An investigation by Fox News is taking center stage in the heated race for California's 44th Congressional District as Democratic candidate Bill Hedrick is using one of the network's investigative reports to highlight GOP Rep. Ken Calvert's abuse of congressional earmarks.
The Fox News investigative report entitled "Porked: Earmarks for Profit" is the subject of Hedrick's campaign mailers that inform voters of how Calvert profited $435,000 after securing earmarks to improve land surrounding one of his real estate properties near March Air Reserve Base in Riverside County. After increasing the value of his property by securing nearly $10 million in taxpayer-funded earmarks, Calvert sold it and made a profit of 80 percent, less than a year after purchasing it.
Reads one mailer:
*"Fox News busts Ken Calvert for personally profiting from taxpayer funded earmarks while our economy fails."
*"Trust Fox News. Calvert is corrupt. Calvert costs you money. Fire Calvert."
Screenshots and quotes from the Fox News special report are used in the mailers to highlight Calvert's use of earmarks to increase the value of his property, including Fox News Correspondent Gregg Jarrett pointing out that "once again, directly benefiting from a multi-million dollar Ken Calvert earmark will be none other than Ken Calvert himself."