Larry Craig: a key member of Capitol Hill's horse-slaughter power posse
It gives me no joy to feature Larry Craig on my blog just days before Christmas, but he’s here to represent the U.S. Congressmen, horse-slaughter lobbyists, advocates and journalists who are the topic of today’s new post on Forbes.com, “How Many Congressmen Does It Take To Screw A Horse?”
You’re familiar with the marginalization of “We the 99%”? Say hello to “We the 70%”. This is the percentage of Americans opposed to horse slaughter who were screwed when Senators Herb Kohl and Roy Blunt, along with U.S. Representative Jack Kingston went behind closed doors to remove language banning slaughter inspections from the recent Agriculture Appropriations spending bill.
A lot of people are wondering how that went down in light of all the widespread support for The American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011, both in Congress and among average Americans. Today’s post looks at the culprits, the bills they’ve blocked over the years, the tactics used and how many horses have been screwed in the process.
It also reveals the USDA’s dismal record in regulating horse slaughter and the flaws in the GAO Report that President Obama and the U.S. Congress relied on for guidance in deciding to refund USDA horse meat inspections after a five-year ban. Finally, it examines the biased, suspiciously-timed media coverage that has misled and confused so many Americans on what the facts are.
A key part of today’s post is a photo gallery I’m working on putting names and faces to Capitol Hill’s horse-slaughter power posse. It’s almost ready, so I hope you’ll come back and look for it.
Not what I wanted to be working on the week before Christmas. I will celebrate that, good will, and peace on earth even as I continue to probe how our government has been wrapped up and stuck under the Agriculture lobby’s very own, possibly genetically-modified, hopefully cage-free Christmas tree.
Deck the halls.
Vickery Eckhoff 
Hello Vickery –
I have been following this issue for years & have found your research & articles very enlightening.I would like some more information on the possible plans to open a slaughterhouse in WI. I am on the BOD of the Spirit Horse Equine Rescue & I am starting to work on my Congressmen to get legislation passed here in WI.
Bless you for all you are doing to shine a light in the darkness!
Susan Peterson
Thanks so much for your note. What kind of information are you looking for on a possible Wisconsin slaughterhouse? I haven’t heard of any in the works.
From your Forbes article, “Horse Slaughterhouse Investigation Sounds Food Safety & Cruelty Alarms”:
Roy Blunt (R-MO), Jack Kingston (R-GA), and Herb Kohl (D-WI) orchestrated the reversal in a closed-door session by excising specific language that had banned the funding of inspections in five previous years. All three legislators come from states that plan to open slaughter facilities within the year and possibly within months.”
I got it from your article, so I thought you might have some evidence to back up that statement.
Thanks – Susan
Hi Susan,
The states I referenced were listed in numerous articles that came out on November 28-29 as being interested in opening slaughter houses. The articles didn’t mention specific plans, however.
V
Vickery, here’s another picture to hang in the gallery
http://frankniceley.com/
URGENT ALERT: Tennessee residents!! During the committee hearing on March 13, 2012, Tennessee Rep. FRANK NICELY slipped in amendments to a bill under a new declaration that “the General Assembly intends to encourage the location of equine slaughter and processing facilities in Tennessee. Much like the bill passed in MT in 2009, the new provisions approved by the committee would make it more difficult to challenge issuance of a permit for a horse slaughter facility.
If you live in Tennessee, find your state legislators here: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators/
Write or call now and urge them to vote NO on H.B. 3619.
Learn more at Animal Law Coalition:
http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter/article/1973