REGION: Earmarks again an issue in 50th District

Bilbray slams Leibham for 'pork' projects in economic stabilization bill

By MARK WALKER - Staff Writer | Saturday, October 25, 2008 11:22 PM PDT ∞

Earmarks, those costly projects lawmakers quietly insert into legislation outside the normal process, are again an issue in the 50th Congressional District that encompasses most of North County.

It was earmarks-in-exchange-for-cash that put the district's former representative, Randy "Duke" Cunningham, and two contractors in prison in the nation's largest congressional bribery scandal.

The fallout led to calls for earmark reform and prompted many lawmakers to now post their earmark requests on their Web sites.

While there is no allegation of criminal conduct, the man who replaced Cunningham, Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Bilbray, is accusing Democratic opponent Nick Leibham of supporting "secret earmarks."

Bilbray, who secured $2.4 million in earmarks for two projects this year, sent out two mailers this week attacking Leibham for what he says is support of "pork projects" and "special deals."

One of the mailers featured a pig under the question "Got Pork?" and said Leibham "wants to serve pork to special interests on a silver platter."

The mailers' assertions are based on Leibham's stated support for the $700 billion economic bailout bill approved by Congress and signed by the president earlier this month.

The bill included hundred of millions of dollars in earmarks to help manufacturers of children's wooden arrows, rum producers, racetrack owners and television and film producers. The mailer highlights those appropriations as evidence of Leibham's support of earmarks.

Bilbray opposed the bill, saying he could not support it because of those earmarks and because the legislation failed to address the root causes of the nation's economic woes.

Leibham, who is making his first run for elective office and as such has never had a chance to vote on any legislation, said the mailers were grossly misleading.

"They're incredibly cynical and distorted, but that's politics when you're dealing with a lifetime politician like Brian Bilbray who is no stranger to distorting the facts," he said.

The 34-year-old Rancho Santa Fe resident said he opposes all earmarks, secret or otherwise. He pointed to a statement posted on his campaign Web site in March in which he vowed to never request any earmark spending.

He backed the economic bailout bill, he said, because of the crisis facing the country.

"The economy is like the Titanic and Brian Bilbray approached it like the pool boy ---- while the ship was going down he was rearranging the deck chairs," Leibham said.

Bilbray campaign spokeswoman Jennifer Jacobs defended Bilbray's own earmark requests and said Leibham's support of the bailout bill shows he supports earmarks.

In March, Bilbray released a list of nearly $38 million worth of earmark requests for district projects.

"Brian has always said he opposes secret earmark deals and he is one of the few who has made all his requests public," she said. "But he does not support earmarks for special interests such as wooden arrow manufacturers and rum producers."

The watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense in Washington said the earmarks in the bailout bill weren't really clandestine. Each had been part of other spending bills that got bottled up in Congress and were not items inserted into bills at the last minute.

"They were stupid, but they weren't secret," said the nonprofit group's chief investigator, Keith Ashdown.

The earmarks Bilbray has secured this year, $2.4 million for the Infectious and Inflammatory Disease Center at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in La Jolla and $1 million for the city of San Diego for brush clearance to help prevent wildfires, were important for the district, Jacobs said.

Leibham's support for the stabilization plan, she said, means he must take "responsibility for supporting whatever was in it."

The two mailers cost the Bilbray campaign $50,0000, she said.

Bilbray, 56, won a hard-fought special election against Democrat Francine Busby in June 2006 to finish out Cunningham's term following the now-imprisoned lawmaker's guilty pleas to tax evasion and bribery.

In the November 2006 general election, Bilbray again defeated Busby.

His campaign this year for a second full term was largely quiet until the last couple of weeks. It heated up when the Democratic Party announced it would provide financial, strategic and communication support and Leibham claimed a poll showed the race was a dead heat.

In its latest campaign finance disclosure forms filed with the Federal Election Commission, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee does not report providing any money to Leibham.

The candidate said that will change next week.

"You will see a significant amount of support over the next week," Leibham said.

After Leibham released his poll, Bilbray released one of his own that claimed he had a 13-point lead.

Contact staff writer Mark Walker at (760) 740-3529 or mlwalker@nctimes.com.

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Pre-Registration Comments[-]Go to Top

Greencinitan wrote on Oct 25, 2008 6:34 AM:Bilbray has consistently refused to debate Leibham face-to-face, so voters have not had a chance to hear them address the issues together. I think it's absurd to say that expressing support for the economic bailout bill (to which others added earmarks) means that you support "secret earmarks" and it's equally absurd to condone the earmarks you get and criticize others for trying to do the same. Vote for Leibham - he lives here and he talks straight and he's not afraid to explain himself and face the voters and the opposition. Enough of a carpetbagger representative who uses government funds for campaign materials and won't debate his opponent. Nick is smart, honest, and open. That's what I want from my Congressional representative!

Democrat Robert wrote on Oct 25, 2008 7:52 AM:While i dont often agree with Rep Bilbray's position on the issues that face our District, its clear that Mr. Leibham's use of Gen. Hoar was a clear distortion of Mr. Bilbray's historical unwavering support of our veterans over his many years of public service as a mayor, supervisor and congressman. Bilbray is the son of a 24 year retired Naval Chief Warrant officer, he knows the needs of our veterans and has and will repond to those needs. Thank you Rep Bilbray for voting NO on the financial bailout!!! While there might be a wave of democratic candidates this election cycle, its clear that Mr. Leibham is not qualified to consider a position at this level. In fact its shocking that our party has again failed to present a viable candidate who has never before held public office. This is no time for a rookie or on the job training for an open border liberal that will only follow the far left agenda of our party. The entire district knows Rep Bilbray has for years and will remain the "bit bull" of immigration enforcement!!! Leibhams race is based solely on deceptive attacks and is without one shread of substance.

