IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Theresa Petry, (314) 807-7077
Call to Release All Documents Surrounding $90 Million Stimulus Dollars Allocated for Tom Carnahan’s Wind Farm
(ST. LOUIS, MO.) March 5, 2010 – The National Environmental Scorecard just gave Rep. Russ Carnahan a top score but didn’t delve into his incentive for going green. The public deserves to know and today 3rd district Congressional candidate Ed Martin sent Carnahan a letter requesting he release all documents regarding the $90 million stimulus dollars allocated for his brother’s windmill farm in DeKalb County, Missouri.
“In what reads like a fictional account of nepotism and corruption, Congressman Russ Carnahan voted for a so-called “stimulus” bill that not only did not create jobs in his district but allowed his brother to receive $90 million in taxpayer money for his company to then purchase foreign parts,” said Ed Martin.
Tom Carnahan’s $300 million wind farm “was on hold” Vice President Joe Biden told reporters while visiting a mid-Missouri factory last spring. But Biden went on say thanks to the Federal Economic Recovery Act, “We’re going to get companies like this windmill company to be able to move forward.” Interesting how it all magically changed, after his brother Russ cast his vote for the Federal Stimulus bill.”We never really liked to say it out loud,” said Tom Carnahan, president/founder of Wind Capital Group. “A few months ago, the banks were closed. Banks now have confidence to move forward … The stimulus changed everything.” (St. Joseph News, Alyson E. Raletz, April 17, 2009)
Boy did it! The stimulus funneled $90 million taxpayer’s dollars into Tom Carnahan’s project. The Democratic Policy Committee acknowledged and even touted the earmark stating, “Missouri’s largest wind energy development, funded by the Recovery Act…” (DPC, website Nov. 5, 2009)
So let’s get this straight – A proposed $300 million wind farm couldn’t even get banks to call them back for two years, but then Rep. Russ Carnahan votes to approve the Stimulus bill, and out of the blue his brother’s company is notified it will get $90 million in stimulus funds and now banks are lining up. Hmmm…pardon us for saying so but something seems a bit fishy. Should we conclude that if you need money all it takes is a family member in power?
Constituents of the 3rd district sure aren’t getting any of the windfall. The wind farm isn’t anywhere near them. And now they’re hearing part of their hard earned money given to Tom Carnahan might be going out of the country. There is a lot of controversy clouding windmill projects recently. Several Democrats in the U.S. Senate have voiced concern that the money being doled out to wind farms is in fact not creating American jobs. Senator Charles Schumer put the brakes on several wind farm deals claiming the money received from the stimulus plan for building wind turbines should stay in the US. (Global Association of Risk Professional,Thursday, December 31, 2009)
While Tom Carnahan’s company likes to claim their project “Lost Creek” will use “most” components produced in the United States. Just how much is “most?” Tom himself said in a St. Louis Post Dispatch interview the turbines he has were built in India. “…They build the turbines in India, and now they’re building the blades in Minnesota,” said Tom Carnahan. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch November 7, 2008)
Maybe Rep. Carnahan will use the excuse he didn’t read the bill and didn’t know his brother would benefit so grandly from it. Are we expected to buy that? Well at least that is a product of the U.S.
Letter RE: Wind Projects (Acrobat)
For more information about Martin’s background and the campaign, visit EdMartinforCongress.com, or follow him on Facebook and Twitter @ed4congress.
Paid for by “Ed Martin for Congress”
Randy McArthur, Treasurer
Theresa Petry
Press Secretary
“Ed Martin for Congress”
(314) 807-7077 (cell)
theresa.petry@edmartinforcongress.com
www.edmartinforcongress.com
