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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2009
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14

Anti-Earmark Rep. Scores Earmark for Blimp Research

Sessions' $1.6M went to firm not in his district

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(Newser) – Rep. Pete Sessions is a vocal opponent of earmarks, but last year he scored one for a company that's not even in his district. Thanks to Sessions, $1.6 million for airship research went to a firm with no experience in either government contracting or blimp-making, Politico reports. Seems that a lobbyist who has made more than $446,000 working for the Illinois company—and has a criminal record—is a former aide to Sessions, the GOP’s House campaign head.

A rep for Sessions said the blimp would be a good use of federal money and would create jobs in Sessions’ district—but the firm is based in Illinois, with a branch in San Antonio, 300 miles from Sessions’ Dallas-area district. A firm exec says he and his father are “business people” overseeing the project and “have obtained world-class experts to work for us.”

Rep. Pete Sessions, flanked by House Minority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., right, and Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., addresses the media holding up a tire pump, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008.
Rep. Pete Sessions, flanked by House Minority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., right, and Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., addresses the media holding up a tire pump, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2008.   (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)
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14 comments
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Fondue
Jul 30, 09 12:33 PM CDT
What a fine Texas Republican - do as I say, not as I do. Yes, it happens on both sides, but it's almost as if they are trying harder to be hypocrites. Reply
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+13
UrUndertaker
Jul 30, 09 12:45 PM CDT
I am well aware there are rotten apples in both parties but I must say the Republicans are in the lead for trash at about 12 to 1 or even higher. The lack of morals and the corruption is so evident in the Republican party perhaps they should outlaw the entire group. The Republican leadership is beginning to make the Mafia look like the Boy Scots Reply
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+10
IN RESPONSE:
UrUndertaker
Jul 30, 09 12:48 PM CDT
exchange scots for Scouts, sorry was considering a toast to the fine upstanding Republicans *pukes
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+1
IN RESPONSE:
wwwonderer
Jul 30, 09 1:31 PM CDT
It wouldn't be so bad if the GOP didn't have the fanatical evangelical pious base. Hypocrisy is the theme here. AFAIC, Ted Haggard can have sex with whomever and smoke whatever he wants. He becomes a s hypocritical jerk when he makes his LIVING preaching against it.
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+1
Fromthemiddle
Jul 30, 09 1:15 PM CDT
What is there about Blimps we don't already know anyway. Reply
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+1

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