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Republican National Committee: Obama/Biden Earmark Makeover

Will Obama and Biden Come Clean on the Billions in Earmarks They Requested for Friends and Political Allies?

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following was released today by the Republican National Committee:

Since Entering The Senate, Obama Has Requested Nearly $1 Billion In Earmarks:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080519/RNCLOGO )

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 $201.9Million 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 ofChicago. UCH is one of the largest Medicaid providers inIllinois, 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, http://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 President 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, http://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 inChicago, the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Illinois Primary Health Care Association and the Illinois Institute of Technology. These and four other groups hired the firmHolland & 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] Helph and and [Paul] Smith met in 2001 when both were working at the Center for Neighborhood Technology and bonded on a long, chilly trip toMinnesota 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 voters' 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 registeredWashington lobbyist in a year in which Obama has been excoriating lobbyists and the culture of corruption inWashington. 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, aWashington, D.C., firm which lobbies on behalf of clients in Sen. Biden's nativeDelaware. 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 theDelaware 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 theDelaware 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)

A Product Of The RNC Research Department

Paid for by the Republican National Committee.

Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

SOURCE Republican National Committee