CONG JEFF FLAKE COMMENDS SEN JOHN McCAIN FOR PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP ON EARMARK REFORM AND CHALLENGES J.D. HAYWORTH TO RECONSIDER EARMARK POSITION

PHOENIX, AZ – U.S. Senator John McCain’s re-election campaign today released the following statement by Arizona Congressman Jeff Flake (District 1) commending Senator McCain for his principled leadership on earmark reform and calling on ex-Congressman J.D. Hayworth to reconsider his position on earmarks:

“Thanks to the leadership of Senator McCain and other fiscal conservatives, today we are closer than ever to banning earmarks completely. “Senator McCain was pushing for earmark reform and shaming his colleagues over their earmarks long before this issue caught fire. He’s been the lodestar for those of us working to reform this process, and he deserves the lion’s share of the credit for the gains that we are finally making. “Republicans lost control of Congress in large part because voters no longer believed that we were the party of limited government and fiscal responsibility. Earmarks were emblematic of our abandonment of those principles.“

While Senator McCain has offered countless bills and amendments in the U.S. Senate to address this problem, Congressman
Hayworth’s position on earmarks was part of the problem. Republicans have spent the past several years trying to repair our fiscal reputation and regain voters’ trust. I hope that Congressman Hayworth will reconsider his position on earmarks and will support Senator McCain’s earmark reform efforts.”

– Congressman Jeff Flake (District 1)

FACT CHECK: HAYWORTH SUPPORTED AND DEFENDED THE EARMARK PROCESS

Congressman Hayworth Was An “Avid Earmarker” During His 12 Years In Washington:

Conservative Arizona Republic Columnist Robert Robb:

“Hayworth Was An Avid Earmarker.”

“And then there is the matter of earmarks. Flake has correctly called them the gateway drug for runaway spending. They drive true fiscal conservatives nuts, since they mostly fund local projects that are none of the rightful business of the federal government.
As a congressman, Hayworth was an avid earmarker.”

(Robert Robb, Op-Ed, “Hayworth Wasn't A Fiscal Conservative Champ,” The Arizona Republic, 2/21/10)

• Robb: “Hayworth Has Been Mostly A Go-Along Guy As Spending And Pork Exploded Under Republican Control Of Congress.”

“Hayworth has been mostly a go-along guy as spending and pork exploded under Republican control of Congress.”

(Robert Robb, Op-Ed, “Thomas And Meth, Goddard And Ids, Mitchell And Debt,” The Arizona Republic, 10/29/06)

Hayworth Was “Willing To Play The Pork Game If The Price [Was] Right” Even Though Earmarks “Are Part Of What Spins Federal Spending Out Of Control.”

“The three [Flake, Shadegg and Franks] were among only 56 to oppose the legislative branch appropriation and among only eight to vote against the water projects appropriation. … J.D. Hayworth and Rick Renzi are proving willing to play the pork game if the price is right. They issued a joint press release saying they supported the legislative appropriation because it contained more money to fight
wildfires, never mind that such non-germane riders are part of what spins federal spending out of control.”

(Robert Robb, Op-Ed, “An Ear To The Political Ground...,” Arizona Republic, 10/22/03)

Congressman Hayworth Defended The Earmark Process:

Responding To Criticism Of Earmarks In 2004, Hayworth Said, “Call It Earmarks, Call It Authorized Projects, Call It Pork Or Whatever…The Fact Is, These Projects Reflect The Priorities Of Local And State Officials.”

“Republican Arizona Rep. Jeff Flake is calling for passage of an amendment to require the amount of money each state receives in the member earmarks be subtracted from their share of non-discretionary, formula-driven funds. An appropriation earmark is funding obtained by lawmakers for favorite projects that skirt the normal congressional review process and often is called ‘pork-barrel spending.’

… But other members of Arizona's House delegation said they pursued money for because the state needs them. ‘Call it earmarks, call it authorized projects, call it pork or whatever,’ said Rep. J.D. Hayworth, a Republican.

‘The fact is, these projects reflect the priorities of local and state officials to help our transportation infrastructure keep pace with the extraordinary growth we are experiencing in the East Valley.’” (Billy House, “U.S. House To Debate Road Bill,” The Arizona Republic, 3/31/04)

Congressman Hayworth’s Fellow Arizona Republicans Have Criticized Him For Supporting Earmarks:

Arizona Congressman John Shadegg Said Hayworth Was “On The Other Side Of Those Fights” Over Earmarks And Spending, As Conservative Former Congressman Joe Scarborough Recalls Hayworth “Beating The Hell Out Of” Conservatives Who Were Just Trying To Balance The Budget.

SCARBOROUGH: “Was JD Hayworth a conservative?”

REP. SHADEGG: “Is JD Hayworth a conservative? He had a fairly conservative voting record when he was in the House, but he was an earmarker, Joe.”

SCARBOROUGH: “He was, do you remember when he screamed — I don’t know if you remember this or not, but we’re going to take you way back behind closed doors. John Shadegg and I along with about 7, 8, 9 Republicans used to give Newt Gingrich hell after Newt decided he liked earmarks and liked big spending. And liked teaming up with Dave Obey and attacking us, and I’m quoting Newt, as ‘jihadists.’ ... So Newt called us ‘jihadists’ and I remember our friend JD Hayworth standing up in those caucus meetings and just beating the hell out of us.”

REP. SHADEGG: “Yeah.”

SCARBOROUGH: “Saying how dare you do this to poor Newt, blah, blah, blah, blah. And all we were trying to do was balance the budget.”

REP. SHADEGG: “And or keep our word from what we said we’d do in the Contract with America. It was pretty shocking, we’re not supposed to do that. Yeah, that’s right, JD was on the other side of those fights from us ‘jihadists.’” (Joe Scarborough Radio Show, 2/25/10)

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