Research Briefing

VIDEO RESEARCH BRIEFING:

THEY MESSED WITH JOE, PART ONE

A Week Long Stimulus Anniversary Retrospective

OBAMA PLEDGED

FEBRUARY 24, 2009: Obama Pledged That Joe Biden Would Lead “Unprecedented Oversight Effort” For $862 Billion Stimulus, “Because Nobody Messes With Joe.” “Here in Washington, we’ve all seen how quickly good intentions can turn into broken promises and wasteful spending.  And with a plan of this scale comes enormous responsibility to get it right. That is why I have asked Vice President Biden to lead a tough, unprecedented oversight effort – because nobody messes with Joe.” (President Barack Obama, Address To Joint Session Of Congress, Washington, DC, 2/24/09)

OBAMA DELIVERED:

$862 Billion Stimulus That “Created Or Saved Jobs” In Congressional Districts That Don’t Exist

ABC News Highlights Stimulus Funds Going To Nonexistent Districts. ABC NEWS’ JONATHAN KARL: “The website, for example, says 30 jobs were created and over $700,000 spent in Arizona’s 15th congressional district. The problem, the state has only eight congressional districts, there is no 15th district. And it lists $34 million spent in Arizona’s 86th district. That district doesn’t exist either. In fact, in virtually every state, the website lists millions of dollars spent and jobs created in fictional congressional districts. Check out Connecticut, where in the 42nd congressional district, 25 new jobs are listed for zero dollars spent. Again there is no 42nd district.” (ABC News’ “World News Tonight,” 11/20/09)

Recovery.gov Created 400 “Phantom” Districts. “Until Wednesday night, the Web site, recovery.gov, listed more than 400 ‘phantom’ districts across the United States. In Texas alone, it shows $15 million spent and 98 jobs created or saved in districts that don’t exist.” (Tom Benning, “Errors On Government Web Site Make It Difficult To Track Stimulus Money,” The Dallas Morning News, 11/19/09)

GAO Said White House Jobs Reports “Riddled With Errors.” “The data collection and reporting from those who received money from the $787 billion U.S. stimulus plan is riddled with errors and inaccuracies, according to a federal audit of the report released on Thursday. … The Government Accountability Office had warned there would likely be mistakes in the mammoth undertaking. Its audit found that, despite training from federal agencies, many recipients were confused about how to count jobs.” (Lisa Lambert, “Errors And Inaccuracies In Stimulus Report: GAO,” Reuters, 11/19/09)

Obama’s Chairman Of Stimulus Accountability Board Admitted “There Are Too Many Errors” To Know How Many Jobs Stimulus Created. “But Earl Devaney, whose agency collected and released the data, said Thursday there are too many errors to know how many jobs have been created. Under questioning on Capitol Hill, he agreed the White House should have acknowledged the doubt surrounding the numbers.” (“Stimulus Watchdog: Job Creation Data Flawed,” The Associated Press, 11/19/09)

OBAMA DENIES

Now Obama Claims That We “Have Not Seen Scandal Break Out” On Stimulus With Biden Leading Oversight Effort. “[L]et me just say, by the way, give a compliment to Vice President Biden. He and his team have overseen the Recovery Act. You have not seen scandal break out on a huge endeavor.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks At Town Hall Meeting, Tampa, FL, 1/28/10)