WSJ: It's not Just Republicans who Exploit Earmarks

Posted by D. Cupples |  First, we learned about "Earmark King" Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who may be under a corruption investigation. (CBS and BN-Politics-1)  For 9 years straight, Citizens Against Government Waste gave Stevens its dubious "Oinker Awards."

Then we learned that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) pushed for millions in earmarks for a contractor facing a bribery investigation -- a contractor that gave $50,000+ to McConnell's campaigns and pledged $500,000 to the "McConnell Center" at Louisville University. (BN-Politics-2). 

Today's Wall Street Journal reported that House Appropriations Committee chair Rep. John Murtha's (D-PA) sought more earmarks for his home town than any congressman this year -- and steered contracts to a company with bad history.

We get it: corruption isn't the exclusive domain of Republicans. Nobody who's paid attention thinks they were.  Politicians like campaign money -- which is why our campaign-finance system must be reformed to reduce the influence of private money on public policy.

The awarding of contracts to questionable contractors is very old news (see links at end).  It should stop.  If you give house keys to a burglar and disclose your vacation schedule, you'll come home to an empty house.... 

As taxpayers, we should refuse to be distracted by debates over which party is more corrupt.  Let's assume it's a tie.

And let's move on to the important task of pushing our politicians to reform our campaign-finance system and improve procedures for awarding government contracts.

Memeorandum has other bloggers' reactions.

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* Time for Pentagon to Get Serious About Contractor Fraud

* Gov. Contractors: Driving up War's Costs

* Light Shines on Pork, Picture isn't Pretty

* House Republicans Blind to Earmark Hypocrisy

* McConnell Gets Earmarks for Contractor Under Bribery Investigation