(Washington, D.C.) Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today named Representative Jim Gibbons (R-Nev.) as its December 2003 Porker of the Month for throwing a life-preserver to a hometown project by earmarking $225,000 in the fiscal 2004 Consolidated Appropriations Act for a local swimming pool.  The spending bill, known as the Omnibus, combines seven of the 13 spending bills, totaling $820 billion.  It passed the House filled with thousands of earmarks, but none that floated to the surface as quickly as Rep. Gibbons’ request.

Rep. Gibbons requested the money to help repair a 61-year-old public swimming pool a block from where he grew up in Sparks, Nevada.  In the 1950s, he and some of his friends clogged the drain with tadpoles which caused the pool to temporarily shut down.  Rep. Gibbons finally admitted responsibility for the incident, known as the “Polliwog Caper,” last year.  If only every American had the opportunity to spend federal tax dollars to appease their guilt and atone for the sins of their childhood.

Diving head first into the deep end, Rep. Gibbons defended his pork by telling the Associated Press, “I cannot think of a better way to spend $225,000 than to give the children of Sparks a swimming pool.”  Apparently, Rep. Gibbons has forgotten about the record budget deficit and the war on terror.

Rep. Gibbons further justified his actions by claiming that if he did not request money for the pool, federal money would just go to a pool in a different part of the country.  It is precisely this attitude that has lead Congress to run up a projected $480 billion deficit in fiscal 2004.  Rep. Gibbons needs to take off his water wings and jump from the high board.  Showing leadership on this issue could go a long way in renewing fiscal discipline on Capitol Hill.

Instead, Rep. Gibbons has shown a complete disdain for the budget process and the American system of checks and balances.  In reference to the practice of inserting earmarks, the Congressman stated, “Who cares about the process?”  The simple answer to his question: the American taxpayers.  Since 1991, there has been $160 billion in earmarks.  Americans deserve better than having their hard-earned money spent on special-interest projects.

The children of Sparks, Nevada better enjoy their summers swimming, because they and children across the country will soon find an empty federal Treasury.  For drowning taxpayers’ hard-earned money, Rep. Jim Gibbons is December’s Porker of the Month.

Citizens Against Government Waste is the nation’s largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.