Nice boat. I don't know if it's worth $45 Million, though...
Posted on 10/14/2007 10:25:11 AM PDT by jazusamo
Tucked away on Seattle's Portage Bay, a sleek, 85-foot speedboat sat idle for years — save for an annual jaunt to maintain its engine.
The Navy paid $4.5 million to build the boat. But months before the hull ever touched water, the Navy gave the boat to the University of Washington. The school never found a use for it, either.
Why would the Navy waste taxpayer dollars on a boat that nobody wanted?
Blame it on Sen. Patty Murray and Congressmen Norm Dicks and Brian Baird. All three exercised their political muscle to slip language into a 2002 spending bill to force the Navy to buy the boat from Edmonds shipbuilder Guardian Marine International.
Year after year, the Washington lawmakers did favors for the tiny company, inserting four "earmarks" into different bills to force the Navy and Coast Guard to buy boats they didn't ask for — $17.65 million in all. None of the boats was used as Congress intended.
The congressional trio say they were helping Guardian Marine because it had a great product. But each has also received generous campaign donations from the company's three executives, its sole employees: $14,277 to Baird, $15,000 to Murray, and $16,750 to Dicks.
Earmarks are federal dollars that members of Congress dole out to favor seekers — often campaign donors. In the process, lawmakers advocate for the companies, helping them bypass the normal system of evaluation and competition.
This can result in earmarks that are wasteful or potentially harmful.
For example, Murray directed $6 million to a Redmond company for high-tech battle gear that the Army had rejected as flawed for its armored-vehicle Stryker Brigade.
Rep. David Wu, D-Ore., directed the Marines to buy $2 million of combat T-shirts from an Oregon company. But they couldn't be used in battle in Iraq...
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
It's a little surprising The Seattle Times would print this piece that reflects poorly on their favored politicians. It seems our WA politicians have learned well from John Murtha, the king of earmarks.
WA ping!
Something smells fishy.
(haha)
Just in case I misunderstood.... Remind me again, aren’t these the guys who were going to drain the pork barrel swamp?
Nice boat. I don't know if it's worth $45 Million, though...
And to think prisons are full of thieves.........
> Nice boat. I don’t know if it’s worth $45 Million, though...
Happy to take it off their hands, if it’s being a nuisance.
The boat cost 4 point 5 million dollars, not $45 million.
It’s still alot for a boat that you don’t want or need.
Doesn’t look like it was worth that to anyone but Guardian Marine International but it sure looks nice.
They'll have to throw a few buck my way on an annual basis for maintenance, storage and fuel, though...
Needs rod holders, too...
What's $40.5 Million amongst friends?
Needs a tuna tower and a pair of Lee outriggers...
And if I remember correctly REPUBLICANS who did the same things. Why do DEMOCRATS always get a pass?!
Yea, it’s pretty slick.
But the slip fees would kill ya!
Not full enough obviously...
> They’ll have to throw a few buck my way on an annual basis for maintenance, storage and fuel, though...
>
> Needs rod holders, too...
Naw, we’d make a killing off that boat if we parked it just off the Bay of Islands, stocked it full of booze, and took rich tourists fishing. Easily afford the fuel and moorage, with plenty left over...
But you’re right about the rod holders. Rod Holders or it’s no deal!
And did it without taking a jab at Bush or Republicans in general.
Double-wow.
That rig probably has a depth finder w/ Death Ray attachment.
That rig probably has a depth finder w/ Death Ray attachment.
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