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McCaskill Attacking Akin Over Earmarks
By Dan Friedman
September 24, 2012 | 2:57 p.m.
Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., has been accused of pulling her punches against Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., in their Missouri Senate race. But with every indication Akin will stay on the ballot after Tuesday's deadline for him to petition drop out, McCaskill is swinging away now.
National Journal reported Friday that Akin, long a defender of the power of Congress to earmark appropriations, has for the first time agreed to support an earmark ban. At the same time, a so-called Super PAC formed by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., Senate Conservatives Fund, which only backs candidates who oppose earmarks, is considering helping the badly out-funded Akin raise money.
The McCaskill campaign on Monday released an online video arguing Akin sold out his principles for the prospect of campaign cash. They also tapped opposition research, citing a May 11, 2012 event in which Akin, asked how to get lawmakers' attention, suggested contributions.
"I'm in a three-way primary for the US Senate," Akin said. "I've gone to people and asked for their support, their help, or their endorsement and some people say yes. They write me a decent check. I remember that. The people that I thought were friends that tell me to go away because they are supporting someone else, I remember that. You know, I can remember back to 12 years ago. You remember who's helping you. That's one way that people get to know congressmen and senators."
Akin also said volunteering to help on candidate's campaigns "gets their attention."
McCaskill's campaign also cited a May Washington Examiner report that Akin received about $80,000 in contributions from people associated with firms he helped secure more than $30 million in earmarks.
"Between Todd Akin's inappropriate comments and the fact he secured $31 million in pork-barrel spending for his campaign donors, a pretty clear picture begins to emerge," McCaskill spokeswoman Caitlin Legacki said. "During his 12 years in Congress, Todd Akin repeatedly funneled taxpayer dollars to his campaign donors, which is exactly the kind of Washington behavior that led Claire to fight for an earmark ban. In Todd Akin's Missouri, the wealthy and well-connected can pay to play, but Missouri's working families are simply on their own."
By Dan Friedman
September 24, 2012 | 2:57 p.m.
Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., has been accused of pulling her punches against Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., in their Missouri Senate race. But with every indication Akin will stay on the ballot after Tuesday's deadline for him to petition drop out, McCaskill is swinging away now.
National Journal reported Friday that Akin, long a defender of the power of Congress to earmark appropriations, has for the first time agreed to support an earmark ban. At the same time, a so-called Super PAC formed by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., Senate Conservatives Fund, which only backs candidates who oppose earmarks, is considering helping the badly out-funded Akin raise money.
The McCaskill campaign on Monday released an online video arguing Akin sold out his principles for the prospect of campaign cash. They also tapped opposition research, citing a May 11, 2012 event in which Akin, asked how to get lawmakers' attention, suggested contributions.
"I'm in a three-way primary for the US Senate," Akin said. "I've gone to people and asked for their support, their help, or their endorsement and some people say yes. They write me a decent check. I remember that. The people that I thought were friends that tell me to go away because they are supporting someone else, I remember that. You know, I can remember back to 12 years ago. You remember who's helping you. That's one way that people get to know congressmen and senators."
Akin also said volunteering to help on candidate's campaigns "gets their attention."
McCaskill's campaign also cited a May Washington Examiner report that Akin received about $80,000 in contributions from people associated with firms he helped secure more than $30 million in earmarks.
"Between Todd Akin's inappropriate comments and the fact he secured $31 million in pork-barrel spending for his campaign donors, a pretty clear picture begins to emerge," McCaskill spokeswoman Caitlin Legacki said. "During his 12 years in Congress, Todd Akin repeatedly funneled taxpayer dollars to his campaign donors, which is exactly the kind of Washington behavior that led Claire to fight for an earmark ban. In Todd Akin's Missouri, the wealthy and well-connected can pay to play, but Missouri's working families are simply on their own."
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