By Guy Leonard, County Times
HOLLYWOOD, Md. (March 5, 2009)—House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Mechanicsville) appeared to chide the Obama administration Tuesday by saying that the White House doesn’t have the power to tell Congress to curb member-sponsored earmarks.
According to a report in The Washington Times newspaper Hoyer was quoted as saying: “I don’t think the White House has the ability to tell us what to do. I hope you all got that down.”
Hoyer’s reported statement came a day after the White House announced that President Obama would create new rules regarding earmarks, or spending on specific projects sponsored by congressional leaders.
A local GOP state representative, Del. Anthony O’Donnell (R-Dist. 29C) said that that kind of contention over spending in general was positive, considering the bailouts and economic stimulus bills that have rolled out of Washington recently.
“Some push back within the Democrat party could be helpful,” O’Donnell, Maryland House Minority Leader said Wednesday. “With 9,000 earmarks in that budget a whole bunch need to be looked at.”
Calls to press representatives for Hoyer were not answered as of press time Wednesday.