Think of it as a mini bridge to nowhere.
The Gravina Island Bridge, now notoriously known as the “Bridge to Nowhere” and was supported by then-Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, would cost hundreds of millions of dollars to connect a handful of people on Gavina Island with mainland Alaska – even though a perfectly healthy ferry system existed (or, at least, could have likely been upgraded for a less).
Still, like virtually all earmarks – and pork – requested by House representatives, the bridge was touted to be “a valuable use of taxpayer funds.”
It is under this tout that has gotten much-needed funding for worthy causes, as well as less worthy ones – even dubious ones with questionable existence, like the Trinity Community Development and Empowerment Group that has put at least three New York City congressmen and women in hot water.
The issue grew out of Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-Brooklyn) sponsoring $500,000 to a group that employs one of his staffers, raising concerns of a conflict of interest. But that issue was magnified with the involvement of Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-Brooklyn), who, with Towns, wanted Rep. Gregory Meeks, (D-Queens) to sponsor more than $4 million in taxpayer funds to Trinity.
According to its unsophisticated-looking Web site, Trinity presents itself to be a helper of the poor, the under-skilled, and under-represented communities – and, really, who isn’t supportive of that?
Towns and Clarke, both members of the Congressional Black Caucus, often co-sponsor each other’s bills. The same is true between Clarke and Meeks. So it’s not surprising that, if called upon by Towns for help, Clarke undoubtedly agrees – though, perhaps, too blindly.
“I really had no knowledge of any submission for this organization,” said Clarke, reported the New York Daily News.
To make matters worse, the Daily News reported that the office building for Trinity sat “empty,” boarded up and without electricity. An empty building seems as useful to taxpayers as a bridge to…?
Clarke, who is just in her second term serving in the House, no doubt made a misstep in her young tenure as a congresswoman. But in this heated political climate – as isolated angry voters turn to violence and several New York politicians take beatings on ethical issues – missteps are less forgivable.
Clarke has since withdrawn her support of allocating taxpayer money for Trinity, as have the other two congressmen.
Towns and Meeks, who are more experienced politicians, weren’t looking out for their younger colleague, it seems.
Towns appears to have used Clarke to get Meeks involved on his “bridge to nowhere,” then, amid the specter of ethics violation, the two seasoned politicians abandon ship and left Clarke behind to sink or swim.