Even as House Minority Whip Eric Cantor tries to fire up Tea Partiers by saying he'll try to end earmarks (a promise that was missing from the GOP's Pledge to America), John Boehner is already busy screwing them over by handing out pork by doling out Appropriations Committee assignments to vulnerable Republican candidates:
Rep. Charles Djou of Hawaii was promised a seat on the Appropriations Committee and Vicky Hartzler, running against Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), was promised a spot on the panel that oversees the military.
The pledges from Boehner (R-Ohio) indicate a push from Republicans in Washington to boost candidates in tough races.
Djou, who won the Honolulu-based seat in a special election in May, released a statement indicating that Boehner pledged his “full support” for a seat on the powerful spending committee.
“Charles would fight to curb government spending while working to ensure the Pacific Fleet, defense installations, and military personnel in Hawaii have the resources they need to help keep America secure,” Boehner said, according to the Djou release. “I look forward to working with him, the Republican leadership, and the Members of the Steering Committee to place him on the House Appropriations Committee at the earliest possible opportunity.”
Not that Tea Partiers will pay any attention, but they ought to take note: The fact that Boehner and his crew are already trying to bribe voters by doling out committee assignments that they don't even yet have proves beyond a shadow of doubt that if the GOP does manage to regain control in November, nothing is going to change from the last time they were in charge. Given that GOP leadership couldn't even keep their no-pork pledge through Election Day, you'd have to be crazy to think they'd keep it once they take office.