No Harmony at Senate Hearing with Backstreet Boy

Back - Index - Submissions - - What is RSS? Date: Jun 06, 2002 Source: Yahoo! News Submitted By: Gina Cates WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Backstreet Boys member Kevin Richardson hit a wrong note with a Republican senator when the Kentucky-born singer urged Congress on Thursday to crack down on coal mining pollution. Ohio Sen. George Voinovich said he boycotted a meeting of the Senate Environment subcommittee to protest Richardson's testimony on mountaintop mining waste. The senator refused to attend on the grounds that Democratic leaders of the panel invited Richardson "to make a media stunt out of what is a serious issue," a Voinovich spokesman said. Richardson found himself more in tune with female fans who packed the hearing room and applauded after his testimony opposing a Bush administration plan allowing coal companies to plow Appalachian mining waste into river valleys and streams. Richardson, who also founded the Just Within Reach Foundation, an environmental education group, testified against the effects of mountaintop mining in his home state of Kentucky. "I am not a scientist, but I do know what I've seen on flights over the coalfields," said the singer. Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, the Democratic chairman of the panel, shrugged off the boycott. "Senator Voinovich and I were obviously not in sync," Lieberman quipped at the hearing, referring to the competing boy band 'N Sync (news - web sites). Voinovich, whose home state includes the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, didn't listen to Richardson's testimony but he did compliment the singer's fashion sense. "He had a very nice cotton suit on," a spokesman for the senator said. Richardson was the latest in a series of celebrities to appear before congressional panels, including actors like Julia Roberts and Michael J. Fox. Comment on this item. Recent Comments Submitted by: Antony Submitted by: Halz Submitted by: Mark Submitted by: Kevin Shen Submitted by: Monika Submitted by: Antony Comment on this item. Next Item: Kevin & Robert Kennedy, Jr. Joins Clean Water Protest Prev Item: Voinovich to boycott pop star's testimony