Democratic Leadership Plays Hide-the-Pork
Democratic Leadership Plays Hide-the-Pork
Washington – Today, the Senate Democratic leadership took hypocrisy to a new level, refusing to allow earmark reform rules to come to a vote on the Senate floor. For the second time in a three-week span, Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) proposed that earmark disclosure rules, already passed unanimously by the Senate but stalled in conference, be adopted under S. Res. 123. Democratic Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) stonewalled, arguing that S. Res. 123 will “dilute” the lobbying reform bill under which the earmark reforms were passed originally.
“If it’s not one excuse with the Democratic leadership, it’s another,” Club for Growth President Pat Toomey said. When Senator DeMint proposed S. Res. 123 three weeks ago, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) objected on behalf of the Democrats, arguing that they didn’t have the necessary time to study the matter—a baffling excuse considering that the Senate passed the same rules 98-0 in January.
S. Res. 123 will shine a light on the kind of backroom deals that Congress is famous for by requiring that earmarks contained in appropriations bills be made available to the public before the Senate votes on them. This information must include the sponsor of the earmark; the name and address of the intended recipient; the purpose of the earmark; and a certification stating that the sponsor and his spouse have no financial interest in the earmark.
“The Democratic leadership passed earmark reform unanimously when the issue was hot, but now that the appropriation process is under way and its special-interest cronies are knocking at its doors, it is all too eager to sweep the issue under the rug,” Mr. Toomey continued. “Democratic leaders want to tell taxpayers they voted for earmark reform out of one side of their mouths, but brag about their pork-filled goody bags out of the other side. American taxpayers will see through this hypocritical charade.”
Posted at Press Release at 1:24 PM | TrackBack
