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Pennsylvania, Illinois take legal steps to halt base closures

CongressDaily July 12, 2005

Pennsylvania and Illinois took legal action Monday to halt the proposed closure or transfer of military bases in their states.

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell joined with Attorney General Tom Corbett to announce the filing of a lawsuit to stop the deactivation of an Air National Guard unit at the Willow Grove air base, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Nine of the 15 planes there would be moved to Maryland, Idaho and Michigan, with the remaining six taken out of service.

Rendell and Corbett cited federal law that indicates no such changes can be made without the consent of the governor of the state affected. "I was never consulted and never consented," Rendell said.

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Meanwhile, Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich wrote Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission Chairman Anthony Principi that he would not consent to the transfer of F-16 fighters from Springfield, Ill., to Indiana, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

"This lack of consultation compromises the integrity of the process used to develop the BRAC recommendations and disregards my role as commander-in-chief of the Illinois National Guard," Blagojevich wrote.

A Defense Department spokesman said the Pentagon assumed when making its recommendations that the base closing law supersedes other laws.

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COMMENTS

  • Rummy does not care about your stinking law. He will do it anyway. Mr. Bully, OOps I mean Mr. Rumsfeld doesn't do politics, he just does what he wants and expects you to follow along. Leaders will be bullied until they submit. GovExec.com reader Posted July 13, 2005 7:18 AM
  • This article touches on many important issues but does not address any. For example, "A Defense Department spokesman said the Pentagon assumed when making its recommendations that the base closing law supersedes other laws." DoD does what it wants and then worries about the law and impact on the rest of the country! How dare you question DoD because we know everything that is best for the USA-just ask Rummy! also, the savings to DoD is all that is important, not the savings to the USA! Also, how did the governor get the planes in the first place? Did the state pay for them? If the governor wants the planes he should buy them for his private air force. There should be no Air National Guard! Where is his Navy national guard? Does he demand destroyers on lake Michigan? Oh no, maybe he wants an aircraft carrier to house the planes he is talking about! This entire matter is ridiculous and the Air Nation Guard should be dropped totally. It is just a hangover from when the air corp was part of the Army. Oh my goodness now he will want Marines too. What is good for the country is ignored for the interest of the states and the votes the governor needs to get to keep a job. interested Posted July 13, 2005 6:56 AM
  • The Pentagon ASSUMED base closure law supersedes other laws. Talk about ignoring a third rail issue. Then again, arrogance seems to be the order of the day with this administration. Rummy needs to put Karl Rove on this, perhaps he can go after the wives of Mesrs. Rendell and Blagojevich to shut them up. GovExec.com reader Posted July 13, 2005 6:40 AM
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