CAGW Clears the Air on Presidential Candidates, Earmarks

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, in response to the lengthy discussion of earmarks during last night’s Republican debate, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), America’s premier taxpayer watchdog and foremost earmark authority, published everything it knows about the remaining candidates’ past relationships with pork-barrel spending and congressional earmarking.

In the cases of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Senator Rick Santorum, there is no way of knowing with certainty the identification of all of the earmarks the two candidates did or did not support during their time in Congress. Prior to 2007, names and certification letters were not required for earmark requests. Earmarks were associated with members if they appeared in his or her state or district; in other cases the members publicized their earmarks through floor statements or press releases.

For example, Speaker Gingrich took direct responsibility for two earmarks, one for $112.4 million to buy two KC-130J transport planes from a factory in his district, and another for $3 million to establish the 21st Century National Security Study Group. Sen. Santorum bragged about several earmarks that he claims to have supported while in office. They include funds earmarked for the Gettysburg National Park, the Pittsburgh Zoo, the Quemahoning Reservoir, and the Pittsburg Coal-to-Liquid Fuel Plant. According to CAGW's pork database, they add up to a total of $169.3 million for 15 projects over the course of his congressional tenure. As a result, Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas) is the only candidate for whom CAGW has hard numbers on pork following the adoption of the transparency rules in 2007. Between fiscal year 2007 and 2010, Rep. Paul requested 58 earmarks worth $74.1 million. Despite claims that Governor Mitt Romney "requested" or was involved in obtaining earmarks during his tenure as governor or as the head of the U.S. Olympic Committee during the Salt Lake City Olympics, only members of Congress can request earmarks. Therefore, Gov. Romney has no record whatsoever on earmarks.

“What is clear is that Speaker Gingrich was responsible for the largest explosion of earmarks in the history of Congress,” said CAGW President Tom Schatz. “He sent a memo to the House Appropriations subcommittee chairman encouraging them to look favorably on projects requested by House freshmen. Earmarks totaled $8.7 billion in FY 1994, before Republicans took over the House, and rose to $14.5 billion by FY 1997, an increase of 67 percent under Speaker Gingrich."

“However, the bottom line is that none of the remaining candidates who have served in Congress has a sparkling record on earmarks. Gov. Romney has always been clear that he opposes earmarks; Sen. Santorum has only recently renounced them; Speaker Gingrich decided that earmarks were a bad idea only two years ago; and Rep. Paul remains unapologetic about earmarks. While earmarks are an increasingly diminished portion of the federal budget, thanks to pressure from groups like CAGW, they are once again frustratingly opaque. Earmarks have a corrupting influence over the budget process at all levels. They are often used as sweeteners to buy votes on larger spending bills and to benefit parochial interests. Earmarks should be permanently banned instead of being under a moratorium, which can always be revoked,” Schatz concluded.

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, mismanagement and abuse in government.