Who are the top offenders when it comes to requesting the most earmarks? You may be surprised to learn that three of the top five, and eight of the top 20, are Republicans -- including GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who ranks ninth with $51.19 million in earmark requests.
Here are the top 20 earmarks solicitors in the Senate, based on dollar amount of individual earmark requests in the omnibus spending bill:
1. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va. -- $122.80 million.
2. Richard Shelby, R-Ala. -- $114.48 million.
3. Kit Bond, R-Mo. -- $85.69 million.
4. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. -- $77.90 million.
5. Thad Cochran, R-Miss. -- $75.91 million.
6. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska -- $74 million.
7. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa -- $66.86 million.
8. James Inhofe, R-Okla. -- $53.13 million.
9. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. -- $51.19 million.
10. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii -- $46.38 million.
11. Patty Murray, D-Wash. -- $39.22 million.
12. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D. -- $36.55 million.
13. Pat Leahy, D-Vt. -- $36.16 million.
14. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. -- $35.58 million.
15. Robert Casey, D-Pa. -- $27.17 million.
16. Harry Reid, D-Nev. -- $26.63 million.
17. Arlen Specter, R-Pa. -- $25.32 million.
18. Herb Kohl, D-Wis. -- $23.83 million.
19. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. -- $21.96 million.
20. Pete Domenici, R-N.M. (Retired) -- $19.56 million.
Source: Taxpayers for Common Sense. GOP in bold text.
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