GOP blasts Park Service director for closing parks

Jonathan Jarvis

Because of the federal government shutdown, National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis had to furlough 20,000 employees, or 85 percent of his staff, leaving some parks such as the National Mall in Washington, D.C., which employs 300, with only 12 working employees. But that didn't stop House Republicans on Wednesday from blasting Jarvis for closing parks, with GOP members saying the director violated federal law by barricading them and national monuments when there was no apparent imminent threat, Laura Barron-Lopez reports for The Hill. The shutdown cost the government $32 million per day in lost fees at national parks.

At Wednesday's joint hearing of the Oversight and Government Reform and Natural Resources committees, Republicans questioned the barricading of the World War II Memorial and other monuments on the mall, contending that they were not barricaded during the shutdown in 1995. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) replied, "The shutdown in 1995 wasn't some shining model; monuments were closed." He told Jarvis, "Despite the over the top, made for media accusations and sound bites in this kangaroo court, we have no reason to believe you have done anything wrong."

"The battle raged to the end over whether the NPS had violated federal law, with Jarvis receiving the brunt of the GOP's questions while Democrats apologized on their behalf," Barron-Lopez writes. "It is very clear that the promises you make have no value," Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said. Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) defended Jarvis, holding a mirror before the Republican side of the aisle while saying, "If my Republican colleagues would look at me, I can show them who is responsible. Here, here's who is responsible for shutting down national parks." (Read more)