• Debt
  • Press Release

Support Rep. Jeff Flake’s Privileged Resolution on Earmark Reform

  • By: FW Staff
  • 05/12/2009

May 12, 2009

Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker

Honorable John Boehner
Minority Leader

Members of the 111th Congress
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Representative,

Writing on behalf of over 500,000 FreedomWorks members nationwide, I urge your support of Representative Jeff Flake’s (R-6th AZ) privileged resolution instructing the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct or a subcommittee to investigate the relationship between the source and timing of past campaign contributions to Members of the House and the earmark requests made by Members of the House in regards to the lobbying firm PMA Group, currently under investigation by the FBI.

President Barack Obama promised at the beginning of his term to usher in a new era of transparency in governance.  Nowhere is this accountability more urgently needed than in the earmark process.

It is long acknowledged that the earmark process is in desperate need of reform.  With little oversight, projects and their funds are judged less on their own merits than on favoritism and patronage.  Also, there have been many recent examples of earmarks going to those individuals or organizations that also donated funds to congressional campaigns.  These instances break down the public trust and give credence to “pay to play” perceptions.

At a time when our nation is facing record deficits, skyrocketing spending, and economic turmoil at every level, it is essential that the use of taxpayer funds is examined under the microscope of transparency.  Each dollar the government spends is a dollar a taxpayer earned.  And it was bequeathed to the government with an expectation that it would be used well – not on favors to gain more personal power.  Such waste and lack of oversight shows a profound lack of regard toward the taxpayers of this country.

Once again, I urge you to support Rep. Flake’s privileged resolution and bring about this much needed reform to the earmark process.

Sincerely,

Matt Kibbe
President and CEO
FreedomWorks

To view the pdf click here.

Related Content

WATCH NOW