Mr. Peabody
02-13-2006, 09:39 PM
Is hunting without the appropriate license one of the administration's newly-discovered war powers?
Officials: Cheney Lacked 'Bird Stamp' for Texas License
By E&P Staff
Published: February 13, 2006 7:00 PM ET
NEW YORK In the aftermath of the Saturday shooting, Texas state wildlife officials reported late today that while Vice President Dick Cheney had purchased a valid non-resident hunting license, he did not obtain a required "upland game bird stamp."
A warning citation--which carries no fine or penalty--will be issued to Cheney, which state officials described as "routine." Cheney's office said he would promptly send in the $7 for the stamp. However, as the Dallas Morning News headlined on its Web site, he was, on Saturday, "hunting illegally."
The first official report on the shooting of a fellow hunter on Saturday by Cheney was issued late today by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. It follows much controversy and speculaton stemming from the failure of the vice president or the White House to announce the incident for 18 hours.
The report, posted at the Smoking Gun site, confirmed the time of shooting of Harry Whittington at 5:30 pm on Saturday and that Cheney was wearing a "blaze orange" cap and "coat/vest" and brown trousers and was toting a Perazzi .28 caliber shotgun.
The "Game Law Violated" box was checked, with the violation listed as section "P&W Code 43.652." According to an online rundown on that sectin, this relates to the lack of the upland bird stamp. The text follows: "Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person may not hunt a
migratory or upland game bird in this state unless the person has acquired a migratory or upland game bird stamp, as applicable, issued to the person by the department."
At the same time, the Kenedy County Sheriff's Office this afternoon issued a press release noting that an "investigation reveals that there was no alcohol, or misconduct involved in the incident." It added that Whittington "collaborated Vice President Cheney's statement," and concluded, "This was no more than a hunting accident."
However, that office had previously disclosed that it was not able to interview Cheney Saturday night after the shooting, and did not do so until Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, one of the many odd details about the episode involves the third hunter in the group. Some news outlets, including The Associated Press in some dispatches, after not disclosed the name, while many others have said it was Pam Willeford, the U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and a native Texan.
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E&P Staff
Officials: Cheney Lacked 'Bird Stamp' for Texas License
By E&P Staff
Published: February 13, 2006 7:00 PM ET
NEW YORK In the aftermath of the Saturday shooting, Texas state wildlife officials reported late today that while Vice President Dick Cheney had purchased a valid non-resident hunting license, he did not obtain a required "upland game bird stamp."
A warning citation--which carries no fine or penalty--will be issued to Cheney, which state officials described as "routine." Cheney's office said he would promptly send in the $7 for the stamp. However, as the Dallas Morning News headlined on its Web site, he was, on Saturday, "hunting illegally."
The first official report on the shooting of a fellow hunter on Saturday by Cheney was issued late today by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. It follows much controversy and speculaton stemming from the failure of the vice president or the White House to announce the incident for 18 hours.
The report, posted at the Smoking Gun site, confirmed the time of shooting of Harry Whittington at 5:30 pm on Saturday and that Cheney was wearing a "blaze orange" cap and "coat/vest" and brown trousers and was toting a Perazzi .28 caliber shotgun.
The "Game Law Violated" box was checked, with the violation listed as section "P&W Code 43.652." According to an online rundown on that sectin, this relates to the lack of the upland bird stamp. The text follows: "Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person may not hunt a
migratory or upland game bird in this state unless the person has acquired a migratory or upland game bird stamp, as applicable, issued to the person by the department."
At the same time, the Kenedy County Sheriff's Office this afternoon issued a press release noting that an "investigation reveals that there was no alcohol, or misconduct involved in the incident." It added that Whittington "collaborated Vice President Cheney's statement," and concluded, "This was no more than a hunting accident."
However, that office had previously disclosed that it was not able to interview Cheney Saturday night after the shooting, and did not do so until Sunday morning.
Meanwhile, one of the many odd details about the episode involves the third hunter in the group. Some news outlets, including The Associated Press in some dispatches, after not disclosed the name, while many others have said it was Pam Willeford, the U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, and a native Texan.
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E&P Staff