Senator David Vitter to earmark $100,000 for creationist group
{{date|October 2, 2007}}
[[Image:David Vitter official portrait.jpg|150px|right|thumb|David Vitter]]
[[w:David Vitter|David Vitter]], a Republican [[w:United States Senate|United States Senator]] from Louisiana, has earmarked US$100,000 for [[w:Louisiana Family Forum|Louisiana Family Forum]] (LFF), a conservative [[w:creationism|creationist]] organization. Vitter put the earmark into the labor, health and education financing bill for fiscal year 2008. The bill specifies the Louisiana Family Forum received the money "to develop a plan to promote better science education." 

Vitter has close ties to the LFF through [[w:Dan Richey|Dan Richey]], a former politician and the group's grass-roots coordinator, who received $17,250 as a consultant in Vitter's 2004 Senate race. Also Vitter's campaign paid Beryl Amedee who is the education resource council chairwoman for the Louisiana Family Forum. 

As part of the Louisiana Family Forum efforts to "combat" the teaching of evolution, the group included [[w:Kent Hovind|Kent Hovind]]'s "Battle Plan" on its website. Hovind, whose education from the non-accredited [[w:Patriot Bible University|Patriot Bible University]] is widely considered to be a [[w:diploma mill|diploma mill]], is currently serving a ten year prison sentence for tax evasion and obstructing federal agents.

In a written statement Vitter explained, "This program helps supplement and support educators and school systems that would like to offer all of the explanations in the study of controversial science topics such as [[w:Global warming|global warming]] and the life sciences." However, reporter James Gill poked fun at Vitter's admission of using the services of ''Pamela Martin and Associates'', a prostitution service ran by [[w:Deborah Jeane Palfrey|Deborah Jeane Palfrey]], and his recent creationist earmark. "We were better off when Vitter, in between homilies on the sanctity of marriage, was blowing his own money on prostitutes. At least the kids were safe," Gill wrote. He continued, "They will not be if the Louisiana Family Forum gets its way."

{{haveyoursay}}
== Sources ==
*{{source|url=http://www.nola.com/timespic/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1190786581155740.xml&coll=1
|title=Creationists are Vitter's latest hookup
|author=James Gill
|pub=The Times-Picayune
|date=October 1, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://blog.nola.com/times-picayune/2007/09/vitter_earmarked_federal_money.html
|title=Vitter earmarked federal money for creationist group
|author=
|pub=The Times-Picayune
|date=September 22, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/news/2007/US/412_earmark_for_louisiana_creation_9_24_2007.asp
|title=Earmark for Louisiana creationist group?
|author= 
|pub=National Center for Science Education
|date=September 22, 2007}}

*{{source|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iujeXCff2HdhLhgMP3tkI7HF16fg
|title=Woman Says She Had Sex With Sen. Vitter
|author= 
|pub=Associated Press
|date=September 11, 2007}}

{{publish}}
{{archived}}

[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Kent Hovind]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Christianity]]
[[Category:Creationism]]
[[Category:Prostitution]]
David Vitter
David Vitter, a Republican United States Senator from Louisiana, has earmarked US$100,000 for Louisiana Family Forum (LFF), a conservative creationist organization. Vitter put the earmark into the labor, health and education financing bill for fiscal year 2008. The bill specifies the Louisiana Family Forum received the money "to develop a plan to promote better science education." 

Vitter has close ties to the LFF through Dan Richey, a former politician and the group's grass-roots coordinator, who received $17,250 as a consultant in Vitter's 2004 Senate race. Also Vitter's campaign paid Beryl Amedee who is the education resource council chairwoman for the Louisiana Family Forum. 

As part of the Louisiana Family Forum efforts to "combat" the teaching of evolution, the group included Kent Hovind's "Battle Plan" on its website. Hovind, whose education from the non-accredited Patriot Bible University is widely considered to be a diploma mill, is currently serving a ten year prison sentence for tax evasion and obstructing federal agents.

In a written statement Vitter explained, "This program helps supplement and support educators and school systems that would like to offer all of the explanations in the study of controversial science topics such as global warming and the life sciences." However, reporter James Gill poked fun at Vitter's admission of using the services of Pamela Martin and Associates, a prostitution service ran by Deborah Jeane Palfrey, and his recent creationist earmark. "We were better off when Vitter, in between homilies on the sanctity of marriage, was blowing his own money on prostitutes. At least the kids were safe," Gill wrote. He continued, "They will not be if the Louisiana Family Forum gets its way."


*

*
Politics and conflicts Kent Hovind United States North America Christianity Creationism Prostitution