Stevens’ Office: CBS “Distorts” Facts on PorkCBS news highlighted some of Sen. Ted Stevens’ (R-AK) greatest pork hits this weekend– including $1 million to promote salmon baby food and $500,000 to paint a jet like a flying fish.
The airplane project was sponsored by the Alaska Fisheries Marketing Board, a non-profit set up by Stevens and originally run by his son and former aide. The board hands out tens of millions in grants to promote the Alaska seafood industry.
Unsurprisingly, Stevens wasn’t happy with the story. A spokesman told an Alaska CBS affiliate that they “in some cases actually distorted” facts:
Stevens’ press secretary, Aaron Saunders, tells KTVA-CBS 11 News the senator is, “dismayed CBS ignored the facts.”
” …we never said the salmon baby food project was designed to promote Alaska salmon. Furthermore, we emphasized that these funds were not allocated for the development of salmon-flavored baby foods, as it appeared in the story. It was to be used to explore the many health benefits of omega 3s, which certainly could help children across America, not just in Alaska,” [Saunders said].
Stevens’ office apparently had no comment on the half million for the Alaska Airlines salmon paint job.
