A New Wrinkle Among Earmarks
September 10th, 2009 by Steven GardnerIn the ongoing question about earmarks that go to companies that make campaign contributions, The Center for Public Integrity offers a new detail.
“In these circles, former staffers became lobbyists for defense contractors; the contractors received earmarks from the representatives; and the representatives received campaign contributions from the lobbyists or the contractors.”
Of the 16 members of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, 12 (seven Republicans, five Democrats) show the pattern described above. One is U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair.
Dicks is way down the list in terms of money received in earmarks and campaign contributions following this pattern. U.S. Rep. Jack Murtha, D-Penn., directed more than $48 million in earmarks and received almost a half-million dollars in contributions.
Also, accoring to opensecrets.org, his single $2 million outlay that has the former staffer-earmark-contribution connection was one of 80 earmarks Dicks sponsored or co-sponsored in 2008, totaling $106 million. Of the 80 earmarks, 23 of them were in the Defense bill, so it’s possible there are more elsewhere.
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