Record earmarks and related campaign contributions for Tiahrt

From
Wichita Peace and Freedom Party Examiner

For years I’ve kept track of US Representative Todd Tiahrt, Republican from Kansas, and his finances. The fact that he is conservative and supported by the religious right is not as important as the contention that he has used his office for his own personal gain.
It’s not really exaggerating to say that he seems to vote in favor of businesses that have contributed heavily to his re-election campaigns. He makes good money and has wonderful perks. For example, he spends taxpayer’s money to fund vacations for him and his family to Hawaii and Europe. He can justify taking the trips by attending business meetings by aircraft companies. But is he justified in taking his wife and kids at the taxpayer’s expense?
Then there is Koch industry. He gets more money from them than any other politician. In return he opposes any regulations on pollution that Koch might produce. Tiahrt has been given a zero by almost every serious environmental group.
Other bloggers have also noted Tiahrt’s contributions. According to Forward Kansas
Tiahrt raised roughly $19,750 from PMA’s PAC and employees from 2003 through 2008, according to figures compiled by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, and According to an analysis by Congressional Quarterly and Taxpayers for Common Sense, Tiahrt secured $5 million in earmarks to PMA clients in 2007, and with others helped secure $2 million.
However the latest news for Tiahrt comes from Steve Kraske, writing for the Kansas City Star. He reports that Tiahrt helped dole out nearly $24 million in earmarks this year to private companies, school districts and universities in Kansas.
He also writes “A new study has found that individuals and political committees tied to those special-interest groups made more than $46,000 in campaign donations to Tiahrt — the second-highest total among all members of Congress.”
"It's related to building the economy in Kansas," Tiahrt said of earmarks, which call for federal money to be spent on specific projects, usually in a lawmaker's home district. "I feel like the people of Kansas sent me to Washington to try to do something about their problems. One of them is the tough economy."
As the August 3 primary nears, Tiahrt’s earmarks are becoming a real liability in his Senate race against US Representative Jerry Moran. Moran is making this a major issue of his campaign.