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The godfather of the corn ethanol lobby, Iowa Republican Senator Charles Grassley, threatened to hold up Senate approval of President Barack Obamas choice to be U.S. ambassador to Brazil, career State Department official Thomas Shannon, because of Shannons comments suggesting he personally favored ending a U.S. tariff on ethanol imports.
As a senator and as a presidential candidate, President Obama supported keeping the U.S. tariff on imported ethanol, Senator Charles Grassley said in a statement. (Sort of, Obama did say in Indiana that sugarcane ethanol was far better than corn ethanol.) Now, the presidents nominee for ambassador to Brazil says the removal of the tariff would be beneficial. Its important to know whether the administrations position has changed before this nomination goes forward, Grassley said.