Federal aide's voice message prompts probe
WASHINGTON — A voicemail that criticizes California's attempt to impose new limits on vehicle emissions touched off a congressional investigation Tuesday into whether a federal official improperly worked to thwart the state's efforts.
The message, left by an aide to the secretary of Transportation on a congressional staffer's phone message system, found its way to Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles), an investigatory pit bull who has championed clean-air legislation.
Waxman, who is chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, promptly launched a probe, calling it "highly inappropriate" and possibly illegal for an agency official to be lobbying members of Congress.
The voicemail is the latest twist in the state's fight to secure a waiver from the Environmental Protection Agency to mandate stronger vehicle emissions requirements by 2009. Under the Clean Air Act, California is allowed to set stricter anti-pollution rules, but only if the EPA approves.
In a letter sent Tuesday to Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters, Waxman wrote: "It is especially problematic on an issue that is pending for a decision before the administration and that is supposed to be decided based on an independent assessment of the merits."
The Department of Transportation's acting general counsel responded that the action in "no way violated anti-lobbying restrictions." The department counsel said that agency officials only "communicated the potential implications" of any federal government decision to grant California permission to implement its emissions law.
Federal law bars agencies from trying to influence how members of Congress vote on legislation.
According to Waxman, Heideh Shahmoradi -- the Transportation secretary's special assistant for governmental affairs -- left a message warning that if California receives the waiver, "it could lead to a patchwork of regulations on vehicle emissions which could have significant impacts on the light truck and car industry."
Shahmoradi then asked whether the congressional aide's boss would be interested in commenting on California's request or "reaching out to your governor's office for them to submit comments to the docket, since this would greatly impact the auto facilities within your district." Waxman's staff declined to identify the congressional office that received the call.
