Zincy 
In Vino Veritas
In more lighthearted news, the Oyster Wars Part 2, Revenge of the Oyster is playing out.
To elaborate, there is a long, long standing rivalry between VA and Maryland that has existed for nearly a century. A friendly one, not like VA and West VA where we want to kill each other.
Or, well, we think they do. They just sort of sit there, babbling about Percocet and coal, so we just kinda assume they don't like us either.
But Maryland and VA spar over various odds and ends. And this time it's about the FBI. The agency is wanting to build a new HQ, and the final bids are between VA and Maryland. The Trump admin tried to force the bid to go out west, as one of a long line of grandstandings to appeal to his base. However, sensible minds prevailed and the choice is now between the two states that would put the HQ near the rest of the FBIs primary facilities.
The pissing contest got bad last year, when Marylands senior senator held up the joint spending bill to include language to keep Marylands bid alive.
See, it's an open secret that the feds are leaning toward VA. We already have a majority of the FBIs secondary facilities, as well as their training academy. And the site in Springfield (yes, we have a Springfield) is larger than Marylands proposed site in Prince George’s County.
This is where it gets not so fun. Earlier this year, Maryland decided to try and make it about race. Launching a delegation urging the FBI to consider placing it in Prince George’s County as it has a large population of African Americans.
The VA delegation responded by pointing out that Springfield is an extremely diverse section of NOVA where over 100 different languages and 80 different international cultures are represented.
When that failed, the two dem senators from Maryland pulled a pitch straight out of the republican Handbook. See, they both sit of the funding board for the GSA, which for non-govies is basically the people who decide on the funding and resource allocations for all government agencies. I have to work with the GSA every now and then, they're a pain but very needed.
Anyway, the two senators made some not so veiled threats to use their positions as leverage to sway the decision.
I find this kind of thing a little reprehensible. Threatening the funding ofour the HQ of our chief investigative bureau because your state didn't win a bid is asinine. Regardless if you feel the process was not "fair". Bids are not fair, and the site that is the most attractive will win.
To elaborate, there is a long, long standing rivalry between VA and Maryland that has existed for nearly a century. A friendly one, not like VA and West VA where we want to kill each other.
Or, well, we think they do. They just sort of sit there, babbling about Percocet and coal, so we just kinda assume they don't like us either.
But Maryland and VA spar over various odds and ends. And this time it's about the FBI. The agency is wanting to build a new HQ, and the final bids are between VA and Maryland. The Trump admin tried to force the bid to go out west, as one of a long line of grandstandings to appeal to his base. However, sensible minds prevailed and the choice is now between the two states that would put the HQ near the rest of the FBIs primary facilities.
The pissing contest got bad last year, when Marylands senior senator held up the joint spending bill to include language to keep Marylands bid alive.
See, it's an open secret that the feds are leaning toward VA. We already have a majority of the FBIs secondary facilities, as well as their training academy. And the site in Springfield (yes, we have a Springfield) is larger than Marylands proposed site in Prince George’s County.
This is where it gets not so fun. Earlier this year, Maryland decided to try and make it about race. Launching a delegation urging the FBI to consider placing it in Prince George’s County as it has a large population of African Americans.
The VA delegation responded by pointing out that Springfield is an extremely diverse section of NOVA where over 100 different languages and 80 different international cultures are represented.
When that failed, the two dem senators from Maryland pulled a pitch straight out of the republican Handbook. See, they both sit of the funding board for the GSA, which for non-govies is basically the people who decide on the funding and resource allocations for all government agencies. I have to work with the GSA every now and then, they're a pain but very needed.
Anyway, the two senators made some not so veiled threats to use their positions as leverage to sway the decision.
I find this kind of thing a little reprehensible. Threatening the funding of