Update: As of Nov. 23, Martin's campaign had updated its website to correct the mistake cited in this post.
Congressional candidate Ed Martin (R) is offering his own critique with one problem -- he's targeting the wrong website.
The statement on Martin's website says: "Statement on Recovery.org Scandal" (see screenshot). The official federal government website to track stimulus spending, however, is Recovery.gov. The .org website Martin referenced is run by Onvia, Inc.
Martin's press release goes on to state "that same web site shows that Carnahan and the Obama government spent $86 million dollars to 'create' only 73 jobs in Missouri - at a cost of more than a million dollars per job."
That much is true, although Martin omits some of the context.
First, recipients of federal stimulus jobs reported 73.7 jobs (which rounds up to 74 not 73) created or saved during the first 8 months of federal stimulus spending, through Sept. 30th. That figure also doesn't capture jobs created by state agencies, which are reported to Jefferson City zip codes instead of their respective locations throughout the state.
Second, just because funding was reported by recipients doesn't mean it was actually spent, or outlaid in budgetary jargon. Missouri recipients reported $2.3 billion in awards, but at of the close of the reporting period had spent only $0.4 billion.
In Missouri's 3rd Congressional district, where Martin is competing for the Republican nomination to challenge incumbent Rep. Russ Carnahan (D), recipients received $86.2 million but didn't spend it all by the time recipients were required to report, at least not yet.
We admit the data can be confusing, and that various websites out there have similar names, but it behooves candidates for public office to make an attempt to present accurate information. Martin failed to do so in this case just as fellow Congressional candidate Vicky Hartzler has done in her own critique.
Martin is facing Chris Sander (R) for the Republican Party's nomination next year in Congressional District 3. The winner of that contest will face off against Carnahan next Nov.
Related Links:
Recovery.gov (official website)
Recovery.org (private website)
Ed Martin Screenshots
Ed Martin Press Release
Posts
3 comments:
Now who's being disingenuous? Martin's press statement does not attack the wrong site. In fact, it does list "recovery.gov." When you say "his press release goes on to say" you imply the press release is wrong, when in fact it's a dumb typo on the headline of the blog. (Which is not to be compared with, say, dozens of nonexistant congressional districts -- a legitimate criticism, typo or not.)
The point is clear, and is definitely not "disingenuous" as the Anonymous commenter suggests.
Martin's website clearly refers to Recovery.org, which is a blatant factual error. As of 10 pm Sunday night, the error still has not been fixed on Martin's website.
This raises the question of whether Martin and his staff actually realize there is a difference between the two or whether the campaign is merely following erroneous talking points. My guess is that Martin has no idea because he's just taking advice from his staffers. His staffers have no idea, because they don't understand the intricacies of the Recovery Act.
Just like numerous other Congressional candidates, they're barking about a relatively minute database problem, that doesn't prove widespread "waste, fraud and abuse" as they assert.
This is just more evidence Martin's entire campaign is full of hot air.
Great catch! A couple things to add: first, as you note, Martin claims bizarrely that only 73 jobs were created for the entire state of Missouri! This is wrong however you read it, and the actual website stated 73 jobs for the 3rd district (which, for all of the reasons you mention, is misleading). Second, just a few days earlier, Martin had claimed that there were 102 jobs created in the 3rd district. He can't even keep his own misleading information straight!!
Wrote it up here: http://stlouispushesback.blogspot.com/2009/11/whats-ed-martin-smoking.html .
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