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Raese: West Virginians Deserve Answers From Joe Manchin AboutAlleged Waste, Fraud and Abuse in Obama-Manchin Stimulus Funds
West Virginia’s Broadband Spending Spree Raises Serious Questions
 
MORGANTOWN
– Two congressmen have requested the Department of Commerce's inspector general toinvestigate West Virginia’s handling of the Obama-Manchin stimulus funds to install high-powered internetrouters in rural schools, small libraries and health clinics.Last month the Charleston Gazette ran a series of stories highlighting how the state used their millions instimulus funding to buy overpowered routers from Verizon at a cost of$22,600 each. Of these overpoweredrouters, only a few have been used in tiny libraries, leaving hundreds of others in storage collecting dust.These routers are designed for college campuses and other large entities and are built to serve a minimum of 500 users. Some public facilities in West Virginia that received these powerful routers have just a few internetconnections.West Virginia used $24 million dollars in Obama-Manchin stimulus funds to purchase more than 1,000 routerstwo years ago. The money was part of a $126.3 million stimulus grant the state received in 2010 to expandhigh-speed internet across West Virginia.The Associated Press reported today that U.S. Reps. Greg Walden of Oregon and John Shimkus of Illinois wantDepartment of Commerce Inspector General Greg Zinser to scrutinize West Virginia's stimulus spending on theequipment. According to a recent letter sent to the Inspector General, Walden and Shimkus say federalofficials have a duty to investigate "waste, fraud and abuse.” Their request follows a May 16 hearing onCapitol Hill during which federal lawmakers grilled the Obama administration's telecommunications chief about West Virginia's router purchase.“This is yet another example of the Obama-Manchin out of control stimulus, which failed dramatically, failedto create jobs, and cost the taxpayers $780 billion,” said Josh Sowards, Raese for Senate campaign Spokesman.“Before President Obama’s inauguration, Joe Manchin said Obama’s plan for a stimulus package would jumpstart the economy. Manchin and Obama promised it would create ‘shovel-ready’ jobs, but it did nothingof the sort. “As Ronald Reagan once said, “we cannot tax our way to prosperity.”
BACKGROUND
In December 2008, Manchin Said Obama’s Plan For An Economic Stimulus Package With Funding For InfrastructureProjects Would Jumpstart The U.S. Economy Immediately By Creating Jobs And Demand For Construction Materials.
 
(Phil Kabler, “Obama Will Help, Manchin Says,”
The Charleston
[WV]
Gazette
, 12/3/08)
 
“Manchin Said, ‘He’s [Obama’s] Not Just Throwing Money At This (Recession). He Wants To Make Sure There AreInvestments And Value.’”
 
(George Hohmann, “Manchin Says Obama Here To Help,”
Charleston
[WV]
Daily Mail 
, 12/3/08)
 
Manchin: Obama’s “Taken The Approach Of Investing Back Into America, State By State.
There are no giveawayprograms. We’ve been doing this around the world for other nations. It’s about time we started doing this for America.’”
(George Hohmann, “Manchin Says Obama Here To Help,”
Charleston
[WV]
Daily Mail 
, 12/3/08)
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