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NEWS ABOUT: earmarks

Palin Earmarks Total $453M in 2 Years

Alaska guv fails the earmarks-per-day test she applies to Obama

(Newser) - Sarah Palin called them "un-American" and John McCain denied again Friday that she requested them as governor of Alaska. But the Wall Street Journal, doing the math on earmarks, finds that Palin sought $453 million of them for her state since taking office, including $197 million in the current... More »

Earmarks Show Palin's Quite the Political Animal

Fish, crabs, and seals studied with millions Alaska gov. requested

(Newser) - Despite what he calls her “recasting as an anti-earmark champion,” Ben Smith writes in Politico that Sarah Palin has consistently sought millions in such funds for her home state of Alaska. But while "every self-respecting mayor and governor in America seeks federal dollars for local projects,"... More »

Palin Projects Hit Mac's Pork List

Requests from Sarah Palin made it onto McCain's 'pork list' 3 times

(Newser) - Requests from Sarah Palin made it onto John McCain's "pork list" of objectionable spending three times while Palin was mayor of Wasilla, the Los Angeles Times reports. McCain's lists came as part of his long campaign against the earmarking system in which members of Congress can chuck cash at... More »

Palin's Town Scored $27M in Pork

McCain has praised her opposition to 'wasting taxpayers' money'

(Newser) - As mayor, Sarah Palin employed a lobbying firm that secured some $27 million in earmarked federal funds for her town of 6,700, a watchdog group has discovered. The money went toward railways, sewers, a transportation hub, and a youth shelter, reports the Washington Post. Fighting federal earmarks, which are... More »

Palin Backed 'Bridge to Nowhere' in Governor's Race

(Newser) - Sarah Palin bragged yesterday about opposing a nearly $400 million pork barrel project that, it turns out, she initially supported, the AP reports. Palin did slam the so-called "bridge to nowhere" after becoming governor of Alaska 2 years ago. But on the campaign trail, she was all for the... More »

Nat'l Review: Stevens, Get Out

Indicted Republican senator 'disgraced himself and his office'

(Newser) - Newly indicted Ted Stevens should resign as soon as possible, write the editors of the National Review. The Alaskan senator, who is accused of seven counts of making false statements, legally “deserves the benefit of the doubt—but not from an ethical standpoint,” they note. “The facts... More »

Rangel's Fundraising for 'Me' Monument Questioned

Solicits cash from firms linked to his panel

(Newser) - New York Rep. Charles Rangel has raised eyebrows with fundraising efforts for a new center Republicans labeled his “Monument to Me.” After securing a $1.9 congressional earmark, Rangel is soliciting money from firms affected by his House Ways and Means Committee to build the Charles B. Rangel... More »

After Decline, Congress' Earmarking is Back

Legislators pledged to shrink such spending last year

(Newser) - Though Congress vowed last year to reduce earmarking—the process of directing funds to projects at home with little scrutiny—recently there’s been a jump in such spending, the Washington Post reports. A House defense bill’s earmarked funds rose 29% last month, and the Senate bill looks as... More »

Pork Watchdog Taps Byrd

W.Va. rules the roost in earmarks as $2.8B in tasty meat comes under scrutiny

(Newser) - Fiscal responsibility and vegetarianism took a hit today with the release of the 2008 Oinkers, awarded by a Washington watchdog group for the "most egregious and blatant examples of pork." Sen. Robert Byrd landed the top award for earmarking $386 million for West Virginia, but Alaska was the... More »

Senate Rejects Temporary Ban on Pork

Congress passes budget plans to roll back tax cuts

(Newser) - The Senate soundly rejected a bid to ban pork barrel spending for a year last night, despite the support of all three presidential candidates who returned to DC for a day of heavy voting, CNN reports. Both the House and Senate also passed budget plans—largely symbolic moves in an... More »

Candidates Run the Gamut on Earmarks

Clinton in top 10; Obama near bottom; McCain has none

(Newser) - This year’s presidential frontrunners represent a wide array of stances on congressional earmarking—a term for garnering funds for home-state pork, reports the Washington Post. Hillary Clinton is one of the Senate’s biggest earmark recipients, Barack Obama is in the bottom quarter, and John McCain is one of... More »

How Democrats Will Go After McCain

Strategists say he's vulnerable on the economy and Iraq

(Newser) - Democrats are sharpening their aim and targeting John McCain. The big issue, strategists tell Politico, will be McCain's admission that he's not strong on the economy. They also plan to portray him as a warmonger, delicately bring up his age, and point out the various domestic areas, from tax cuts... More »

Bush to Blast Dem Earmarks in Union Speech

Prez will promote stimulus plan, Iraq war in tonight's talk

(Newser) - President Bush will slam Democratic spending in favor of his own multi-billion-dollar proposals in his last State of the Union speech, scheduled for 6 p.m. EST tonight. He plans to promote his $150 billion stimulus package, and reiterate the need to fight in Iraq—recently valued at another $108... More »

Pricey Pet Projects Thrive in Congress

Despite criticism, lawmakers stuff budgets with earmarks

(Newser) - The earmark lives. Despite much public clamoring about lawmakers loading up budgets with expensive pet projects, not much changed this year: The domestic and defense budgets contain more than 11,000 such earmarks, the Washington Post reports. "It would take leadership in both parties—and a lot more shame—... More »

Bush Blames Pork for Spending Veto

$606B bill isn't kosher, prez says, ordering Congress to trim

(Newser) - President Bush vetoed a $606 billion domestic spending bill today, accusing Congress of “acting like a teenager with a new credit card.” His rejection of the measure, which included education, health, and job-training funds, will likely lead to a showdown, the Los Angeles Times reports. The House appropriations... More »

Senator Has Hots for Anti-Sex Ed

Arlen Specter racks up $8M for abstinence education in state

(Newser) - Arlen Specter has won over $8 million in earmarks for abstinence education in Pennsylvania, sparking jibes from critics and accusations of political pandering. The moderate Republican senator supports abortion rights and sex education, Politico reports, leading some to cry hypocrisy when he directs money to no-sex-until-marriage projects like Coolvirginity.com. More »

Romney Passed Trial By Torch

Candidate learned from running 2002 Games, but also drew flip-flop rap

(Newser) - Mitt Romney built his persona and political team as chief executive of the 2002 Winter Olympics, but also grew a reputation for playing to his audience. In turning around the scandal-plagued Salt Lake City Games, the GOP presidential hopeful gained poise unseen in his failed 1994 Senate run, the New ... More »

A Buck on Lobbying Rakes in $28

Critics say that spending 'earmarks' only 'about politics'

(Newser) - Mystery solved: companies rake in about $28 for every dollar spent lobbying Capitol Hill, BusinessWeek reports. According to the numbers, it's military contractors that get the most spending "earmarks" slipped into bills by lawmakers. But recent scandals over the system have prompted Bush and Pelosi to call for cuts... More »

Renegade Rep Pummels Pork

Arizona Republican is on a one-man crusade against pet spending

(Newser) - Congressman Jeff Flake is waging a one-man war against earmarks, slice the size of the federal budget and scare colleagues away from pet projects. When the Arizona Republican rises to speak, the Los Angeles Times reports, the whole House “grimaces”—bracing for an attack on the pork barrel.... More »

McCain Blames Earmarks for Bridge Disaster

Pet projects diverted funds from transportation safety, says candidate

(Newser) - John McCain blasted fellow legislators yesterday for contributing to the Minnesota bridge collapse by spending billions of taxpayer dollars on pet projects rather than transportation safety. "Maybe if we had done it right, maybe some of that money would have gone to inspect those bridges and other bridges around... More »

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