Posted on May 9, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
It’s that time of the year again - time to load up the “Emergency” War Supplemental. The hijinx are in full swing with billions of dollars being diverted from a bill that is supposed to go to the troops in the battlefield:
Roll Call: Supplemental Roils Congress
Despite pressure from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Speaker [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Defense, Earmarks, In The News, Pork, Supplemental, Waste | No Comments »
Posted on May 6, 2008 by Leslie Paige
Jeff Birnbaum of the Washington Post has gotten to the bottom of the mysterious 6-page pro-earmark memorandum that was the subject of his column on April 29, 2008.
The author was none other than a lobbyist for a big earmark-seeking firm here in town, W. Roger Gwinn from The Ferguson Group. Jeff writes:
The six-page document, which has [...]
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Posted on April 30, 2008 by Leslie Paige
OK, only in a policy-wonk hell like Washington, D.C. could a “White Paper” on earmarks be considered a “hot” item. But that is exactly how Washington Post veteran reporter Jeff Birnbaum described reactions to this 6-page “research” paper which is supposedly making its way around Capitol Hill.
Well, not everyone on the Hill got it, I guess, since this [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, In The News, Pork | 1 Comment »
Posted on April 18, 2008 by Leslie Paige
Today’s Washington Post relates yesterday’s developments on the investigation into the $10 million Coconut Road earmark. After the Senate rejected Sen. Coburn’s amendment to convene a bicameral panel to get to the bottom of the mystery of how this earmark morphed from a general purpose earmark to widen I-75 in Florida into what could potentially be a political pay-off to a campaign contributor of Rep. [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, In The News, Pig Book, Pork, Porker | 1 Comment »
Posted on April 9, 2008 by Leslie Paige
because that wouldn’t be fair. It’s just that his list of earmark requests for fiscal year 2009 happens to be among the first to begin trickling out to the public.
It won’t be long until he is joined by a legion of other pork-barrel spenders and we’ll try to keep you abreast of the tsunami of requests that continue to roll into the committees. [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Budget, Earmarks, Pig Book, Pork, Waste | No Comments »
Posted on March 31, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
Last week, John Stanton from Roll Call had a great article on how a top aide to Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) is using his position to secure earmarks and funding to a town in which he is also an elected local official - which is against House rules.
Illinois Aide Claims Earmarks Credit($)
A top aide to Rep. [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, In The News, Pork, State Issues | No Comments »
Posted on March 28, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) discuss the legality of earmarks under the Constitution. Two guesses as to who’s right and the first one doesn’t count.
Most earmarks are only written into the conference reports of appropriations bills - not the actual laws that are voted on by members of Congress. As Sen. DeMint [...]
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Posted on March 28, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
Virginia Pork for Crabs and Sheep
The 2009 federal budget will include funding for some strange animals if one Virginia lawmaker has his way.
Rep. Rick Boucher, a Democrat from southwest Virginia, has requested $744,325 to study the horseshoe crab and $250,000 for hair sheep - a unique bread of short-haired sheep that does not require shearing.
Both [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, Media Hits, Pork | No Comments »
Posted on March 24, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
More members of Congress agree to a personal one-year earmark moratorium.
Deal, other Ga. Republicans join anti-earmark crusade
More than half of Georgia’s Republicans in the U.S. House have joined an anti-earmark crusade and pledged to give up pet spending requests for their districts.
They say quitting cold turkey will help shake up a free-spending culture in Washington, [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, In The News, Pork, Reform | No Comments »
Posted on March 17, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
Carper, Biden agree to disclose earmark requests earlier
Sens. Joe Biden and Tom Carper said Friday they will disclose all of their requests for special funding projects known as earmarks, marking a shift in policy for both senators and a move toward greater transparency in the budget process.
…Republican Rep. Mike Castle announced his intention in November [...]
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Posted on March 14, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
CAGW Names Senators Who Voted to Kill DeMint-McCain Earmark Moratorium Porkers of the Month
Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today named all 71 senators who voted against an amendment to impose a one-year earmark moratorium in the fiscal year 2009 Budget Resolution March Porkers of the Month. The amendment was offered by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, Pork, Porker, Reform | No Comments »
Posted on March 14, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
In the wake of the earmark moratorium amendment in the Senate failing, at least 2 Representatives announced a voluntary one-year personal moratorium.
Pence Announces One-Year Moratorium on Earmark Requests
Reichert Announces Voluntary Earmark Moratorium
Update:
Reichert, McMorris Rodgers back earmark break
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, Pork, Reform | No Comments »
Posted on March 14, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
In a disappointing 29-71 loss, the DeMint-McCain earmark moratorium amendment to the FY 09 Budget failed last night.
Sen. DeMint made the following comments in a press release following the vote:
“Tonight, too many in Congress embraced the earmark favor factory and proved why we have the lowest approval rating in history,” said Senator DeMint. “Earmarks represent [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Budget, Earmarks, Pork, Reform | No Comments »
Posted on March 13, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
Earmark moratorium vote update from The Politico:
GOP accuses Reid of breaking word on earmark vote
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) has accused Democratic leaders of punting a vote on a highly touted earmark moratorium, saying they refused to allow a vote on the proposal while presidential candidates were in the Senate chamber today. Senate Majority Leader Harry [...]
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Posted on March 13, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
More reaction to the article from the post Earmark Moratorium in Washington Post
Earmark Halt Predicted to Fail
And the new management looks reluctant to make any changes. Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) this week said a moratorium was “unrealistic.”
