Hmm, something seems odd about the House Tea Party Caucus — the group founded to promote cuts in government spending. As National Journal reports, a new study finds that the caucus’ 52 members requested a total of more than $1 billion in this past Congress.
According to a Hotline review of records compiled by Citizens Against Government Waste, the 52 members of the caucus, which pledges to cut spending and reduce the size of government, requested a total of 764 earmarks valued at $1,049,783,150 during Fiscal Year 2010, the last year for which records are available.
“It’s disturbing to see the Tea Party Caucus requested that much in earmarks. This is their time to put up or shut up, to be blunt,” said David Williams, vice president for policy at Citizens Against Government Waste. “There’s going to be a huge backlash if they continue to request earmarks.”
It’s interesting to note that the caucus founder, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), is herself exonerated by the study, having requested no earmarks in the last Congress. But other luminaries of the right wing don’t get off so easy.
For example, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) requested $6.65 million; Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) requested just under $7.1 million; Rep. Phil Gingrey requested $16.1 million; and Rep. Joe “You lie!” Wilson (R-SC) requested $23.3 million.
The single biggest offender, though, was Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT) — he requested $100.5 million.
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
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