Shocked - Shocked to Find Earmarking in This Congress!

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February 14, 2008 10:38 AM

Here's something sure to raise an eyebrow: A spokesman for Rep. John Murtha, D-Penn., swears in the New York Times this morning that there is no connection at all between his boss' choice of companies to whom he directs billions in federal dollars, and companies who give money to his boss' re-election campaign.

"Absolutely not. None at all," said Matt Mazonkey.

A study last year found that every private organization which received an earmark for federal money from Murtha in 2007 was also a contributor to his campaign war chest.  Every single one.

Not every company who gave money to Murtha got an earmark. But if a company didn't give, the company didn't get, the study showed.  Or, as Keith Ashdown of Taxpayers for Common Sense put it this morning, "You can't win if you don't play."  (Ashdown's group conducted the study, along with Roll Call newspaper.)

In a career that spans three decades, Murtha has directed over $2 billion to recipients in his district, many of whom are large defense contractors headquartered elsewhere who opened offices in Murtha's rural Pennsylvania region.  Many of the projects Murtha funded, according to the Wall Street Journal, were never requested by any federal agency.