The Senate’s Rejection of Export-Import Bank Critic Shows How Entrenched Crony Capitalism Is in Washington

Reason covers the rejection of Export-Import bank nominee Scott Garrett.

The Senate Banking Committee voted 10–13 yesterday to reject former New Jersey Rep. Scott Garrett to head the Export-Import Bank, an institution that has become synonymous with corporate welfare. Two Republicans on the committee—Sens. Mike Rounds (R–S.D.) and Tim Scott (R–S.C.)—broke ranks to vote against Garrett, who had called for the bank’s elimination while he was in Congress and who had promised to reform the institution if tapped to lead it.

Scott cited Garrett’s “long history opposing the Ex-Im Bank” in explaining his vote. Scott’s state contains a plant for the aviation giant Boeing, whose customers get some 40 percent of the Export-Import Bank’s financing. The institution is sometimes called “Boeing’s bank.”

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Because of these direct taxpayer subsidies for corporate sales, critics have long derided the bank as one of the worst examples of crony capitalism. The Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Daniel Press calls it “one of the capital’s greatest boondoggles.” Veronique de Rugy of the Mercatus Center—a Reason columnist—has frequently suggested that the bank should be scrapped.

Read the full article at Reason.