Roger Wicker, Thad Cochran both under scrutiny for earmarks
Many lawmakers on a powerful appropriations committee have maintained potentially inappropriate relationships with lobbying firms, a new analysis from a nonprofit group asserts.
A computer analysis by the Center for Public Integrity found that 12 of the 16 members of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee maintained “circles of relationships” resulting in conflicts of interests, a revolving door between former congressional staffers and lobbyists, and millions of earmarks.
The subcommittee chairman, Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), has been under scrutiny for his relationship with the PMA group, as have Reps. Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.) and Jim Moran (D-Va.).
The report named the other lawmakers in both parties who have steered earmarks toward different lobbying groups, including ranking member Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla.), as well as Reps. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), Norman Dicks (D-Wash.), Dave Hobson (R-Ohio), Steve Rothman (D-N.J.), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.), Kay Granger (R-Texas), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).
The Hill
9/9/9
The top Republican spender, Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran, made waves in 2009 with the largest earmark ever — $439 million to restore barrier islands off the Mississippi coast, a giant project that comes on top of $80 billion that taxpayers have already forked over to rebuild in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
This year (in fiscal year 2009), Cochran helped sponsor 259 earmarks worth $1.2 billion, but he’s now aiming for a dubious distinction: he wants $2.6 billion for 2010 — a record for a single politician:
$201 million to his alma mater, the University of Mississippi, including $10 million for programs at the Thad Cochran Research Center.
$750,000 Mississippi Biotechnology Association building — an organization that has no members and doesn’t exist, and that got $450,000 last year.
$4.4 million to build fire stations, $14 million to improve drinking water in local communities (responsibilities typically left to the states).
$1.6 million for a mobile music lab.
$650,000 to a private Christian school (Piney Woods) on 2,000 wooded acres where student tuition is $31,400.
$400,000 to pay overtime for the Jackson Police Department to combat drug use.
$950,000 for the local Audubon Society, despite national Audubon assets topping $18 million.
Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., earmarked $120 million this year, and wants another $148 million for 2010:
$500,000 to improve the profitability of dairy farms.
$1 million to toward the $250 million Sky Shuttle, an urban Mag-Lev train for a university in southwest Pennsylvania.
$1 million for a trolley museum.
Fox News
9/9/9
