Ryan lags in posting of earmark requests

The Web sites of all U.S. House members faced a April 4 deadline to reveal detailed information about members’ federal earmark requests.

The change to the earmark funding process was made by the House Appropriations Committee in January “to further increase transparency,” according to an announcement on the committee’s Web site.

Four of the five House members who represent the Mahoning and Shenango valleys submitted their requests on time. U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, who coincidentally is a member of the appropriations committee, has yet to post his requests.

A technical issue with Ryan’s Web site caused the delay and the congressman’s list of earmarks should be posted later today, said Brad Bauman, his spokesman.

Bauman also insisted the deadline for listing requests on the Web was a “recommendation” and not a “rule” by the committee.

“There was no hard and fast deadline,” he said.

The Web sites of the appropriations committee and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi state members are “required to post information on their earmark requests on their Web sites at the time the request is made.”

The final date to make that request was 5 p.m. Saturday.

In response, Bauman said, “That information is categorically false and wrong. There is no deadline.”

Also, a spokeswoman for the Sunlight Foundation, an organization that checked every House members’ Web site for compliance, said it was a requirement. Ryan is among about 130 House members to not have their earmark requests on their Web sites, she said.

For the complete story, read Wednesday’s Vindicator or Vindy.com