Proposed Legislation Would Cut Ties Between Earmarks and Contributions

By Bennett Roth,
CQ Staff

With their party’s reputation on ethics under attack, a pair of Democrats is seeking to sever ties between earmarks and campaign contributions — a link that was underscored in the latest controversy regarding the now-shuttered lobbying firm PMA.

Reps. Paul W. Hodes of New Hampshire and Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona introduced legislation Wednesday that would ban lawmakers from taking contributions from companies, executives or lobbyists, for whom they have secured earmarks. PMA successfully sought defense earmarks from prominent Democratic lawmakers, to whom its associates had also given campaign contributions.

“It is wrong that legislators request earmarks for companies or organizations and then turn around and take contributions from them,” Hodes said. “It isn’t against the law now, but it should be. We need to hold Congress to a higher standard.”

The legislation would prohibit contributions from the president, chief executive officer, chief operating officer, or chief financial officer of a company seeking earmarks.

(More here.)