Are Those Cameras Off?

Et tu, Wall Street Journal?

Using letters it obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, the Wall Street Journal chronicles how GOP critics of the stimulus bill wrote letters supporting stimulus projects in their districts:

Rep. Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican who called the stimulus a “wasteful spending spree” that “misses the mark on all counts,” wrote to Labor Secretary Hilda Solis in October in support of a grant application from a group in his district which, he said, “intends to place 1,000 workers in green jobs.” A spokeswoman for Mr. Ryan said the congressman felt it was his job to provide “the basic constituent service of lending his assistance for federal grant requests.”

Republican Reps. Sue Myrick of North Carolina and Jean Schmidt of Ohio sent letters in October asking for consideration of funding requests from local organizations training workers for energy-efficiency projects.

In November, Ms. Schmidt said in a statement, “It is time to recall the stimulus funds that have not been spent before the Chinese start charging us interest.” Aides to the congresswomen said they had always supported local organizations in their requests for federal funding.

Spokesmen “didn’t respond to a request for comment” crops up a couple of times in the WSJ story. Rachael Maddow was on MSNBC Tuesday night waving these letters letters from various Republicans supporting requests from groups in their districts for stimulus money they voted against. Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC) wrote in support of a National Urban League request:

Funding this application will make it possible for “green jobs training” to benefit 250 participants in greater Charlotte, NC and lead to solar energy related jobs in an area hard hit by unemployment. We have an urgent need for a workforce that is truly prepared to contribute to the “Green” economy.

The entire Alabama delegation signed a letter supporting a $15 million funding request by the Alabama Forestry Commission. Senator Richard Shelby, who called the stimulus bill “the socialist way” during the debate, said “way” once stimulus funds became available.