Coburn (R-OK) Pushes for Investigation of Young's (R-AK) Secret Earmark Edit!

[babylonsister]

rethugs eating their own-I love it!

Coburn Pushes for Investigation of Young's Secret Earmark Edit
By Paul Kiel - December 18, 2007, 2:23PM


We may finally get some answers about how Rep. Don Young (R-AK) managed to change the text of a bill after it was passed by Congress in order to benefit a major campaign contributor.

In a letter to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) today, Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) called for the creation of a select committee comprised of both representatives and senators to investigate the miraculous change to the 2005 transportation bill.

To review the circumstances of Young's extra-Constitutional wizardry: Young, then the chairman of the House transportation committee, inserted a $10 million earmark to widen I-75 in Florida's Collier and Lee Counties in the 2005 bill. The project was supported by local officials. That was the version passed by Congress. But because of Young's unique position, he was able to make a crucial change: the bill later signed by the President had different language, directing the $10 million to an I-75 interchange at Coconut Road. That project had been opposed by local officials, but aggressively backed by real estate mogul Daniel Aronoff, who'd thrown a $40,000 fundraiser for Young that year.

This August, we plowed into the 800-page 2005 bill to see whether there had been any other substantial changes. We found that out of approximately 6,370 earmarks, Young's had been the only to undergo such a change. It's unclear how Young managed that feat, and he's refused to answer reporter's questions about it.

Back in September, the non-partisan watchdog Taxpayers for Common Sense filed a complaint with the House ethics committtee about the change. But as expected, the infamously inert committee has done nothing.

Currently pending on the floor of the Senate is a bill that offers a number of corrections to the 2005 bill; among them is a measure that would undo Young's change, freeing up the $10 million for the original interchange project which local officials wanted. It's unclear who authored that provision.

But today, Sen. Coburn (R-OK) said that he'd object to the passage of any bill that corrects the Cocount Road language without a "full and open investigation":

Because secret, improper, and unauthorized changes to congressionally passed legislation call into question the integrity of our entire Constitutional and legislative process, I believe a full and open investigation into this matter is necessary to restore the integrity of both the U.S. Congress and the Constitution.

You can read the full letter below:

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004937.php

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Hahahahahahahahaha!!!

Whatever comes of these investigations, I think Dear Don is toast anyway. According to recent polling up here, two out of the three declared Dem candidates in Alaska could beat him by a substantial margin if the election were held today. This guy is just worthless.

[babylonsister]

2. I'm glad you saw this, Blue! I think it's terribly ironic; instead of sweeping

Young's complicity under the rug, he's being attacked by his own. :thumbsup:

[iamthebandfanman]

3. subject error , you mean coburn (OK) not (KY)

[babylonsister]

4. I guess I do. Thanks, will edit. nt