Earmarks Challenges Fail

Congressman Jeff Flake (R-AZ), one of the Lonely Crusaders Against the Earmark, took to the House floor this week and demanded that the sponsors of four specific earmarks (including two inserted by Appropriations Committee chairman Jerry Lewis) stand up and defend them, and offered amendments that the earmarks be stricken from the transportation-housing appropriations bill. Those amendments failed, garnering just 63, 73, 58, and 61 votes apiece.

The fight goes on.