$2 Million Super-Paint Funding Questioned

(CBS)  Sherwin Williams was one of the lucky winners in a recent round of Congressional funding. It got an earmark for two million in tax dollars to develop a super-paint that can kill toxic bacteria. But it's a project some critics say isn't even feasible.

But all the company had to do to get the money was ask its hometown congresswoman, Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio.

Rep. John Campbell, R-Calif., challenged the earmark on the House floor.

"What investigations, what research has been done to determine that this technology could be effective and is worth $2 million in taxpayer funds?" Campbell asked.

An earmark is a grant of money without normal public review, CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports. Members of Congress often deliver them to hometown projects or companies knowing little about the details or the value for the tax dollar.

What they do know is that bringing home bacon gets them votes - and job security.

"Those earmarks to local companies can be the worst kind of government spending," says Ryan Alexander, a taxpayer advocate.

"By singling out one company without looking at what the marketplace has available, we don't know that we're getting the best product. We don't know that we're getting the best value for our money," said Alexander, president of the group Taxpayers for Common Sense.

Myron Zebrak, who works for a Sherwin Williams competitor, said he was incensed when he heard the multi-billion dollar paintmaker got an earmark worth millions.

"I think the money isn't well spent and it all ends up in the Congressman's district. It's not fair," said Zebrak, who is a coating manufacturer.

But when asked about their hometown earmarks, members of Congress can get touchy.

Tubbs Jones refused CBS News interview requests so a crew found her at her Capitol Hill office.

"Don't you ever walk up to me like this," she told Attkisson when approached on Capitol Hill by a CBS News crew. "Young lady, turn the camera off."

"You can't order us to turn our cameras off," Attkisson replied.

"Okay, then you can't … I can't be forced to talk. Thank you very much," Tubbs Jones said.

"I've been asking for an interview," Attkisson explained.

"Don't play me like that," Tubbs Jones said.

And when Tubbs Jones grabbed Attkisson's wrist, Attkisson said, "Please take your hands off me."

"I'm not gonna take, I didn't mean any offense," Tubbs Jones said. "OK. Wanna have a conversation?"

Attkisson replied: "I just want to ask you a couple of questions about the Sherwin Williams earmark."

"Give me a few moments and I'll talk to you," Tubbs Jones said.

A few minutes later, Tubbs Jones agreed to talk, and said she gave Sherwin Williams the earmark because the company told her it's the most qualified.

Does she have a problem with taking Sherwin Williams' word for it?

"All I can tell you is that Sherwin Williams has a reputation for honesty, doing great work in my community and they came with a proposal that looked good to me," Tubbs Jones said. "They showed me testing, they showed me a video and I said 'let's go for it!'"

Sherwin Williams wouldn't agree to an interview, but said under their concept they'll only recieve a portion of the $2 million. The rest will go to partners in the project.

Whether or not a new super-paint is ever invented, there's one broad brush of truth - Tubbs Jones managed to created $2 million worth of goodwill in her home district.

And at this point Sherwin Williams hasn't had to compete for the money.

[durationk34]

Anti-microbial paint technology is avalabile right now! The difference is the microbes you are combating. I think that the types in biological weapons will differ from those around the tub and toilet. If it can be done SW will certainly do it. If you had to choose someone to perform your heart transplant, would you choose the new guy fresh out of med school? Or would you choose the grizzled ancient doctor who has seen most every scenario play out on his operating table time and time again? Further, CBS and mass media in general will spin anything any direction in an effort to make a story. Headlines get attention and make advertising space more valuable. This is how CBS makes it''s money!! Every business entity has a method for growth. The media is no exception. Sherwin-Williams develops new paint technologies and applies them in pratical ways. Place that with fantastic, trademark customer service and you have a value that cannot be matched. Further, the integrity of SW makes it an easy choice for any person or group.

[paint2007]

Clearly, the person below is either an employee of Sherwin Williams or he/she has no clue about the paint industry. I have been in R&D for over 20 years in paint, there are other paint companies that could do the same.

All paint companies should get a grant for this. It is unfair. This from someone who has stock in Sherwin Williams.

[keithinth]

Okay, how about doing some research before writing the story. Look into a line of products called CARC paint. The paint and coatings industry is highly competitive, high tech field. The products that the government wants researched are attainable. How does a paint product that greatly protects tank crews from chemical and biological warfare agents sound to all the parents of American service men? Moreover how does it sound to the service men themselves? To me, just the idea is worth a grant to investigate. By the way, Sherwin-Williams is the largest paint company in America. Maybe that had something to do with why the government chose them to do the research.

[prhemmes]

As a chemist, I remember that there was research on developing a microbial resistant paint in the 1960''s. If you Google "antimicrobial paint" you get over 1000 hits. This paint probably exists today. If there was a specific need for something special, governmant grant procedures, open to all small companies, could offer funding at a much lower cost to the government. There is no justification for this earmark at all except to raise campaign contributions.

[paint2007]

I can make a tape also. I think other firms could use the 2 million dollars for R&D expense also. Does congress support free trade or are we moving to state run operations?

That congress lady has no clue about the dark side of large paint companies. Maybe I can sell my old car to her for 1 million dollars of tax payer.

[irishfight70]

this is stupid, useless adn retarded, why dont you use the money for something useful like for orphanages or something tha nthis stupid ***

[pastdue1]

Two million dollars is not so much money.
Posted by CBS_Oliver
$2 million for Ohio by a congressperson who doesn''t even understand why.
Multiply the $2 million by the 50 states and you get $100 million. Wouldn''t that fund the current children''s health bill?

[pwrslm]

Two million dollars is not so much money.
Posted by CBS_Oliver

two dollars is not so much money. two million is a million times more

the real figure is somewhere around 47 billion

this is the one that got into the light of day

they all should be stopped

it doesnt cost much, but those who we elect are just as prone to the same corruption as the last batch

its time to make a constitutional amendment ending the abuses of congress

that would cost a lot

but compared to what they are stealing from us

its not much

[softspoken99]

3 words: Solar power paint.

[whispyseas]

'' ... i said close vietnam, they said, ''sir yes sir'', i said go dare all the kids, they said, ''sir yes sir'', i said i''m no sir i''m a ma''am, they said ''sir yes sir'', i said go jump in a lava lake, they got real quiet ... i''m so sorry ... really i am ... but last i checked: people did not spontaneously erupt in the middle of oblivion, earth did not come before eternity, therefore, i cannot possibly be surrounded by the suffering and by the mortal, because for that to happen, first i''d have to choose, consciously choose to do so, then i''d have to find myself in a place full of not only people, but of plants and animals and clouds and stars and molecules and microbes that consciouly choose to find themselves in that exact same world at that exact same time ... and what are the odds of that ... ''