Marathon Pundit: Rep. Issa wants answers on Obama stimulus "campaign signs"

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Rep. Issa wants answers on Obama stimulus "campaign signs"

Since last spring, America's road construction zones have been littered with "paid for by the stimulus" signs, which are really just Barack Obama advertisements promoting his 2012 election. They are expensive. But until this evening, I had no idea just how expensive.

As for the placing of these signs, Obama's campaign team proves no location is off limits. I took this photograph inside Yosemite National Park.

Then there is the $10,000 sign ABC News tells us about.

That's how much money the Washington Airports Authority tells ABC News they spent to put make and install the sign – a single sign – announcing that the project is "Funded by The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act" and is "Putting America Back to Work." The money for the sign was taken out of the budget for the runway improvement project.

ABC News has reached out to a number of states about spending on stimulus signs and so far has learned the state of Illinois has spent $650,000 on about 950 signs so far. Pennsylvania has spent $157,000 on 70 signs. There are other states, like Virginia, that do not sanction any signs

All told, about $20 million has been spent on signs touting stimulus projects and now some Republicans are crying foul. Congressman Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Earl Devaney, Chairman of the Recovery Act and Transparency and Accountability Board, requesting an investigation to "determine the scope and impact of the Obama administration's guidance" regarding signs to stimulus recipients.

Rep. Issa writes that the passage of the bill, "has provided an opportunity for the Obama administration to claim political credit for the various projects around the country that have been funded by this redistribution of taxpayer dollars."