Few Dems back Flake’s challenge

Just two Democrats, Reps. Chris Carney (Pa.) and Jim Cooper (Tenn.), supported a Tuesday challenge to Rep. John Murtha’s (D-Pa.) so-called $1 million “mystery” earmark.

The paltry Democratic support for that challenge is consistent with the Democratic record on efforts to strike earmarks from bills this year. In fact, several Democrats who regularly voted last year for amendments to strip earmarks out of bills are now voting against similar challenges.

{mosads}Prior to last year’s election, two Democrats, Cooper and Rep. Melissa  Bean (Ill.), voted for all 19 of Flake’s anti-earmark amendments. This year, Cooper has supported all 15 of the amendments; while Bean has supported just one of the amendments, the effort to prevent money from being spent on the Home of the Perfect Christmas Tree, a project in Rep. Patrick McHenry’s (R-N.C.) district.

Rep. Jim Matheson (D-Utah) last year supported 14 of 19 of Flake’s  challenges. This year, Matheson has supported only the challenge to McHenry’s earmark.

Democratic Reps. Earl Blumenauer (Ore.), Barney Frank (Mass.) and  Gene Taylor (Miss.) each supported five earmark challenges last year. This year, the same Democrats have supported only the effort against  McHenry’s request.
Calls to Bean’s and Matheson’s offices were not returned.

Cooper’s spokesman, John Spragens, acknowledged that voting against colleagues’ spending projects is difficult no matter what party is in power.

“I don’t think anybody wants to be the skunk at the party,” he said.