Washington, D.C. — Citizens Against Government Waste today named California Gov. Gray Davis (D) its January 2003 Porker of the Month.

The five finalists were chosen by CAGW staff from among the 11 Porker of the Month winners throughout 2002, and voted on by 733 participants.  Several people wrote in other responses, such as “the entire Congress,” but those were too few to factor into the final tally.

Senator Byrd, a.k.a. the King of Pork, was selected as the July Porker of the Month for taking to the Senate floor and chastising Office of Management and Budget Director Mitch Daniels and President Bush for their efforts attempting to reign in spending establishing spending limits. 

Senator Mikulski, Porker of the Month for September, inched out Dyer by a mere two votes for the silver medal.  Mikulski was selected for blatantly asking the late Senator Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.) to get a better fix on projects that would resonate with his Minnesota constituents and to “get back” to her.  Through the VA/HUD bill, Mikulski directed a total of $38.8 million to the states of vulnerable Senate Democrats in Georgia, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota, as well as Minnesota this past election year. 

Dyer, Porker of the Month for March, finished third for being one of Washington's most ferocious and effective defenders of congressional pork.  In Dyer's view it is every appropriators' right to earmark funds in appropriations bills to get maximum payola for hometown special interests.  More information on all the finalists, along with the remaining 6 Porker of the Month winners for 2002, can be found at 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, mismanagement and abuse in government.