Rep. John Murtha is, for the moment, the biggest pig at the Defense Department trough. According to a new database, pulled together by Taxpayers for Common Sense, Murtha has gobbled up more money in pet projects than any other Congress-critter in the 2008 military spending bill.
Murtha's $150 million includes $15 million for the "Military Molecular Medicine Initiative," $6 million for the "Center of Excellence for Remote & Medically Under-Served Areas," and $2.5 million for Navy lasers.
Despite Murtha's hogging, Congressional appropriators appear to be "keeping with the House commitment to reduce earmarks by 50 percent,” Keith Ashdown of TCS tells The Hill.
Which, if you think about it, makes Murtha's moves even worse.
(High five: TPMM)
