This just came “over the transom” from the Ron Shepston Campaign for Congress. Apparently, Gary Miller just got himself into more trouble. He’s (again) using public money to enrich himself.
CA-42 Congressional Candidate Ron Shepston Calls on Rep. Gary Miller to Reimburse Taxpayers for $1.28 Million Earmark to Improve Development Miller Owns
Contact: Erik Zeil, Campaign Manager
Phone: 443-569-9535Contact: Theo Yedinsky
Phone: 415-420-3309Silverado- Today, Avionics Engineer and CA-42 Congressional Candidate, Ron Shepston, called on Rep. Gary Miller to immediately reimburse the taxpayers $1.28 million for an earmark that benefited Miller’s development business.   ÂÂ
“Gary Miller should reimburse the taxpayers for earmarks that help his personal business,” said Shepston. “Like almost everyone else in this country, I work hard, pay my taxes and worry about my financial future. I don’t think my tax dollars should be used to personally enrich Gary Miller and his biggest campaign contributor.”In the 2005 highway bill, Miller inserted an earmark for road improvements to Diamond Bar Village, a residential and commercial development that Rep. Miller co-owns with Lewis Operating his biggest campaign contributor. According to law, Members of the House are prohibited from, “taking any official actions for the prospect of personal gain for themselves or anyone else.”
Members of Miller’s Congressional staff have stated on the record that “There was never a clear line between what was Congressional business and what was just business. The expectation was that you would do both.” LA Times 2.12.06
“Rep. Miller has abused the public trust. Earmarking federal funds to pay for road improvements by developments you and your biggest campaign contributor own is not acceptable. There is a clear line between right and wrong and Rep. Miller has crossed it.”
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Ron Shepston is an avionics engineer and veteran.
Well, it appears Ron has continued doing his homework, much to the benefit of Democrats and Independents in the 42nd. For those with short memories, Miller has been more than willing to let the American middle class pay taxes while he gives tax breaks to his rich friends, and then cheats his way out of the taxes he’s supposed to pay. OK for us to pay, I guess, but not for him: he’s above it all.
Then, while we are approaching $4.00/gallon gasoline, he still refuses to support recission of a $14 billion tax break for oil companies. Better to let them keep it, he seems to think, than to give it back to Americans trying desparately to fill their gas tanks and still make their house payment in the same month.
Maybe if someone had run against this Republican slimeball in ’06, we wouldn’t be having this conversation now- but no one did.
Now there’s Ed Chau and Ron Sheptson. To be honest, I’m sure either will do the job, and do it well. Hell, if all they did was sit at their desk and make paper gliders, it would do less damage than Miller has done in his 10 years of thugary and corruption. And Ron, being an engineer, would probably make a truly awesome paper glider! Ed, the attorney, would probably have enough paper to make an entire squadron!
But I have one question: where has Ed been in asking the questions Ron has posed? Ron’s been asking these questions for at least a year now? And he’s still demanding the answers. Where is Ed Chau’s voice?