OH-18: Zack Space Objects to Earmark Moratorium

This just in...

Washington- Zack Space (OH-18) made it clear today that he has no intention of supporting real and comprehensive earmark reform and fiscal responsibility in Washington. Instead he voted to allow Members of Congress to continue frivolously doling out taxpayer-funded earmarks to boondoggle pet projects in order to score political points.

Zack Space voted today in lock-step with his Democrat leaders to block a bill that would create a Joint Select Committee on Earmark Reform to review and report on how to fix Washington’s mess of an earmark process (H.Con.Res.263). Space also rejected a Republican proposal to impose an immediate earmark moratorium on the consideration of all earmarks until members of both parties come together to fix the earmarking process once and for all (House Roll Call 32).

Space broke his promise to bring reform to Washington:

“One of the reasons Zack Space ran for office was to 'clean up Washington.' He believed - and told the voters of Ohio's 18th Congressional district - that the special interests in Washington had become too influential in the legislative process, drowning out the voices and needs of the American people.” (2006 Campaign Website)

“Today, Zack Space put his partisan politics over the interests of his constituents in Ohio when he voted to block a real opportunity to bring honest reform to the broken earmarking process,” said NRCC Communications Director Jessica Boulanger. “Space's blatant disregard for the taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars will haunt his through the Election Day, when voters will hold his accountable for his reckless actions.”

A newspaper in Speaker Pelosi’s home state of California, called the Democrats to finally make good on their campaign promise to bring real earmark reform to Congress:

“…earmark abuses have contributed to record-low approval ratings for all of Congress… House Speaker Nancy Pelosi should work with Republicans on curbing earmarks…. But Americans need to be able to trust Congress to prudently spend their tax money. Curbing earmarks is crucial to restoring that trust.” (Riverside Press-Enterprise, 02/05/2008)

Just before Congress adjourned in December, the Democrats were successful in air-dropping 54 secret earmarks, totaling nearly half a billion dollars in additional spending, into three appropriations bills. These earmarks were never subject to the scrutiny of a public hearing, and were forced to be voted on the same day they were introduced:

“When Democrats won the House majority in 2006, they promised reform… And Democrats are using loopholes to flout the spirit of new rules… It is a lack of public scrutiny and debate that allows stealth spending projects to divert money from real budget priorities to low-priority earmarks. The public will have to demand that Congress reverse this return to business as usual.” (Victorville Daily Press 02/05/2008)

Zack Space and the Democrats have sent a message to Americans that they will continue to break their campaign promises of earmark reform and fiscal responsibility in favor of doling out taxpayer dollars to support their colleagues’ pet projects.

I wonder if we'll hear anything on this development from candidates seeking to replace Rep. Space...