BrianGarst.com

The investigation is over and the suspect has confessed. Ted Stevens is the secret holder of S. 2590, a bill to create a searchable database of government contracts that would be accessable by the public. The Stevens staffer who confirmed his guilt flailed about and offered this convoluted explaination.

Aaron Saunders, spokesperson for Stevens, said Coburn was informed two weeks ago that his boss had concerns about the bill. Namely, Stevens is concerned that the bill would create more bureaucracy. He wants to see a cost-benefit analysis.

Saunders said there was nothing secret about what Stevens did.

“Senator Stevens has always preferred to handle this at the staff level or member to member,” Saunders said. “He doesn’t like running to the blogosphere or the media.”

“Our reticence in getting out there is that Stevens doesn’ want to be in the media attacking Coburn,” Saunders said. “He has never addressed legislative concerns in the media. It is just not the way the senator has ever operated.”

Ha. What Senator Stevens didn’t want to be seen “attacking” in the media was not Senator Coburn, but rather what is sure to be a popular bill in the eyes of a public fed up with unaccountable porking by the likes of Ted Stevens. Nor does his concern over a cost-benefit analysis hold any credibility. There’s no indication whatsoever that eliminating or reducing bureaucracy has ever been a concern of Ted Stevens.

Frankly, I’m a bit surprised he’s even heard of a cost-benefit analysis. Perhaps he looked it up on this “series of tubes” some of us call the interwebbernet.