Beppo wrote on Oct 25, 2008 8:01 AM:This is an even bigger issue in the race for the 52nd Congressional District, where Duncan Hunter Junior has been raking in plenty of campaign contributions from recipients of his father's earmarks--mainly defense contractors.

Party of Whiners wrote on Oct 25, 2008 8:50 AM:The GOP has become a party of whiners. Losers on the defense. If the 50th CD wants to be represented in the new US government, they should elect a democratic congressman who will have majority support. Or they could pick a loser like Bilbray that will stall, drag his feet and brag about the bacon he won't be bringing home.

Slime city wrote on Oct 25, 2008 8:53 AM:Look what the tide washed up. No - not sewage from TJ. It's another slippery slime campaign from surfer dude Brian Bilbray. Time to close the beaches.

John wrote on Oct 25, 2008 8:54 AM:Betcha Bilbray is missing Busby this time around.

To Democrat Robert wrote on Oct 25, 2008 10:20 AM:Wow. I was on the fence until I read your post. The fact that you are a Democrat makes your observations all the more credible.

Is that the reaction you expected when you posed as a Democrat?

Let's break it down:

"While i dont often agree with Rep Bilbray's position . . ."

That's good. Always start with a qualifier that will create a veneer of objectivity, but never give specifics.

"a clear distortion of Mr. Bilbray's historical unwavering support of our veterans over his many years of public service . . ."

Yup, sounds like the way a Democrat would talk. Continue.

"Bilbray is the son of a 24 year retired Naval Chief Warrant officer, he knows the needs of our veterans and has and will repond to those needs."

Are you sure you still don't agree with his policies? Because you wave the flag like a jingoist neo-con.

"its clear that Mr. Leibham is not qualified. . ."

"In fact its shocking that our party has again failed to present a viable candidate. . ."

"on the job training for an open border liberal"

"will only follow the far left agenda of our party."

"The entire district knows Rep Bilbray. . ." (as) ". . . the "bit bull" of immigration enforcement!!!"

"Leibhams race is based solely on deceptive attacks and is without one shread of substance."

Bravo. And the Oscar for best Republican impersonation of a Democrat shredding his own candidate goes to . . .

Republican Andrew wrote on Oct 25, 2008 10:42 AM:As a life-long assault-weapon-owning, NASCAR-watching, god-fearing, America-loving, rock-ribbed Republican, I don't have much in common with Nick Liebham.

However, he'll get me vote this time because my GOP has lost it's rudder. We've controlled Congress for ten of the last twelve years, and the White House for the last eight. We presided over an unprecedented period where real median family wages declined, even as the wealthiest saw significant wealth accumulation and lowered taxes. We turned national budget surpluses into record deficits. We set records for national debt. We created policies that enriched our wealthy benefactors for exporting jobs. We turned a well of global good will for America after the 9/11 tragedy into international disdain and scorn that has drained our economic, military, and political power in foreign policy. We have given political power to people who think science is evil. We have incited division, and questioned the patriotism of those who disagree with us. We set the regulatory policies that led to the greatest economic crisis in one hundred years.

But I swear, I'm a proud Republican. I just think Bilbray is an immoral, ignorant half-wit.

How'd I do, Robert?

Dave wrote on Oct 25, 2008 12:50 PM:I sent an e-mail to Feinstein complaining about earmarks.
I said bills should stand on their own and NOT have earmarks attached.
This would make it easy for voters to then see how their elected officials vote on an issue.

Her reply was in effect, all to often to get money for special projects that do not have universal support we have to attach that project to a bill which is unrelated.

What a load of BULL ….!
It insulates them from criticism.
We the people do not have time to dissect bills to learn if money is being spent elsewhere.
On top of that, what part of the bill was my representative supporting?
That cannot be answered with the way pork or earmarks are used.

What to do wrote on Oct 25, 2008 2:56 PM:After keeping a crook like the Duke in office for decades, it's hard to believe 50th Con-District voters will go for an honest democratic candidate. I think Cunningham would still be getting elected if the law had not put him away. So the real crooks are not just politicians. The real crooks are partisan voters who keep the crooks in office. They will probably keep Brian Bilbray in power for a very long time - just like they did with Duke.

DemoBob wrote on Oct 25, 2008 3:01 PM:Robert is not a Democrat. Maybe he registered as one - but he ain't one. He's part of the shrinking minority that support the conservative GOP mismanagement of America. Hope Bilbray can suck it up and work with President Obama.

Rantin Rob wrote on Oct 25, 2008 3:36 PM:I can't believe anyone would vote repub-lickin' this time around. They have shown themselves to be petty and mean. That would be OK with me if they knew how to govern. They don't. Need proof? 8 year of Bush period. If Bilbray gave a hoot about the economy, he would have been all over the bail out like a fly on... but instead he bucked it and they added 140 billion in pork befir\oe they passed it without him. What a loser. What a LOUSY risk taker. He's not fit to carry Nick Leibham's suit cases, let alone be a congressman. I'm on a rant and I do apologize - but has there ever been a better time to complain about the ineptitude in our local congressional representation AKA Brian Bilbray?

Whats in a name wrote on Oct 25, 2008 3:41 PM:Bilbray... Bill - sounds like a thing I get in my mailbox that makes me sad. Bray is an ass making noise. (you know I mean a donkey right?) Total turn-off for republicans. I think "Billyhoot" would have been a more effective brand for his target market.

christimarie wrote on Oct 25, 2008 4:47 PM:It is time for Bilbray to go. In an email to me he referred to China as a "valuable trading Partner". He has swallowed the Bush globalism cocktail that has sunk our economy. I voted for Bilbray in the last election. Not this time. I am voting for Leibham. And, at least he lives in the district.

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