Press Releases

After Securing $1.6 Million to Build Blimps for Former Staffer, Pete Sessions Named �Taxpayer Hero�

On Tuesday, Representative Pete Sessions was named a"taxpayer hero" by The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW),despite coming under fire in recent months for securing a $1.6 million earmarkfor an out-of-state company to develop high-tech blimps. Sessions secured theearmark for one of his former aides, a registered lobbyist with a criminalrecord who has made more than $446,000 lobbying on the company's behalf and haswho has contributed thousands of dollars to Sessions.

"After securing a sketchy $1.6 million earmark for a formerstaffer/campaign contributor/registered lobbyist, Representative Pete Sessionscould be called a lot of things, but certainly not a ‘taxpayer hero,'" said Ryan Rudominer, spokesman for the DemocraticCongressional Campaign Committee. "Representative Sessions' constituentsdeserve to know what's heroic about him spending $1.6 million of taxpayermoney for a former staffer lobbying for blimp-building to anout-of-state company with no experience in government contracting oractually building blimps."

Background

· Dallas Representative Pete Sessions secured $1.6 million infederal money last year for a registered lobbyist who has donated thousands ofdollars to the Republican's political action committee. [The Dallas Morning News, 7/31/09]

· Sessions secured the $1.6million earmark to develop a high-tech blimp for an Illinoiscompany whose president acknowledges having no experience in government contracting,let alone in building blimps. Thecompany employed a former Sessions aide with a criminal record who has mademore than $446,000 lobbying on its behalf. [Politico,7/30/09]

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) names nine Texas representatives, including Representative Pete Sessions "Taxpayer Heroes" [CCAGW Press Release, 10/13/09]

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