Ethics

Ramstad's Earmark Problem

By Ed Brayton

Andy Birkey, a reporter for the CIM sister group the Minnesota Independent, has an interesting article about Jim Ramstad, the Minnesota Republican who is being considered for two positions in the Obama administration, either head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) or head of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Looks like Ramstad has a pretty serious problem with one earmark he requested.

Earlier this year, Ramstad sponsored a $235,000 earmark for the Minnesota Teen Challenge (MNTC), an Assemblies of God drug treatment center with a history of controversial therapies and overt religious indoctrination.

MNTC is part of a national network of drug treatment and "discipleship training" centers called Teen Challenge.

Full post as published by Dispatches from the Culture Wars on December 11, 2008 (boomark / email).