A past champion of Maine’s military bases has gone to work for Florida.
William Cohen, the former Maine senator and U.S. secretary of defense, has joined a dream team of military lobbyists who aim to keep open all 21 of Florida’s bases.
Besides Cohen, the state has hired Dick Armey, the former majority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives, and retired Adm. Robert Natter, the former commander of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.
Leaders in the efforts to save Maine’s bases say they are unsure what effect the high-paid lobbyists, including Cohen, will have.
“We wish he were working with us,” said Richard Tetrev, who leads the task force that is trying to preserve Brunswick Naval Air Station.
Yet, if Cohen were here, it’s tough to know what effect he might have.
“Nobody knows,” Tetrev said. “We’re flying by the seat of our pants.”
Of course, Cohen is an old hand at base-closure issues. In 1991, 1993 and 1995, he was among Maine’s most vocal advocates.
Prior to the release of the 1995 list, when analysts suggested that either Brunswick or Jacksonville Naval Air Station would close, Cohen often touted Brunswick’s strategic location.
Apparently, it worked. Neither base closed.
In 1997, President Bill Clinton appointed Cohen to the Pentagon’s top job. Soon, he was supporting more closures.
After leaving the post in early 2001, the one-time Bangor city councilor created The Cohen Group, which helps companies work overseas. And he’s lobbying.
The Sun Journal was unable to reach Cohen at his Washington, D.C., office.
Bare-bones affairs
“His price tag is very, very high,” said retired Navy Capt. William McDonough, who is working on the effort to preserve Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. “We couldn’t afford him.”
However, the Portsmouth group did hire Cohen’s longtime military adviser, Dale Gerry.
Gerry said Friday he has heard no complaints that his boss of 24 years had become a competitor. And perhaps Cohen is following his conscience, he said.
“He worked tirelessly and vigorously for Maine’s bases,” said Gerry, who works for a Washington, D.C., consulting firm called Strategic Marketing Innovations.
Perhaps, Cohen feels the same for Florida’s bases, Gerry said.
Of course, that state offered to pay Cohen. The two local efforts are bare-bones affairs. Gerry, a Mainer, said he’s working for Portsmouth because he can help.
In Brunswick, the task force has no hired staff. Tetrev, a former second-in-command at the Brunswick base, leads the group of volunteers. Most are retired from the Navy or local business owners.
He believes their chances are good, even with modest means.
“Who says that you’ve got a better chance just because you’ve got a lot of dough?” Tetrev said.
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