A non-partisan Congressional Report just released concludes “that it likely would be unconstitutional for a legislature to supplant a governor in accepting and using economic stimulus money.”
The Congressional Research Service analysis could imperil tens of millions of stimulus dollars reserved for South Carolina and Texas, whose governors have said they will reject some of their states’ shares of the money.
I’m thrilled over this report. These Governors need to stand by their decision to reject the stimulus. Until now it appeared they would be able to make their ideological pronouncement and then count on their State Legislature bailing them out. Agree with their decision, or not – either way they now own it.
Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry followed Sanford’s lead last week in spurning a share of his state’s stimulus funds. Other Republican governors, among them Sarah Palin of Alaska, Haley Barbour of Mississippi and Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, have criticized the stimulus plan and indicated they might reject some money meant for their states.
Guess we’re about to see who was bluffing… or not.