Earmark hypocrisy / LJWorld.com

To the editor:

I thought I would have to go to Oklahoma to find such blatant legislative hypocrisy, but it is right here in the 2nd Congressional District’s representative, Lynn Jenkins. Scott Rothschild’s article pointed to her criticism of both her primary opponent, Jim Ryun, and her general election opponent, Nancy Boyda, for their earmarks. Jenkins went further by signing the Citizens Against Government Waste earmark reform pledge.

Now she has submitted 23 projects totaling $70 million for House Appropriations Committee consideration. Plus, she now leaves the explaining to her spokesperson, Mary Geiger. Lynn Jenkins loves to use the phrase “hard earned money,” of course in relation to the tax cuts that are the Republican mantra. Someone needs to point out to Ms. Jenkins that tax dollars will be needed to fund her $70 million in proposed projects. Oh, I forgot, she is a CPA and should know that.

Her hypocrisy will rise to new levels if she votes against the spending bill that includes her earmarks, similar to what all of the House Republicans did on a recent bill, leaving only the Democrat majority to pass a bill funding the earmarks of the Republicans. Maybe we need a new legislative rule: If you vote against a spending bill that includes your spending proposals, your proposals are stripped from the bill. We in the 2nd District will have nothing to thank Jenkins for come the next election — not leadership, not keeping her word, and not forthrightness. I wish Nancy was back.