The “No Comment” CaucusShamed by Earmark Abuses, Democrats Duck the Press & the Public

Democrat Earmark Abuses	No Democrat Comment
“Every private entity that Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) favored with an earmark in this year’s defense bill recently has given political money to the lawmaker … PACs and employees of those 26 groups together have contributed $413,250 to Murtha since the beginning of 2005. He collected nearly a quarter of the sum — $100,750 — in the two weeks leading up to March 16, the original deadline for lawmakers to file their earmark requests.” (Roll Call, 9/19/07)	“A Murtha spokesman declined to comment, and a spokesman for Dicks did not respond to a request for comment.” (Roll Call, 9/19/07)
“The $2 million earmarked for the Samueli Institute for Information Biology, started by Broadcom Corp. Chairman Henry Samueli and his wife Susan, was inserted into the measure by Democratic Representative Peter Visclosky. The Samueli family has contributed thousands of campaign dollars to Visclosky, whose Indiana district is nowhere near either the Virginia Institute or Broadcom, the Irvine, California-based maker of chips for wireless phones and other devices.” (Bloomberg, 9/19/07)	“A spokesman for Visclosky, 58, didn't return repeated telephone and e-mail requests for comment. Neither did representatives of Samueli, 52, whose personal fortune is estimated by Forbes magazine at $2 billion.” (Bloomberg, 9/19/07)
“The lawmakers — Reps. John Murtha (Pa.), Jim Moran (Va.) and Peter Visclosky (Ind.) — used the Defense spending bill to earmark 36 projects to clients of the PMA Group … Meanwhile, PMA lobbyists and their clients have been stepping up their fundraising for the three lawmakers, contributing $542,350 in the first six months of this year.” (Roll Call, 9/17/07)	“Spokesmen for the three lawmakers did not respond to requests for comment. Eight PMA clients also did not return calls or declined to discuss their relationship with the firm.” (Roll Call, 9/17/07)
“… one member of Congress funneled $2 million in tax dollars into the project through a special ‘earmark’ and the whole thing is named after him … the soon-to-be refurbished building will house the new ‘Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service,’ the ‘Rangel Conference Center,’ ‘a well-furnished office for Charles Rangel’ and the ‘Charles Rangel Library’ for his papers and memorabilia. It's kind of like a presidential library, but without a president.” (CBS News, 9/14/07)	“Rangel wouldn't agree to an interview…” (CBS News, 9/14/07)
“Former Sen. Max Cleland (D-Ga.) has withdrawn from the board of directors of a charity with close ties to Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) in response to a Roll Call investigation of the group’s limited achievements and close ties to a broad network of people and companies Murtha has aided … Launched with his backing, the organization gathers government contracts that Murtha earmarks but works primarily with other companies Murtha has funded. And it can point to few successes that are unrelated to the Congressman. Since its inception, Murtha has kept PAID on life support … PAID has received about $1 million in government grants to help people with disabilities get jobs, mostly through earmarks provided by Murtha.” (Roll Call, 9/11/07)	“Through a spokesman, Murtha declined to comment for this story.” (Roll Call, 9/11/07)

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