Ban Earmarks
Posted by Team Fimian - Thu, March 11, 2010 at 04:44 PM
Keith called for a complete ban on earmarks today saying, “Gerry Connolly’s trading of earmarks to lobbyist-donors is proof that the process has become a corrupt waste of tax dollars”.
Fimian pointed to the earmark and projects request on liberal Congressman Gerry Connolly’s official website. Specifically:
Read more after the jump
Project Name: Integrated Condition Assessment & Reliability Engineering (ICARE).
Proposed Recipient: EMSolutions (Arlington, VA) and Ultra Electronics (Manassas, VA), 9400 Innovation Drive, Manassas, VA 20110
Amount Requested: $3,000,000
Account: 35 0603513N Shipboard System Component Development
Disturbing Links:
According to Open Secrets.com and official lobbying registration forms of Congress, these two companies have hired, among others, Thomas Veltri to be their lobbyist. Thomas Veltri contributed $500 to Gerry Connolly for Congress on 3/24/2009. Normally the FY 2010 project requests are made in March or April, potentially around the time of the contribution.
Thomas Veltri is a former employee of the disgraced and now closed lobby-shop PMA Group that has been accused of pay-to-play earmarks for contributions.
PMA PAC donated $1000 to Connolly’s 2008 Congressional campaign.
Keith Fimian said, “You look at Connolly’s contributions and earmarks and it raises clear ethical questions. I call on all parties involved to release their records of emails and offer a full explanation. Connolly gave Charlie Rangel’s tainted cash to charity. I call on Connolly to give up this tainted donation as well.”
Fimian pointed out that as bad as Connolly’s abuse is, it indicates a serious problem with the entire system and called for a complete ban on earmarks. “Our government is running up unprecedented—and dangerous—deficits and debt. We must stop this wasteful, reckless spending before it’s too late. Career politicians are only looking out for themselves,” Fimian said. “These earmarks and project requests simply hold the gas pedal down on out-of-control spending. It must stop and it must stop now.”
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Dirty politics ends now!! go Keith!
These kinds of stories infuriate me. Washington is bloated and inefficient, and all the money and corruption runs around in circles. Keith, if we send you up there, I hope you keep your sanity!
No earmarks! And remember, we are a republic NOT a democracy which is tyranny by the majority which can be one vote. Our Constitution provides us a government that governs by LAW, not by transient feeling which blows with the wind. Please everyone read the Tenth Amendment! It is brief and to the point and does not allow the Feds to do anything that it has been doing to trash our economy, lives, culture and country.