So much for fiscal frugalness from our Democratic Congresswoman, eh?

Broken words and broken promises...

For Immediate Release:                                                                  Contact: Press Office
February 7, 2008                                                                            (202) 479-7070



Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) made it clear today that she has no intention of supporting real and comprehensive earmark reform and fiscal responsibility in Washington. Instead she voted to allow Members of Congress to continue frivolously doling out taxpayer-funded earmarks to boondoggle pet projects in order to score political points.

Carol Shea-Porter voted today in lock-step with her 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). Shea-Porter 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).

Shea-Porter broke her promise to bring reform to Washington:

“I will fight this fiscal irresponsibility and work towards a budget that is financially sound and morally fair to all.”  (2006 Campaign Website)

“Today, Carol Shea-Porter put her partisan politics over the interests of her constituents in New Hampshire when she voted to block a real opportunity to bring honest reform to the broken earmarking process,” said NRCC Communications Director Jessica Boulanger.  “Shea-Porter's blatant disregard for the taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars will haunt her through the Election Day, when voters will hold her accountable for her 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)

Carol Shea-Porter 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.