Over the years, Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) has garnered a reputation as “the House’s No. 1 earmark-hater” due to his willingness “to kill projects” favored by his colleagues. Though he’s gained increased support for his anti-earmark mission since the 2006 elections, Flake says it will probably take “another” earmark-centered “indictment or two” before his fellow lawmakers seriously tackle earmark reform.
Flake believes that day is right around the corner, telling the Politico that he thinks more indictments “are coming“:
One common take on the problem comes from Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). The 44-year-old conservative sees many of his colleagues publicly applauding his attempts to kill pork-barrel spending while privately working to keep alive the budget “earmark” system that has already been the wellspring of several recent corruption cases. “It will probably take another indictment or two” to force change, Flake said in a Wednesday interview. “I think those [indictments] are coming.”
Though he did not name names to the Politico, a number of Flake’s colleagues are currently under scrutiny for their handling of earmarks:
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA): Currently the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee, Lewis is under investigation for earmarks he’s dished out to clients of a lobbying firm that employs his longtime friend, former Congressman Bill Lowery.
Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA): Miller, who is currently under investigation due to shady land deals, has also used earmarks to steer millions of dollars to his business partner, Lewis Operating.
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA): Though not currently under federal investigation, Calvert has made huge personal profits off of his own earmarks and a grand jury recently found that a land deal of his violated the law.
Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-WV): In the past 10 years, Mollohan has directed $250 million in earmarks to five non-profits he created, after which employees and associates of those organizations subsequently donated $397,122 to Mollohan’s political coffers. The FBI has subpoenaed financial records from the organizations.
Flake could also be referring to the “fresh wave of campaign-related theft and corruption investigations” reported yesterday by Roll Call. According to the Capitol Hill paper, “indictments may be on the horizon.”
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