Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.Va.) is the 2006 Porker of the Year after placing first in an online poll sponsored by Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW).

Rep. Mollohan is Exhibit A in a budget process that is soaked with conflicts of interests and lends itself to abuse. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, he has helped to secure $480 million worth of pork projects for his district since 1995. West Virginia ranked fourth in pork per capita in CAGW’s 2006 Congressional Pig Book. More than half of his earmarks have gone to five nonprofits organizations that he set up, most of which depend almost entirely on government funding. To run the organizations, Rep. Mollohan recruited friends and former aides who then contributed to his political campaigns and family foundation. Businesses that are awarded contracts through these nonprofits also make campaign contributions. The New York Times (4/8/06) described the network of nonprofits as “plush,� with lavish facilities and high salaries.

The FBI is investigating whether a spike in Rep. Mollohan’s personal fortune had any connection to earmarks that he secured. Rep. Mollohan surrendered his seat as ranking Democrat on the House Ethics Committee in April 2006.

Asked if he was going to change the way in which he directs federal money to the nonprofits, Mollohan said he is “not going to change a bit� (the Times West Virginian, 11/8/06). He also helped to defeat legislation (H.R. 6375) that would have required the Secretary of Defense to grade congressional earmarks with an annual report card. Despite his personal resistance to reform, Rep. Mollohan was one link in a chain of scandals that helped build momentum for recent reforms and a moratorium on earmarks for fiscal year 2007.

The poll finalists were chosen by CAGW staff from among the 12 Porker of the Month winners for 2006. Both awards are dubious honors given to lawmakers, government officials, and political candidates who have shown a blatant disregard for the interests of taxpayers.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 26th, 2007 at 12:14 pm and is filed under Politics, Lawmaker News .