Obama-Biden gave friends & their political Allies $1 Billion in Earmarks
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Obama/Biden Earmark Makeover
Obama And Biden and The Billions In Earmarks They Requested For
Friends And Political Allies.
Since Entering The Senate, Obama Has Requested Nearly $1 Billion In
Earmarks:
Obama Requested 330 Projects Totaling Almost $1 Billion ($935.7
Million) Since Being Sworn In As A Senator In January 2005:
Obama Requested 112 Projects Totaling $399.8 Million For FY 2008.
(Sen. Barack Obama, "Obama Announces FY08 Federal Funding Requests,"
Press Release, obama.senate.gov, 6/21/07)
Obama Requested 139 Projects Totaling $334 Million For FY 2007. (Obama
For America Website, www.barackobama.com, Accessed 9/8/08)
Obama Requested 79 Projects Totaling $201.9 Million For FY 2006.
(Obama For America Website, www.barackobama.com, Accessed 9/8/08)
Obama Requested A $1 Million Earmark For The University Of Chicago
Medical Center Where His Wife Had Just Been Appointed Vice President:
"In 2006, Obama Requested That The University Of Chicago Receive $1
Million To Support Its Construction Of The New Hospital Pavilion."
"For more than 75 years, the University of Chicago Hospitals (UCH) has
provided state of the art medical care on the South Side of Chicago.
UCH is one of the largest Medicaid providers in Illinois, and it
provided more than $90 million in uncompensated care for Medicare and
Medicaid patients this past year.
To continue providing the best care for patients from all walks of
life, UCH is proceeding with the construction of a new 600,000 square
foot facility that will ensure their ability to provide the best care
for patients well into the future. Funding will go towards assisting
the construction and equipping a new hospital pavilion that will
increase the Hospitals' clinical capacity by over one-third." (Obama
For America Website, answercenter.barackobama.com, Accessed 7/23/08)
Michelle Obama Was Appointed Vice President At The University Of
Chicago Hospitals In 2005. "Michelle Obama has been appointed vice
president for community and external affairs at the University of
Chicago Hospitals. Obama, who was previously the executive director
for community affairs at the Hospitals, will be responsible for all
programs and initiatives that involve the relationship between the
Hospitals and the community. She will also take over management of the
Hospitals' business diversity program." (University Of Chicago Medical
Center, "Michelle Obama Appointed Vice Pr esident For Community And
External Affairs At The University Of Chicago Hospitals," Press
Release, 5/9/05)
In 2006 And 2007, Obama Requested A Total Of $4 Million In Earmarks
For The Illinois Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA) Whose
Lobbying Firm Contributed Nearly $38,000 To Obama:
In 2006, Obama Requested $2 Million And Secured $550,000 For The
Illinois Primary Health Care Association's Electronic Health Records
Project. "The Illinois Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA) is
undertaking an effort to assure the clear, concise retention and
communication of patient-specific information among providers and
payors in a manner that protects privacy. The goal of this effort is
to promote quality, reduce costs, prevent medical errors and
facilitate the detection of emerging disease. Funding will go towards
equipment costs, software, training and implementing the
transition." (Obama For America Website, answercenter.barackobama.com,
Accessed 7/22/08)
In 2007, Obama Requested $2 Million For The Illinois Primary Health
Care Association For The Electronic Health Record Project. "This
undertaking is an effort to assure the clear, concise retention and
communication of patient-specific information among providers and
payers in a manner that protects privacy. Electronic Health Records
promote quality, reduce costs, and prevent medical errors." (Sen.
Barack Obama, "Obama Announces FY08 Federal Funding Requests," Press
Release, 6/21/07)
IPHCA Hired Holland & Knight To Lobby For Its Earmark Request; Lawyers
At Holland & Knight Have Contributed At Least $37,900 To Obama's
Senate And Presidential Campaigns. "Obama's campaign aides said there
is nothing in his long list of earmarks that he needs to apologize
for, noting that the recipients included Children's Memorial Hospital
in Chicago, the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Illinois Primary Health
Care Association and the Illinois Institute of Technology.
