Colo. Dems so far resist calls for earmark reform

There are reasons to dismiss earmark-reform crusader and Arizona Republican Rep. Jeff Flake. For one, his name is Jeff Flake. He also has biggish blond hair and every couple of weeks he introduces another resolution calling for investigation into earmark corruption, each one killed the moment it hits the floor. He trotted out his last one on April Fool’s Day. It too died straight away. Speaker Pelosi has basically mocked him as an unserious reformer or showboater or both.

But Flake and his growing list of lawmaker-supporters won’t go away, partly because he’s right on this.

Perlmutter gives tainted money from defense contractor lobbyist to charity

Colorado Rep. Ed Perlmutter denied any wrongdoing Thursday in discussing earmarks the congressman secured for defense consultancy IHS, Inc., a client of disintegrating lobby firm PMA, which is under investigation by the FBI.

Lamborn: No link between campaign cash and appropriations

U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) has issued a statement insisting campaign contributions have nothing to do with appropriations requests, despite mounting evidence that the lobbying firm PMA secured lucrative government contracts for its clients by orchestrating a series of campaign donations to lawmakers, including Lamborn.