Thursday, November 25, 2010
Sen. Jon Kyl
Much maligned by Republicans since the election, earmarks are defined under U.S. Senate rules as a spending item inserted “primarily at the request of a senator” that goes “to an entity, or (is) targeted to a specific state.” This definition fits the actions of Senator Jon Kyl (R-Arizona), one of the most vocal GOP critics of earmarks, who slipped in a $200 million gift for his state after insisting this very same practice of lawmakers needs to end.
Kyl, the No. 2 Senate Republican, got his $200 million item into a bill that settles discrimination claims by black farmers and American Indians against the federal government. Kyl’s office insisted the spending item was not an earmark.
The $200 million was ticketed to settle the water-rights claims of the White Mountain Apache Tribe and fund a drinking water project.
On November 9, Kyl issued this statement: “I voted for the earmark moratorium when it was offered on the Senate floor on March 16, but it won only 29 votes at the time. I nevertheless refrained from requesting earmarks, and I do not intend to request any in the coming year. I support the moratorium.”
Ten days later, Kyl bragged about obtaining the $200 million. Yet three days after that, Kyl was back railing against earmarks again. “With thousands of projects hidden into lengthy spending bills,” he said, “the Senate can’t vote to eliminate them all. Some wasteful projects will undoubtedly slip through the cracks. That’s why it’s important to stop the practice altogether.”
-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky
PROMISES, PROMISES: GOP Leader Reaps $200 million (by Andrew Taylor, Associated Press)
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