David Heath, a 2006 Nieman Fellow, returns to EXPOSÉ and Bill Moyers Journal. Heath, and fellow Seattle Times reporter Christine Willmsen, unearthed at least 155 hidden earmarks worth $3.5 billion in the 2008 defense bill and found that in many cases, earmarks are actually more secretive than they once were.
Heath’s earlier reporting, with colleague Hal Bernton, found that 80 percent of those getting earmarks were giving campaign donations to members of Congress. One year ago, his investigation was featured on Exposé’s “Mr. Heath Goes to Washington.”
In the follow-up episode “Promises, Promises,” Heath and colleague Christine Willmsen return to find – despite the pledges made by a new Congress, calls for reform and a new law – when it comes to pet spending projects, it’s still politics as usual in Washington.
Read more:
- David Heath wins Everett McKinley Dirksen Award
- “Connecting Congressional Earmarks With Campaign Contributions”, by David Heath
- The Favor Factory 2008: Investigative series from The Seattle Times includes a database of lawmakers, earmarks, and campaign giving. See also The Favor Factor 2007