“Congressionally directed money . . . has been going in this country for 230-some-odd years,” he said.
As we mentioned [...]
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Posted on March 13, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
CAGW was featured in this article in the Washington Post regarding the DeMint-McCain earmark moratorium
Earmark Halt Predicted to Fail
…The presumptive Republican presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, is championing a one-year moratorium on funding for home-state projects known as earmarks. Both Democratic presidential candidates — Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Rodham Clinton [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, In The News, Media Hits, Pork, Reform | 1 Comment »
Posted on March 12, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
I thought it would be good to highlight and respond to some of the comments by the appropriations cardinals in the Roll Call story mentioned below.
Earmark Vote Divides Both Parties
Republican and Democratic members of the Appropriations Committee denounced the amendment and are pushing their colleagues to reject it. “What happens if we don’t say how [...]
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Posted on March 12, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
Sen. DeMint’s earmark moratorium amendment is expected to be voted upon by Friday but political shenanigans abound to keep it off the news radar and make it difficult for the presidential candidates who support the amendment to be around for the vote.
Action Alert! Email your senators: Tell the Senate: Support the DeMint-McCain Amendment!
Find your senator [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, In The News, Pork, Reform | 2 Comments »
Posted on March 12, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
The Hill article mentioned in the previous post Earmark moratorium possible in House also notes that Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) will not be asking for earmarks. Welcome to the club, Rep. Kind!
The cardinals claim they’re being cut out
Meanwhile, Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.) announced Tuesday he was joining Democratic Reps. Mark Udall (Colo.) and Henry Waxman (Calif) in [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, Reform | No Comments »
Posted on March 12, 2008 by Leslie Paige
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) took to the Senate floor just minutes ago and made his case for a full-year, no-exceptions earmark moratorium (link to whole speech)
Here’s a slideshow from Sen. DeMint’s Earmark Moratorium Rally, featuring PigFoot in many slides.
Filed under: Appropriations, Budget, Earmarks, Pork, Reform, Video, Waste | 1 Comment »
Posted on March 12, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
The Hill newspaper reports on whispers that House Democrats may declare a moratorium on earmarks. It is a good sign that appropriations cardinals are being left out of the discussion as they are notoriously the worst and most ardent porkers. It’s even better to hear Rep. Moran (who pledged to stuff the Defense bill full [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, In The News, Reform | 1 Comment »
Posted on March 11, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
Posted on March 11, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today launched the first in its new series of occasional video podcasts called Where’s PigFoot? The video podcasts, which will be posted on YouTube and viewable on CAGW’s website and blog, will feature CAGW’s mascot uncovering and exposing government waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement wherever it can be found.
The [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Defense, Earmarks, PigFoot, Pork, Porker, Video | 2 Comments »
Posted on March 11, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
Just got back from the Rally for the DeMint-McCain earmark moratorium at the Senate Swamp! Sens. Jim DeMint and Tom Coburn spoke, as well as Reps. Jeff Flake, John Campell, Jeb Hensarling, John Shadegg, Marilyn Musgrave, Paul Broun, and several other watch dog organizations.
Here’s CCAGW’s press release:
CCAGW Rallies for DeMint-McCain Earmark Moratorium
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, In The News, Pork, Reform | 1 Comment »
Posted on March 10, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
Tomorrow CCAGW will participate in a rally in support of the DeMint-McCain earmark moratorium amendment. Here’s a look where key players in the drama stand, according to Roll Call:
Reid Won’t Back Ban on Earmarks
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will not back a moratorium on Congressional earmarks despite growing interest among House and Senate Republicans [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Budget, Earmarks, In The News, Pork, Reform | 1 Comment »
Posted on March 5, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
The Hill newspaper reports that CAGW’s strategy of publicizing the most egregious and blatant examples of pork is working to shame legislators into at least vetting earmarks more thoroughly, if not outright rejecting them.
Earmark requests call for more information
Appropriations lobbyists are struggling with more paperwork, new spending restrictions and earlier deadlines for requests as [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, In The News, Pork, Reform | No Comments »
Posted on March 3, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
Roll Call reports on the link between campaign contributions and earmarks.
Earmark Season Arrives
Request Deadline Coincides With Fundraisers
Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.), another earmark critic, is among a small number of lawmakers who have signed a Citizens Against Government Waste earmark pledge to back legislation that would “end the linkage between campaign contributions and earmarks.” (A CAGW [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, In The News, Media Hits, Pork, Porker | No Comments »
Posted on February 29, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
According to the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, the entire Alaska delegation will now be posting their earmark requests online.
Murkowski, Young join Stevens in posting earmarks
Sen. Lisa Murkowski and Rep. Don Young said Thursday they would join Sen. Ted Stevens in posting appropriation requests on their official Web sites.
“I am joining Sen. Stevens and Congressman Young in [...]
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Posted on February 20, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
… is Rep. John “Jack” Murtha (D-Pa.)!
Congratulations to him and all our other nominees.
Thank you for voting!
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, Pork, Porker, Waste | 1 Comment »
Posted on February 19, 2008 by Alexa Moutevelis
CAGW is quoted in a Weekly Standard article on “Republicans’ love-hate relationship with earmarks”:
Hey, Big Spenders
Appropriations seats are always sought-after, but this time as many as seven Republicans clamored for the prize. Contenders included vulnerable members like Washington’s Dave Reichert; Tom Cole, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, who wanted to use the [...]
Filed under: Appropriations, Earmarks, Media Hits, Pork | No Comments »
