Pelosi accused of pork-barrel politics
PAC treasurer's USF project tacked onto federal budget bill
Edward Epstein, Chronicle Washington Bureau
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco has pushed through $1 million in federal funds for a think tank started by her longtime adviser and campaign treasurer, former Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy, sparking concerns that she is rewarding a supporter with taxpayer money.
The $1 million appropriation for the Center for Public Service and the Common Good at the University of San Francisco was among thousands of items buried in the 3,000-page, $397.4 billion omnibus appropriations bill that Congress passed last week after just a few hours of debate. The White House says President Bush will sign the bill.
McCarthy, who serves as treasurer of Pelosi's powerful political action committee, PAC to the Future, is a USF alumnus who gave $1 million to start the center. In all, he hopes to raise $7 million to $8 million to fund the academic center.
Pelosi's office confirmed Thursday that the San Francisco Democrat, who was elected House minority leader in November, obtained the $1 million for the USF center, without requiring McCarthy and USF to go through the normal application process for such grants. But Pelosi said the program got the money on its merits, not because of any political ties to the congresswoman. |
