thinkprogress.org: ‘Another Indictment Or Two’ For Earmark Abuse Is ‘Coming’

Rep. Flake (R-AZ): ‘Another Indictment Or Two’ For Earmark Abuse Is ‘Coming’
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/11/flake-more-indictments/

Over the years, Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) has garnered a reputation as “the House’s No. 1 earmark-hater” due to his willingness “to kill projects” favored by his colleagues. ... Flake says ... he thinks more indictments “are coming“:

One common take on the problem comes from Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). The 44-year-old conservative sees many of his colleagues publicly applauding his attempts to kill pork-barrel spending while privately working to keep alive the budget “earmark” system that has already been the wellspring of several recent corruption cases. “It will probably take another indictment or two” to force change, Flake said in a Wednesday interview. “I think those are coming.”

Though he did not name names to the Politico, a number of Flake’s colleagues are currently under scrutiny ...

Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA): Currently the ranking member on the Appropriations Committee ...
Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA): Miller, who is currently under investigation due to shady land deals ..
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA): ... Calvert has made huge personal profits off of his own earmarks and a grand jury recently found that a land deal of his violated the law......

in advocating for his constituent's best welfare, without pledging allegiance to the PAC's. Kudo's to him.

How is it any different than regular pork.

"Earmark": sounds like the name of some kind of bacterial infection.

Earmarks - OMB site

What is an Earmark?

Earmarks are funds provided by the Congress for projects or programs where the congressional direction (in bill or report language) circumvents the merit-based or competitive allocation process, or specifies the location or recipient, or otherwise curtails the ability of the Executive Branch to properly manage funds. Congress includes earmarks in appropriation bills - the annual spending bills that Congress enacts to allocate discretionary spending - and also in authorization bills.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/ "Earmarking" is the term used to refer to a provision in legislation that directs funds to be spent on specific projects. Typically, legislators seek to insert earmarks which direct a specified amount of money to a particular organization or project in his/her home state or district. This differs from the appropriation of money to a particular government agency, for in these cases the appropriate executive department can exercise discretion as to where and how the funds are spent. The use of earmarks in the U.S. Congress has expanded significantly over the past thirty years, and is presently the focus of much controversy.