What's Ted's connection?

Earmarks

Citizens Against Government Waste has chronicled Ted Stevens’ egregious earmarks over the years. For 2008 alone, the list is astounding. [Pig Book, Citizens Against Government Waste, 2008]

In the Agriculture Appropriations Bill, Stevens supported:

• $968,175 for Berry Research

• $818,232 for Alternative Salmon Products

In the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill, Stevens supported:

• $3,478,000 for the harbor seal and stellar sea lion protection program for management measures to protect harbor seals and stellar sea lions in partnership with the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Alaska Sea Life Center

• $188,000 for monitoring and restoration of salmon stocks to allow the monitoring and restoration of depressed salmon stocks under the management of one organization, the Bering Sea Fishermen’s Association.

In the Defense Appropriations Bill, Stevens supported:

• $3,200,000 for the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP). While the official stated goal of HAARP is to “further advance our knowledge of the physical and electrical properties of the Earth’s ionosphere which can affect our military and civilian communication and navigation systems,” conspiracy theories abound from it being a weapon of mass destruction to it being able to manipulate weather conditions around the globe. The truth is that the project has received $111.3 million in pork since 1995.

In the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, Stevens supported:

• $5,904,000 for research at the Institute for Molecular Medicine at UCLA