Don Young, Doug Brinkley Argue In House Natural Resources Committee Hearing

Alaska Congressman Don Young got into a heated discussion with Rice University professor Doug Brinkley at a hearing on Friday.

Young addressed Brinkley as "Dr. Rice" and called his testimony "garbage." Brinkley replied, "Dr. Brinkley. Rice is a university. I know you went to Yuba College and you couldn't graduate."

"I'll call you anything I want to call you when you sit in that chair. You just be quiet," Young quipped.

"You don't own me," Brinkley shot back. "I pay your salary."

The exchange took place at a House Natural Resources Committee hearing to discuss the possible effects of drilling in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Later, Young admitted that he was "really pissed."

This isn't the first time a Don Young outburst has disrupted a meeting. His illustrious record includes brandishing a walrus penis at the female head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and making an obscene reference to gay sex while denouncing the National Endowment for the Arts at a high school.

Young famously called the BP oil spill "not an environmental disaster." He also has the lowest voting attendance among House members, aside from those who had to miss votes because of illness or presidential campaigns.

WATCH:

Comments

[CSKAP]

09:20 AM on 12/19/2011

Huh, I really can’t understand why the great state of Alaska, being so terrific and wonderful gets more federal dollars per capita than any other state.
They have the highest “pay back” yet they pay their citizens for living there. How about we give back dollar for dollar and they can use the oil money for all the other projects and bridges they want.

[frmartin earthlink net]

12:42 AM on 11/30/2011

Congressman Young demonstrated why we need term limits. I was appalled at how he conducted himself at this Congressional hearing. "Sit there and shut up?" Mr. Young, read the Constitution, learn something, and learn some humility and respect. We Americans are watching you and we don't like what we see.

[Targetdog]

07:36 AM on 11/29/2011

"You don't own me," Brinkley shot back. "I pay your salary." - Check out the blond sitting behind the senator when Brinkley utters that line. Priceless.

[black smith]

02:20 PM on 11/28/2011

Don Young's manner reminded me of the horrible times in China’s Cultural Revolution. The communist officials were self-assumed representatives of the people, as Young is in his case. Yet they, and Young, totally abused their power. It is absolutely horrifying to watch and hear Young’s tyrannical and contemptuous attitude towards the people he is supposed to serve. What a shame! Yet he will wield his prowess and authority….. I would like to yell out at him: Mr. Young, I am pissed off by you!!!!!

[NoPulse]

11:13 PM on 11/25/2011

Mr Brinkley is welcome in Alaska. $6 $7 $8 Dollar gas
The tourist-Professor describes visiting our state often.
He enjoys fishing & Hunting as most Alaskans.
Alaska's resources power America and sit undeveloped.
While most Texans understand the great troubles with declining oil production. -
Texas is no longer the largest producer but far from it.
The Trans Alaska pipeline cannot operate when oil shipments drop below 300,000 barrels per day
It wont just taper off, it will be impossible to operate at such low volumes and oil temperature.

Please visit our state. Enjoy the Wildlife that prosper alongside current oil development.
Stay at the hotels, lodges and guided fish camps.
Its a diferent world living with the high cost of living.

A prominent Tourist-Professor could more than act childish before congress.

[Patrick Kerber]

12:42 PM on 11/26/2011

Where on Alaska's contiguous road system is gas "$6 $7 $8" a gallon? Gas in Anchorage is currently as low as $3.79 a gallon....cheaper than many places along the west coast. Only in places like Bethel ($6.13), not on the interstate highway system, is gasoline above $6 a gallon.

Alaska's resources power only a small portion of America. Most of the oil still comes from imports and will continue to do so until we, as a nation, learn how to conserve.

The wildlife does not "prosper alongside current oil development". Study after study (that is not funded by Big Oil) shows a steady decline in wildlife species, such as caribou, near the oil fields. I worked in Prudhoe Bay for eight years ('87-'95) and witnessed a noticable decline in those few short years.

It is Don Young who acted childish, not Dr. Brinkley. Mr. Young has exhibited this behavior many times in the past.

[Patrick Kerber]

09:28 PM on 11/25/2011

Don Young has been an embarrassment to Alaska at least since 1979, when I moved there. He has used vulgar language towards a group of high school students. He has consistently voted to shortchange veterans. For many years Don Young has held the worst attendance record in the House of Representatives. When he does bother to show up to vote, he consistently votes against human rights and votes to damage the environment. Don Young is an abusive, bitter man and it is high time for Alaskans to send him packing!

[Tony Sanchez]

02:49 AM on 11/25/2011

I thought Don Young would call Brinkley a whipersnapper. dadgummmit.

[highlander1]

04:34 PM on 11/24/2011

Think of this man Brinkley, he get's the opportunity to go up to the hill and contribute to the discussion. He kisses his wife and his kids goodbye, Daddy is going off to talk to Congres be back in a couple days. He travels from his home in Texas gets into to Washington checks into a Holiday Express wakes up get's dressed up and goes off to the Capitol only to be talked to like that? What a disgrace. People like Don Young are a disgrace and it set's the process back. No wonder we don't ever get anything accomplished in energy production when we have A**holes like this on the case. Get rid of this crackpot and let's get something done in the ANWAR and let's do it in as careful manner possible. I will assure you this: with people like Don Young in power the potential of that is completely off the table.

[nwerle]

04:04 PM on 11/24/2011

Young has shown himself to be dumber than Palin

[Joshua Taj Bozeman]

01:51 AM on 11/24/2011

Why are comments from long time members moderated at all? It takes forever to get some comments moderated...sometimes so long, it ruins any chance of discussion.

[phantasma]

12:38 AM on 11/24/2011

Yuba Young showed his stupidity in calling Dr. Brinkley "elite" . He should take a good hard look in a mirror.

[Joshua Taj Bozeman]

11:34 PM on 11/23/2011

Why is honest reporting so difficult these days?

He never called Brinkley's testimony garbage!

He said: "I call it garbage, Dr. Rice, that comes from the mouth..." [cutoff by Brinkley]

Now, unless the writer here has psychic powers, we have no idea what Young was talking about. So, let's cut the BS and start honestly dealing with situations, can we?

Brinkley acted like a child here by immediately insulting the guy's intelligence,. and the fact that so many of you are blind partisans you can't see is ridiculous. It speaks volumes about the sad state of our culture and the education system when people can't think logically about topics.

[nwerle]

03:58 PM on 11/24/2011

of course he called testimony on ANWR garbage

he always has and will

you need to learn how to google

[Aaron Haynes]

08:46 PM on 11/23/2011

Apparently he wasn't even in the room for the testimony, he snuck in when the cameras were being turned on and just started doing his thing. What a sad, angry little man.

[DazedandConfused]

07:27 PM on 11/23/2011

"I'll call you anything I want to call you when you sit in that chair. You just be quiet."
Young is definitely the "poster child" for advocates of term limits. Young has served since 1973 and is the 2nd ranking Republican member of the House. Needless to say, Young needs to go.

[fredpa]

06:30 PM on 11/23/2011

Who are the enablers on this committee that allow this 'tard to function this way with taxpayers who come to testify?