wife’s campaign. He was not running against a candidate named Strickland and there should be no reason he should have to “warn” voters “not to be confused by their primary ballot.” The FEC has received our complaint and we submitted subsequent documentation of a second mailer his campaign sent out. We have not filed a California FPPC complaint. That would need to be filed against Patricia’s campaign and one could argue that she received a benefit from the mailer above the legal limit to her campaign. Buck’s campaign gave her a maximum donation $3,900 x 2, one of which has to be returned because she didn’t succeed in advancing to the general election. Any other benefit she would receive from Buck’s campaign – like a mailer – would be above the legal limit for California state elections.

2. Do you feel that any campaign contributions from mining interests could have had any influence on the present public attitude Rep. McKeon has of dismissing the Cemex presence on the Santa Clarita scene as an “earmark?” Please explain.

He certainly has received money from the mining industry and related interest groups. In 2006, he was ranked #26 of 535 House and Senate members for the most money accepted from the mining industry. In 2008, the National Mining Association threw a fundraiser for him and also gave him a $5,000 contribution. However, I don’t think that’s the only thing influencing his decision not to help stop the Cemex mine. I think some of it is pure self-preservation. He is in the party leadership. He voted for the earmarks ban, and therefore, if he ignores it, how can he prevent earmarks on his defense legislation. And in a memo he authored, he warned Members of Congress interested in submitting amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act that “there may be more than one way to interpret [the earmarks ban] as it relates to bill and report language …, please be advised that I interpret the definition of what constitutes an earmark conservatively.” His strict interpretation of the earmarks rule might be causing Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA) of the Natural Resources Committee not to be too cooperative with McKeon on the Cemex legislation.

3. On the basis of various public commentaries, there seems to be an increasing number of conservatives in the 25^th U.S. Congressional District in California that are supporting you for Congress this year, including conservative Democrats, Independents, and apparently some leading local conservative Republican leaders. As a freshman congressperson proving his wings to a hierarchy of senior Democratic congresspersons, how would you represent this conservative fiscal element of your constituency in Washington?

That is part of the problem with Congress today. Too many Congressmen and women being loyal to their party and not to their constituents. I am not running to be Nancy Pelosi’s representative in Congress, nor John Boehner’s. I say this with all honesty; I am running to be a representative from California’s 25th District. I think there are two reasons why I’ve been getting support from across the political spectrum locally. First, my ideology is mainstream for our district. Concentrate on the economy first, be responsible with our tax dollars, and leave the social issues to the states and people’s personal choices. Second, Congressman McKeon has been using his office for personal gain and has several ethical lapses. He’s alienated people in the district, including many Republicans. These are not usually a forgivable offense to voters.

4. Also, why do you think your activities in Congress would be more fiscally responsible than are Rep. McKeon’s?

Representative McKeon’s voting record is far from fiscally responsible. Congress holds the purse strings to the government and it is Congress that is responsible for our country’s massive debt. McKeon voted for 5 of the 6 major congressional actions that led to our debt; Bush tax cuts, Medicare Part D, Iraq War, War in Afghanistan, Bailout, and Stimulus (he voted no on the Stimulus). Regardless about how you feel about any one of these things, not a single one was paid for. Someone fiscally responsible would have offset them with cuts or revenue. McKeon just engaged in deficit spending, plain and simple.

Another more recent example is that McKeon’s 2013 defense budget calls for more spending than the Pentagon requested and more than what was agreed upon by Congress in the Budget Control Act of 2011 (which McKeon voted for in 2011). Where does this excess spending go? It funds projects by his defense industry contributors, of course. So in McKeon infinite wisdom, not gained from serving the military, but by defense industry lobbyists, he knows what better than the Department of Defense what is needed to defend the country.

Government spending is about priorities. To me, infrastructure and Medicare spending is more important than continuing wars which we already won or nation building abroad. Let’s build our own nation. Does that mean we weaken defense? Absolutely not! We concentrate our efforts for the threats we currently face. We are facing insurgents in countries where we don’t have declared wars. We need more intelligence and surgical strike capabilities. McKeon is still preparing for the Cold War. The Pentagon has assessed our threats and made requests. We’re in a time of financial crisis. No need to give them more than what they need, or even ask for. Our financial woes are the biggest threat to our national security and McKeon is spending money like it’s 1999. Additionally, we should strengthen the borders and spend money here at home on security.

5. Please briefly describe what you would do on your first full working day as a U.S. congressman.

My first full working day will be spent preparing legislation to stop the Cemex mine in Soledad Canyon. Yes, it is that important. It will have a negative impact on over 250,000 people in our district and a lasting effect on Santa Clarita. It is not an earmark, it is a catastrophe.

Before I even take office, I would work on setting up a district-wide conference with elected officials and leaders of local governments and state offices. At this conference, we would set legislative priorities, so that all of us are working toward the same goals. It shouldn’t matter what our party preference is, we can find common ground on what is needed for our communities and unify our approaches.

6. If you were not a doctor, a candidate for Congress, or a Congressman, what would you choose to be and why?

I think I would be a submariner. I’ve always be fascinated by submarines. As a child I read every book I could find about them. Even now, any chance I get to tour a sub museum, I take it. I even had license plates DAS FOOT, a play on Das Boot and podiatry, my current profession.

7. Is there anything you would like to share with the public about your family on how they are supporting and helping you, both as a candidate and as a prospective future congressperson?

My wife is first generation in America – dad from Chile, mom from England and her parents live with us. She is a lawyer by education and now stays home to take care of our girls. But understandably, my wife is concerned with our daughters’ privacy. While they are extremely cute (proud, biased dad speaking), they won’t make many appearances with me. I grew up in Missouri and most of my family still lives in the Midwest. But more importantly, I can tell you how my family won’t be supporting me. They won’t be paid members of my campaign staff. They won’t be paid consultants under corporate shells from out of state. And I won’t be pushing any of them to run for offices in which they are not qualified.

Chris Sharp- Interview/Commentary

Chris Sharp is an Educator and a prize-winning professional writer. He has recently published a new book titled “Dangerous Learning: The New Schooling in California..” His commentaries represent his own opinions and not necessarily the views of any organization he may be affiliated with or those of the West Ranch Beacon.