House Republicans called earmarks symbols of fiscal decay when they swore them off completely in March. Candidates from both parties are now pledging, if elected, to never get near one.
But as Republicans prepare for a possible takeover of the House next year, earmarks have emerged as a point of contention within the party. The House Republican agenda, released Thursday, made no mention of these special spending provisions—a silence critics seized on as a sign that House Republicans plan to begin using them again.
David Keating, executive director of the anti-tax, small-government lobbying group Club for Growth, called the omission a wasted opportunity.
Full Story: Earmarks Cause GOP Rift – WSJ.com