(Washington, D.C.) – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today announced the final results of its online poll for the 2006 Porker of the Year.  Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) received 48 percent of the vote, with co-nominees Sens. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Trent Lott (R-Miss.) receiving 25.5 percent and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) receiving 22.9.  The finalists were chosen by CAGW staff from among the 12 Porker of the Month winners for 2006.

Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) was named Porker of the Month in April 2006 for abusing his position on the House Appropriations Committee by securing millions of dollars in earmarks that may have benefited him personally.  The New York Times (4/08/06) detailed how Rep. Mollohan has directed $250 million to five nonprofit organizations that he set up.  In response to the accusations,

Rep. Mollohan surrendered his seat as ranking Democrat on the House Ethics Committee in April.

Rep. Mollohan remains committed to his porking ways.  Asked if he was going to change the way in which he directs federal tax dollars to the five nonprofit groups, Mollohan said he is “not going to change a bit . . . The real sentiment in Congress is to support the power of the purse. It’s the principal tool by which it achieves a balance of power’ with the executive and judicial branches.  How else would members with water, sewer or street-paving projects, or with specific projects like the renovation of a senior center, get funds if they aren’t able to earmark funds?” (The Times West Virginian, November 8.)  The answer, of course, is that such projects are properly the domain of the private sector, nonprofit groups, and state and local government.  Furthermore, CAGW has thoroughly debunked the “power of the purse” defense of earmarking as historically and constitutionally inaccurate. 

Rep. Mollohan also resisted efforts to make the budget process more transparent and accountable.  On December 8, he helped to defeat legislation (H.R. 6375) that would have required the Secretary of Defense to grade congressional earmarks with an annual report card.  Such a tool would help the public to determine whether pork projects are essential for national security or a wasteful diversion of defense dollars.  On September 14, Rep. Mollohan voted against an internal rule change (H. Res. 1000) that requires some earmarks and their sponsors to be identified in spending, tax, and authorization bills.  That resolution passed by a vote of 245-171.

Rep. Mollohan is Exhibit A in an appropriations process that is soaked with conflicts of interests and lends itself to abuse.  West Virginia ranked fourth in pork per capita in CAGW’s 2006 Congressional Pig Book, which identified 9,963 pork projects costing a record $29 billion in the 11 appropriations bills for fiscal 2006.  Rep. Mollohan received the Molehill into a Mountain “Oinker” Award for his $2.2 million in appropriations for the MountainMade Foundation, which promotes West Virginia arts and crafts on the Internet.

For directing earmarks to wasteful projects that have the effect of swelling his campaign coffers and possibly his personal wealth, for pledging to continue his pork addiction in the face of national scrutiny and an FBI investigation, and for opposing earmark reforms, Rep. Alan Mollohan is the 2006 Porker of the Year.  More information on the winner and finalists can be found in the Porker of the Month Hall of Shame at www.cagw.org. 

Citizens Against Government Waste is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.  Porker of the Month and Porker of the Year are dubious honors given to lawmakers, government officials, and political candidates who have shown a blatant disregard for the interests of taxpayers.