Sen. Thomas Touts Ethics Bill; Blames Dems for Stalling

By Kristin Espeland

Laramie, WY – Thomas says he supports the legislation passed this week that would force lawmakers to disclose earmarks, sometimes called "pork," that they hope to slip into a bill. Thomas is a member of the Senate ethics committee where negotiations on the bill included how much transparency legislators should provide about the money they attempt to secure for private or public pet projects. But Thomas says earmarks shouldn't necessarily go away; he favors being transparent about the special funding he requests. In a statement Thursday afternoon, Thomas blamed Democrats for stalling the bill's passage with political maneuvering. Democrats had the same criticism for Republicans, but the bill finally passed Thursday night.