Congressional conservatives have waged a high-profile war on earmarks this year, only to be undermined by conservatives who enjoy their pet projects. Today, Citizens Against Government Waste released their 2008 Pig Book, a database of earmarks used in the 110th Congress. The top earmarkers? Republicans:
In the House, Republicans have attacked Democratic Rep. John Murtha for delivering a pile of special-interest funds to his western Pennsylvania district.
But according to the report, two House Republicans bested Murtha: Roger Wicker of Mississippi, who recently became a U.S. senator, and Rep. Bill Young of Florida. The two scored $176.3 million and $169.5 million in earmarks respectively, beating Murtha’s $159.1 million.
In the Senate, the top three big spenders were Republicans, who together scored about $1.8 billion in home-state projects. Those senators are: Thad Cochran, the senior Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Richard Shelby of Alabama, and Ted Stevens of Alaska
In addition, the three House Republicans sponsoring legislation calling for a moratorium all engaged in the practice.
Update
AmericaBlog observes:
Total cost of all pork in 2008: $17.2 Billion; Cost of War in Iraq in 2008: $144 Billion
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