These and four other groups hired the firm Holland & Knight to lobby
for the earmark requests. Though Obama does not accept contributions
from registered federal lobbyists, he took 30 contributions totaling
$25,90 0 for his presidential bid from lawyers at the firm who are not
lobbyists. Those lawyers also gave about $12,000 to his Senate
campaign in the past two years." (John Solomon and Matthew Mosk,
"Earmarks Put Candidates On The Spot," The Washington Post, 10/12/07)
Over A Two-Year Period In The U.S. Senate, Obama Requested $3.2
Million In Earmarks For The Center For Neighborhood Technology, An
Organization Led By Political Supporters And Friends:
In 2006, Obama Requested $2.2 Million For The Center For Neighborhood
Technology's Information For Communities Project. (Obama For America
Website, answercenter.barackobama.com, Accessed 6/3/08)
In 2005, Obama Requested $1 Million And Secured $400,000 For The
Center For Neighborhood Technology's I-Go Car Sharing Program. (Obama
For America Website, answercenter.barackobama.com, Accessed 6/3/08)
NOTE: In 2005, When The Center For Neighborhood Technology Saw A
Deficit Of About $830,000, It Spent At Least $1.4 Million Of Its $1.7
Million In Revenues On Compensation For High-Level Employees. (Center
For Neighborhood Technology, IRS Form 990, 2005)
"Obama ... Sought Money For The Center For Neighborhood Technology,
Where His Neighbor Jacky Grimshaw Is A Honcho." (Lynn Sweet, "Obama
Lists Pet Projects, At Last," Chicago Sun-Times, 3/14/08)
In 2005, Jacky Grimshaw Was Compensated $78,400. (Center For
Neighborhood Technology, IRS Form 990, 2005)
Other Former Employees From The Center For Neighborhood Technology
Have "Done Multiple Tours Of Duty In The Political Trenches-For
Obama." "[Ben] Helphand and [Paul] Smith met in 2001 when both were
working at the Center for Neighborhood Technology and bonded on a
long, chilly trip to Minnesota to campaign for Walter Mondale when he
stepped in to run for the Senate after the death of Paul Wellstone in
2002. They've since done multiple tours of duty in the political
trenches-for Obama, 35th Ward alderman Rev Colon, and, most recently,
newly elected water commissioner Debra Shore-experiences that pushed
them to dream up ways of cutting through the thicket of election-
season propaganda to capture v oters' attention." (Martha Bayne and
Megan Roberts, "Raise A Flap For Democracy," Chicago Reader, 10/6/06)
Executives And Board Members Of The Center For Neighborhood Technology
Have Contributed $20,688 To Obama's Campaigns. (Center For
Neighborhood Technology Website, www.cnt.org, Accessed 6/10/08; CQ
Money Line Website, moneyline.cq.com, Accessed 6/10/08)
The Son Of Joe Biden, Obama's Running Mate, Is A Washington Lobbyist
Whose Firm Lobbies The Senator's Office And Has Secured Millions In
Earmarks:
Hunter Biden Is A Partner Of Oldaker, Biden & Belair, A Washington Law
Firm With Extensive Lobbying Practices. "One of Biden's sons, Hunter,
is a registered Washington lobbyist in a year in which Obama has been
excoriating lobbyists and the culture of corruption in Washington. The
younger Biden is a name partner at the firm Oldaker, Biden & Belair
and seems to have specialized in lobbying for just the kind of earmark
spending by Congress that Obama has vowed to slash. Republican
insiders say the party is likely to make an issue of Biden's family
lobbying ties." (Eamon Javers and Jonathan Martin, "Statesman Known
For Slips Of His Tongue," The Politico, 8/23/08)
Since 2003, Hunter Biden's Clients Have Paid His Firm A Total Of $3.8
Million. "Since 2003, Hunter Biden has been registered to lobby for an
array of small universities, hospitals, and drug research companies
seeking earmarks and other appropriations. Those clients have paid his
firm a total of $3.8 million, jumping from $20,000 in 2003 to $1.6
million in 2007, according to lobbying disclosure records." (Emma
Schwartz, "My Son, The Lobbyist," ABC News, 8/24/08)
William Oldaker, A Partner In Hunter Biden's Firm, Spoke With Biden's
Office About University Of Delaware, A Client That Has Paid The Firm
At Least $1.5 Million Since 2002. "And while Oldaker has said he does
not lobby Biden personally, he has spoken with Biden's staff about
some clients. One example was the University of Delaware, which
Oldaker approached in 2002, shortly after founding the firm with
Hunter Biden and Robert Belair. Since then, the university has paid
Oldaker's firm $1.5 million. The payoff: as of 2006, $24.8 million in
earmarks for defense research, a student-exchange program, and a drug-
and-alcohol-studies program." (Emma Schwartz, "My Son, The Lobbyist,"
ABC News, 8/24/08 )
The University Of Delaware Has Secured Almost $25 Million In Federal
Earmarks. "The scrutiny of Sen. Joe Biden, Sen. Barack Obama's choice
for the vice-presidential slot on the Democratic ticket, continues
with a report today concerning Sen. Biden's son, R. Hunter Biden.
Hunter Biden is a partner in the lobbying firm of Oldaker, Biden &
Belair, a Washington, D.C., firm which lobbies on behalf of clients in
Sen. Biden's native Delaware. One such client, the University of
Delaware, has received almost $25 million in federal earmark dollars
for defense research and other activities. The University has paid
Hunter Biden's firm fees totaling $1.5 million for its work on behalf
of the school." (Mark Impomeni, "Biden's Son A Partner In D.C.
Lobbying Firm," AOL News' "Political Machine" Blog, news.aol.com,
8/24/08)
University Earmarks Increased Significantly After Oldacker And The
National Group Began Lobbying On Their Behalf. "Though the
university's main source of federal funding is still annual grants of
about $100 million, the university has secured another $68 million
from the Delaware delegation in the five years since The National
Group's lobbyists began working for UD. In the three years before The
National Group began lobbying for UD, the university averaged about
$7.4 million a year in earmarks obtained through the Delaware
delegation, according to Sen. Biden's office." (Nicole Gaudiano, "UD
Gets Earmarks With Help Of Lobbyists Connected To Biden," The
[Wilmington, DE] News Journal, 6/8/08)
NOTE: Robert Belair, Another Named Partner At Oldaker, Biden & Belair,
Has "On Occasion Spoken With Biden's Staff" Regarding Clients With
Judiciary Committee Issues. "Belair, the firm's other named partner,
said he has never personally lobbied Sen. Biden, but has on occasion
spoken with Biden's staff for a client with issues before the Senate
Judiciary Committee, whose membership includes Biden. Belair said he
does not think there is any conflict of interest because he has worked
for this client, SEARCH Group, a law enforcement research
organization, for decades long before he ever met or began working
with Hunter Biden." (Emma Schwartz, "My Son, The Lobbyist," ABC News,
8/24/08)