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'''Gravina Island Bridge''', the so-called "'''Bridge to Nowhere'''", was a proposed 2007 project in [[Alaska]], requested by Alaskans, and meant to link the city of Ketchikan with inaccessible Gravina Island. The proposed project was used to criticize a since-failed Congressional [[earmark]] sponsored by Alaska Senator [[Ted Stevens]] during a [[partisan]] [[Witchhunt]] to unseat the senior [[Republican]] senator.  In an unrelated case, Stevens was ultimately found not guilty due to prosecutorial misconduct, falsification of evidence, albeit not until after his losing a reelection bid. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/07/judge-expected-toss-stevens-conviction/ U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan dismisses case against Sen. Ted Stevens]</ref> The bridge project had no relationship with allegations brought against Sen. Stevens, nonetheless Sen. Stevens suffered from smears and innuendo by partisan opponents and main stream news organizations seeking to taint the proposed project with the aura of [[corruption]].

'''Gravina Island Bridge''', the so-called "'''Bridge to Nowhere'''", was a proposed 2007 project in [[Alaska]], requested by Alaskans, and meant to link the city of Ketchikan with inaccessible Gravina Island. The proposed project was used to criticize a since-failed Congressional [[earmark]] sponsored by Alaska Senator [[Ted Stevens]] during a [[partisan]] [[Witchhunt]] to unseat the senior [[Republican]] senator.  In an unrelated case, Stevens was ultimately found not guilty due to prosecutorial misconduct, falsification of evidence, albeit not until after his losing a reelection bid.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/04/07/judge-expected-toss-stevens-conviction/ U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan dismisses case against Sen. Ted Stevens]</ref> The bridge project had no relationship with allegations brought against Sen. Stevens, nonetheless Sen. Stevens suffered from smears and innuendo by partisan opponents and main stream news organizations seeking to taint the proposed project with the aura of [[corruption]].

It was also used for partisan purposes to paint [[Sarah Palin|Governor Sarah Palin]] with corruption in the same way.

It was also used for partisan purposes to paint [[Sarah Palin|Governor Sarah Palin]] with corruption in the same way.

Though Governor Palin originally supported the earmark spending on the Ketchikan bridge (“to nowhere"), which was the usual procedure for all state governors in dealing with [[Congress|Congressional]] "[[earmarks]]", she eventually killed the project, choosing to spend Federal money on other infrastructure programs. <ref>[http://www.cdobs.com/archive/our-columns/obama-and-biden-voted-for-bridge-to-nowhere,1628 Chicago Observer, Aug. 31, 2008; Obama and Biden Voted for Bridge to Nowhere]</ref> Most of the [[Mainstream Media]] were not overly eager to report that the [[Democratic Party]] standard bearers, Senators [[Barack Obama]] and [[Joe Biden]] both voted to approve funding for the earmark, and later voted against an attempt by Sen. Tom Coburn to redirect the money to [[Hurricane Katrina]] disaster relief. <ref>[http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/109/senate/1/votes/262/ 109th Congress / Senate / 1st session / Vote 262]</ref>

Though Governor Palin originally supported the earmark spending on the Ketchikan bridge (“to nowhere"), which was the usual procedure for all state governors in dealing with [[Congress]]ional "[[earmarks]]", she eventually killed the project, choosing to spend Federal money on other infrastructure programs.<ref>[http://www.cdobs.com/archive/our-columns/obama-and-biden-voted-for-bridge-to-nowhere,1628 Chicago Observer, Aug. 31, 2008; Obama and Biden Voted for Bridge to Nowhere]</ref> Most of the [[Mainstream Media]] were not overly eager to report that the [[Democratic Party]] standard bearers, Senators [[Barack Obama]] and [[Joe Biden]] both voted to approve funding for the earmark, and later voted against an attempt by Sen. Tom Coburn to redirect the money to [[Hurricane Katrina]] disaster relief.<ref>[http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/109/senate/1/votes/262/ 109th Congress / Senate / 1st session / Vote 262]</ref>

{{cquote|<big>'''Ketchikan desires a better way to reach the airport, but the $398 million bridge is not the answer.</big> <small>-- Gov. Sarah Palin, 9/21/2007'''</small> <ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20908207/ Associated Press; Alaska ends plan for 'Bridge to Nowhere']</ref>}}

{{cquote|<big>'''Ketchikan desires a better way to reach the airport, but the $398 million bridge is not the answer.</big> <small>-- Gov. Sarah Palin, 9/21/2007'''</small> <ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20908207/ Associated Press; Alaska ends plan for 'Bridge to Nowhere']</ref>}}

* [[Biden]] and [[Obama]] voted for the authorization bill, which included the earmarks, and the final appropriations bill, which didn't.

* [[Biden]] and [[Obama]] voted for the authorization bill, which included the earmarks, and the final appropriations bill, which didn't.

* [[John McCain|Senator John McCain]] '''voted against''' the authorization but was not present for the vote on the final appropriations bill.

* [[John McCain|Senator John McCain]] '''voted against''' the authorization but was not present for the vote on the final appropriations bill.

* [[Joe Biden|Senator Joe Biden]] and [[Barack Obama]] while still a Senator, voted against redirecting the money intended for Alaska to Louisiana. <ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/23/biden.earmarks/index.html CNN; Biden, Obama helped keep 'Bridge to Nowhere' alive]</ref>

* [[Joe Biden|Senator Joe Biden]] and [[Barack Obama]] while still a Senator, voted against redirecting the money intended for Alaska to Louisiana.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/09/23/biden.earmarks/index.html CNN; Biden, Obama helped keep 'Bridge to Nowhere' alive]</ref>

<ref>[http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/whats_the_full_story_on_the_bridge.html Factcheck.org; Full story on "Bridge to Nowhere"]</ref>

<ref>[http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/whats_the_full_story_on_the_bridge.html Factcheck.org; Full story on "Bridge to Nowhere"]</ref>

== See Also ==

== See also ==

*[[Ted Stevens]]

*[[Ted Stevens]]

*[[Sarah Palin]]

*[[Sarah Palin]]