Sen. sent requests, then voted no on stimulus

WASHINGTON -- Utah Republican Sen. Bob Bennett voted against the $787 billion economic stimulus package in February, declaring the day it passed that "the only thing this bill will stimulate is the national debt."

Two days earlier, however, Bennett had written to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Agriculture Department seeking stimulus money for Utah, according to copies of the letters released under the Freedom of Information Act. Using 16 identical cover letters, Bennett passed along stimulus funding requests from 14 Utah cities and counties totaling $182.5 million.

"I recognize the extensive demands being placed on these funds and, therefore, greatly appreciate any funding considerations you give to the projects of Utah," the letters said.

Bennett said in an interview that his suggestions for spending stimulus money didn't conflict with his opposition to the bill. "As long as it passed and they're handing out money, they might as well hand it out where it will do some good," he said.

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., who also voted against the stimulus bill, said he has turned down constituents' requests to seek funding.

"We are not supposed to try to influence where money goes or tell agencies how to do their jobs," DeMint said.

USA TODAY's review of congressional correspondence with 10 federal departments or agencies found 13 Republicans who voted against the bill and sought funding for their states or districts.

Steve Ellis of Taxpayers for Common Sense, a non-partisan government spending watchdog group, called it "a classic political maneuver."

"You're wagging your finger with one hand," he said, "while you've got the other hand out."

As Bennett's letterhead notes, he is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee — which handles federal spending bills. Bennett is a member of the subcommittee overseeing the EPA's budget and was the top Republican on the agriculture subcommittee from 2003 until last year.

Appropriations committee members can have strong influence over federal agencies, Ellis says. "The agency may feel like it's a directive handed to them from on high if it's from a powerful lawmaker who has an ability to affect their budget," he says.