Bachmann claims credit for earmark she voted against

Rep. Michele Bachmann has pledged to no longer seek federal earmarks for projects in the Sixth Congressional District. The first-term Republican is part of a small group of legislators (which also includes Second District Rep. John Kline) seeking to reign in pork-barrel spending by swearing off earmarks.

So it’s curious that Bachmann, in a taxpayer-funded letter to constituents, is claiming credit for securing $803,600 in funding for St. Cloud Metro Bus. That earmark was part of the 2007 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development bill, which also included funding for I-35 bridge reconstruction and the Northstar Commuter Rail line. Bachmann voted against the legislation, but is now boasting of the spoils.

Democrats wasted no time pointing out this seeming hypocrisy. “Most Minnesotans learned in kindergarten that you don’t take credit for work that you didn’t do,” said DFL chairman Brian Melendez in a statement. “Bachmann ought to acquaint herself with those grade-school lessons before she shamelessly tries to pull another fast one on Minnesotans.”