Despite widespread grassroots support for earmark reformer Jeff Flake (R-AZ), the Republican Steering Committee yesterday selected Jo Bonner (R-AL) to fill the vacancy on the House Appropriations Committee. As part of a broad campaign against excessive and wasteful spending in Congress, in January FreedomWorks launched the grassroots “Make It Flake” campaign to pressure GOP lawmakers to give anti-earmark crusader Jeff Flake the committee seat. While Flake was not ultimately selected, it is clear that grassroots pressure has moved the earmarking issue to the top of the House Republican agenda.
Representative Bonner has a long history of securing earmarks for his district, and voting in favor of egregious pork projects on the House floor, but in public statements following his appointment Bonner said, “The current earmark process has become a symbol of a broken Washington. I sought this seat on the Appropriations Committee because I believe the time for change and reform – Towards that end, I have strongly supported the efforts of House Republican leadership to reform the current earmark process and eliminate wasteful spending.”
FreedomWorks applauds Bonner’s statement and is calling on him to back up his message by personally pledging to swear off all earmarks for fiscal year 2009.
Republicans need to show conservative activists they are serious about ending the earmark process and to that end FreedomWorks is engaging a multi-pronged campaign to focus pressure on both sitting lawmakers and those seeking to ascend to Congress and the White House to go on the record and pledge to end this scandalous practice. Specifically, FreedomWorks will organize online, phone, and face-to-face activities, and is considering print, radio, and television ads targeting specific legislators and candidates.
FreedomWorks Chairman Dick Armey added:
“Earmarking is a localized political process, and conservatives expect leaders with a national vision. Earmarking works fine for liberals who follow an ‘all politics is local, what can you give me’ philosophy. Earmarking does not work with the conservative value of shrinking government and with constituents not looking for government handouts. FreedomWorks’ campaign will shine the light on conservatives and liberals alike and we’ll see who’s really serious about stopping this shameful process and who’s simply posturing.”