Quote of the Day.

But first, from the Nov. 13, 2006 Los Angeles Times:

Incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid vows to make reform of congressional earmarks a priority of his tenure, arguing that members need to be more transparent when they load pet projects for their districts into federal spending bills.

But last year’s huge $286-billion federal transportation bill included a little-noticed slice of pork pushed by Reid that provided benefits not only for the casino town of Laughlin, Nev., but also, possibly, for the senator himself.

Reid called funding for construction of a bridge over the Colorado River, among other projects, “incredibly good news for Nevada” in a news release after passage of the 2005 transportation bill. He didn’t mention, though, that just across the river in Arizona, he owns 160 acres of land several miles from proposed bridge sites and that the bridge could add value to his real estate investment.

Reid denies any personal financial interest in his efforts to secure $18 million for a new span connecting Laughlin with Bullhead City, Ariz.

“Sen. Reid’s support for the bridge had absolutely nothing to do with property he owns,” said Rebecca Kirszner, Reid’s communications director. “Sen. Reid supported this project as part of his continuing efforts to move Nevada forward.”

But some Bullhead City property owners and local officials say a new bridge will undoubtedly hike land values in an already-booming commuter town, where speculators are snapping up undeveloped land for housing developments and other projects. Experts on congressional spending say Reid’s earmark provides yet another sign of the need for reform.

That’s not the QotD, but RTWT. Especially the part where Rebecca Kirszner, Reid’s communications director says: “With Democrats running Congress, we are in a much better position to achieve real transparency and openness.”

THIS is the QotD:

As we look back in history, the Founding Fathers would be cringing to hear people talking about eliminating earmarks. – Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid, (D-NV) after the overwhelming vote to defeat an anti-earmarking bill

And where do you find this quote? The Associated Press? Reuters? CNN? FOX News? ABCBSNBC? The New York Times?

No. According to Google the only news source reporting this fascinating utterance was The Hill, though National Review Online does have a Tom Coburn response that quotes it.

I cannot help but wonder at just which history books Senate Majority Leader Reid has been reading.

And which Constitution he swore an oath to uphold and defend.