Teapot Dome

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 10:13:14 -0400

A proposed teapot museum in Sparta has been a target of Republicans who during the last campaign held it up as an example of Democratic state legislative pork.

Now the teapot museum is getting some attention as an example of federal pork.

On their Friday night broadcast, CBS News asked some pointed questions about the support for the museum by GOP U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx and Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, both of whom have backed funding of the project.

"With the help of a few good Washington lobbyists, the Sparta teapot museum has gotten $400,000 in state funds and a half a million dollars from Congress,” said CBS reporter Sharyl Attkisson. "It's nothing against teapots or the dream. Maybe tens of thousands of teapot-seeking tourists will flock to Sparta and spend millions of dollars. The question is this: Why should your federal tax dollars be used for this project?"

Foxx told CBS: "The money’s going to be spent, and it’s up to us to, again, be advocates for our areas to try to help with those areas."