Does Dana Rohrabacher Suffer From Multiple Personality Disorder?

Two-Faced-Jack-o-Lantern_photo_medium.jpg
Two faced pumpkin
Earlier this month, a San Francisco television station quoted Orange County Congressman Dana Rohrabacher on his outrage that Americans have suffered cyber e-mail attacks from China through Google. 

"We have a potential adversary who is the worst human rights abuser in the world, but we have companies that are making enormous profits, short-term profits, by taking our technology over there and improving their capabilities," Rohrabacher told KGO-TV.

What's odd here is that the Huntington Beach Republican has been consistent in denouncing China. (Outside of Orange County at least, Rohrabacher abhors one party domination.) Weeks ago, a newspaper gave him worst prediction honors for arguing in 1999 that the Chinese military would invade the Panama Canal within 10 years.

But while the congressman blasts American corporations for giving away "our technology," it was Rohrabacher who in March 1994 voted to ease restrictions on high tech companies wanting to transfer new, military-related satellite technologies to the communists in China. Proving he hadn't made a bonehead mistake, he voted the same way two months later. 

Indeed, as I've previously reported, in an October 1993 letter to the Clinton Administration, Rohrabacher demanded that U.S. corporations be allowed to sell state of the art satellites and communications systems to Red China, which is run by--the congressman has said on numerous other occasions--"evil . . . monsters." 

Surely coincidentally, Rohrabacher's anti-China stance softened after getting generous campaign contributions from the management of U.S. companies wishing to profit on satellite sales to China.

Several years later, when confronted with his lobbying letter to the Clinton White House, Rohrabacher's angry reply was classic: Who gave you that letter? 
  
--R. Scott Moxley / OC Weekly

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter: Our weekly feature stories, movie reviews, calendar picks and more - minus the newsprint and sent directly to your inbox.

Privacy Policy

Most Popular Stories

Sign up for free stuff, news info & more!

Tools

General

Links

Browse Voice Nation
  • Voice Places

    Voice Places

    Discover restaurants, nightlife, travel, shopping...

  • VOICE Daily Deals

    VOICE Daily Deals

    Get 50 to 90% off every day on restaurants, movies, massages...

  • Best Of

    Best Of...

    More than 10,000 of the BEST things to eat, drink, and experience

  • My Voice Nation

    My Voice Nation

    Join the Village Voice community and get exclusive deals and info

  • Happy Hour

    Happy Hour

    Your local Happy Hour guide at your fingertips

or

Log in or Sign up

Social Connect:

Use your favorite account to access My Voice Nation.


Use your My Voice Nation account to log in:





Forgot password?
or

Sign Up or Log in

Social Connect:

Sign up for My Voice Nation with your preferred network.


Sign up for a My Voice Nation account:



Privacy policy