Obey criticizes White House

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"WASHINGTON -- Less than two weeks after calling for a second financial boost to stimulate job creation, Rep. Dave Obey chided the Obama administration for reporting errors on the first economic recovery package.

Obey, a Democrat from Wausau, has served in Congress since 1969.

"The inaccuracies on recovery.gov that have come to light are outrageous, and the administration owes itself, the Congress and every American a commitment to work night and day to correct the ludicrous mistakes," Obey said in a statement issued late Monday.

Obey's ire was sparked by recent reports of mistakes in the administration's log of how stimulus money is being spent. On Monday, ABC News reported it had found numerous errors on the Web site recovery.gov, which the administration established to allow the public to track stimulus spending.

Among the errors were entries for jobs created in what appear to be nonexistent congressional districts. For example, the station reported the Web site showed 30 jobs were saved or created in Arizona's 15th Congressional District, but the state has only eight districts. A closer examination shows the projects were carried out in actual congressional districts but were mislabeled.

Obey, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, wrote the $787 billion economic stimulus bill that Congress passed in February. He has been one of the recovery effort's most ardent supporters.

A guiding principle for proponents of the recovery effort has been transparency on how the money is being spent.

"Credibility counts in government, and stupid mistakes like this undermine it," Obey said about the inaccuracies. "We've got too many serious problems in this country to let that happen."

In a blog posting on the White House Web site, G. Edward DeSeve, an Obama adviser, said the mistakes were a result of human error that shouldn't detract from the overall effort to bring openness to the stimulus program.

Obey's political opponents attempted to use his statement and his leadership role in pushing the stimulus bill through the House against him.

Republican Sean Duffy, the Ashland County district attorney who wants to run against Obey next fall, said the Appropriations Committee chairman "set the stage for 'stupid' mistakes" when he wrote the bill.

"Dave Obey is the author of the stimulus bill, and his attempt to point fingers at someone else for his $787 billion taxpayer boondoggle is outrageous," Duffy said in a statement.

Ellis Brachman, an Obey spokesman, said the congressman was not laying blame but merely urging the White House to be diligent in its reporting.

"Dave Obey has a lifelong reputation for shooting straight," Brachman said. "He calls them as he sees them, and that's just what he has done here. He's working to correct a problem that exists."

Brachman said Obey stands by his Nov. 6 call for an additional stimulus, despite the recent reporting problems.

In his statement last week, Obey said: "Additional action is required to help families and small businesses who are struggling to make ends meet in these tough economic times. An effective short-term boost would mean a stronger economy, less unemployment and ultimately lower deficits.""