Submitted by Tom on Wed, 2009-12-23 11:38
Tom Latham gives lip service to smaller government, but that is really only for the regular people. He and his family are on the welfare roles of the USDA, with substantial crop subidies in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Latham Seed Co. received nearly $450,000 in federal subsidies in the 1995-2003 period, and his Dtb Farms LLC. received $360,000 in the 2003-2006 period. Tom Latham, welfare king!
The Environmental Working Group also reports that Tom Latham represents the third biggest agriculture welfare district in the country.
Glenn Thrush at Politico.com has more on the Environmental Work Group report, especially Michele Bachman's big personal take. But district-wide, Latham has her beat:
EWG found that the top four districts receiving the largest ag payments are represented by conservative Republicans.
1. 3rd district of Nebraska (Rep. Adrian Smith - Republican) - $1,736,923,011 in subsidies go to 51,702 recipients.
2. 1st district of Kansas (Rep. Jerry Moran - Republican) - $1,315,979,151 in subsidies go to 75,802 recipients.
3. 4th district of Iowa (Rep. Tom Latham - Republican) - $1,288,622,912 in subsidies go to 35,696 recipients.
4. 9th district of Texas (Rep. Randy Neugebauer - Republican) - $1,227,192,312 in subsidies go to 21,290 recipients.