dynalow,

chambliss consistently works hard on the side of his political contributors...
WHO are not his Georgia Constituents!



Imperial coached Chambliss on how to rebut whistle-blower witness at U.S. Senate hearing
Larry Peterson | Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at 12:30 am


Graham H. Graham, a former vice president of Imperial Sugar Co. (Photo: Savannah Morning News)



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Imperial Sugar Co. prepped U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss to rebut testimony by a whistle-blower witness at a Senate hearing last year, a lobbyist's memo indicates.

In addition to Chambliss being given hundreds of pages of documents, the senator, Imperial's CEO and its lobbyist discussed the July 29 hearing in advance of the session itself, a Chambliss spokeswoman confirms.

On or about July 24, Chambliss, Imperial lobbyist George Baker and company President and CEO John Sheptor talked about the hearing, Chambliss spokeswoman Bronwyn Lance Chester said.

Much of the hearing focused on the Feb. 7, 2008, explosions and fire that killed 14 people at the company's Port Wentworth refinery.

During the hearing, former Imperial executive Graham Graham testified that Imperial Sugar hindered his efforts to make the plants safer, a claim the company denies.

As Graham testified, Chambliss repeatedly interrupted him and twice questioned his sincerity.

Go to savannahnow.com/news/explosion to read eyewitness testimony, see images taken days after the explosion and more.

Lawyers for victims of the tragedy say the documents and the pre-hearing conversation show Chambliss and Imperial conspired to discredit Graham, a key witness in lawsuits against the company.

"It's ... shameful that the senator and the company attacked one of the few people trying to help the workers," said Savannah attorney Jeremy McKenzie, who represents some of the victims.

In response to a request for comment on the hearing, company spokesman Steve Behm spoke of Imperial's effort to rebuild the plant.

Behm said the rebuilding process includes "communicating with all of our audiences ... our employees, the communities in which we operate, regulators and other stakeholders. We have done so openly, honestly and lawfully."

Chambliss has received more than $131,000 in campaign cash from sugar interests, according to the nonpartisan, Washington, D.C.-based Center for Responsive Politics.

That includes $1,000 from Imperial's political committee. In addition, Chambliss has received money from Imperial's lobbyists.

Sheptor has said the company didn't try to influence the senator. But it has acknowledged providing material to the hearing subcommittee and to Chambliss.

The Georgia Republican is not a member of the panel but was invited to participate by Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson, the subcommittee's ranking Republican.

Chambliss did not respond to a request for an interview. Questions were answered by spokeswoman Lance Chester.

Lobbyist campaign cash

About five weeks before the hearing, Baker made a $1,000 campaign donation to Chambliss, who was re-elected last year after being forced into a runoff.

In April 2008, Chambliss received $1,000 from the political committee of the Williams & Jensen lobbying firm that Baker works for. In March 2008, he received $1,000 from Patrick Pelley, one of the firm's principals.

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