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Show BANANAS ON PIKE'S PEAK 223 brought out that Ely was a registered lobbyist and was paid by the agencies which comprised the Colorado River Board to appear against the bill.272 Few of the committee members seemed to be shocked by this revelation. Attorneys customarily were paid by the clients they represented. His registration under the lobby law, Ely told Met- calf, was a matter of public record. Then he made a suggestion that did not sit well with Chairman Aspinall and other supporters of the project. Lobbyists for the crsp, Ely said in the manner of a reminder, such as the Aqualantes, the Upper Basin Grass Roots Committee and the Upper Colorado River Commission, had failed to comply with the federal lobbying law. They had not registered, although their attorneys and engineers and other witnesses were consistently lobbying for the pro- ject, and were present in Washington.273 Rep. Hosmer promptly demanded that the com- mittee request the Justice Department to investigate the failure of the Upper Basin lobbyists to register.274 That ended the wrangle. Metcalf was promptly waved to the pits by the crsp proponents and advised to avoid the subject lest he get all his Upper Basin pals in trouble with the federal cops. It was on such dubious levels that the House hearing continued, until Chairman AspinalPs impatience got the best of him. He complained that the opponents were taking too much time, and he commanded Gil more Tillman, attorney for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, to read his testimony into the record "as rapidly as possible." 275 He was even more blunt with California Attorney Howard, demanding that he confine his remarks to fifteen minutes.276 |
