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Friday, January 20, 2006
Reform-minded reformers reforming through reform
Yesterday we had a short transcription of an NPR interview with David Drier (R-CA). At one point, Drier says this:
It's important to note that we've had a $3 billion reduction under the leadership of Congressman Jerry Lewis of the earmarking process just within the last year
A little background on reforms, earmarking, and Jerry Lewis:
One day after a New York investment group raised $110,000 for Republican Rep. Jerry Lewis, the House passed a defense spending bill that preserved $160 million for a Navy project critical to the firm. The man who protected the Navy money? Lewis.
The fundraiser, which took place July 7, 2003, and the subsequent vote illustrate the kind of relationship between congressman and contributor that's under increased scrutiny in the nation's capital.
This time line is even more telling. Cerberus owned a $140 million stake in MCI/WorldCom, which is why they were lobbying Lewis to preserve the project.
- Oct. 6, 2000: The Navy awards the first of an estimated $8.8 billion in contracts on the Navy-Marine Corps Intranet project, designed to link the service's computers on a secure network.
- Oct. 2, 2002: The Washington Post publishes an article quoting Rep. Jerry Lewis as criticizing the project and the involvement of MCI/WorldCom, a prime subcontractor.
- July 7, 2003: Lewis travels to New York for a fundraiser with executives from Cerberus and their spouses, business associates and lawyers, who donate more than $110,000 to Lewis' Future Leaders Political Action Committee.
- July 8, 2003: House of Representatives approves the 2004 Pentagon spending bill.
Lewis was against the MCI/WorldCom spending. He took $110,000 from a group in favor of the MCI/WorldCom spending. Suddenly, Lewis was fighting tooth and nail to preserve the spending. Clearly, an ethical Titan.
