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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Contact: Press Office |
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Sen.
Stabenow in Favor of Justice Department Investigation on Controversial
Congressional Earmark
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| WASHINGTON
– U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) today made the following statement
regarding her support for legislation by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA),
Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee, calling for a Department of Justice
investigation into the 2005 highway bill earmark allocating $10 million
to build a Coconut Road interchange inserted after the bill passed Congress
but before it received presidential signature.
“We need to recognize the Coconut Road earmark, inserted into legislation without knowledge or approval of Congress, as the breach of our constitution that it is. Americans can have no faith in Congress to legislate if that fundamental function is high- jacked in the dark by those in power during Republican control of the body. “I am proud to support Sen. Boxer’s
amendment, which addresses this egregious breach of the people’s
trust by calling for a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice
(DOJ). Investigation by the DOJ, our Nation’s highest law enforcement
agency seated in our government’s executive branch, will ensure
we get definitive answers and justice. The severity of this act, which
calls Congress’ legislative function into question, warrants the
strongest and most effective investigation possible.” –U.S.
Senator Debbie Stabenow |