Congressman Jim Moran: A Vote for Offshore Drilling is a Vote Against SEAL Team Six

There have been a lot of bad and self-serving arguments made against offshore oil drilling, but after the House of Representatives passed a bill permitting offshore drilling in Virginia today, Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., may have taken craven opportunism to new heights: 

On the House floor today, Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) offered his support for an amendment that would have strengthened provisions in the bill that prohibit drilling in an area that would cause “unreasonable conflict” with naval operations. The amendment failed, and the bill passed 266-149.

“The proposed lease sale would interfere with U.S. Navy operations and Virginia’s commercial fishery and tourism industries,” Moran said in a statement. “National Security and economic growth should trump lining the pockets of big oil executives.”

Moran added that the drilling could interfere with the training of Virginia Beach-based Navy SEAL Team Six, the elite squad that killed Osama bin Laden.

“In May 2010 the [Department of Defense] stated nearly 80 percent of the drilling area proposed to be sold in Virginia, Lease Sale 220, would interfere with U.S. Navy training and operations (including Navy SEAL Team Six),” a Moran press release said.

That's right, if you support offshore oil drilling then you're impeding the war on terror. Or something.

In any event, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell supports the drilling plan.