Porking out

The Wounded Marine Careers Foundation, currently being sued by ex-Marines, some of whom allege they ended up paying $88,000 worth of their veteran’s benefits for ten weeks of film school, is the beneficiary of a $285,000 earmark in the budget bill signed last week by President Barack Obama. According to records prepared by Taxpayers for Common Sense, GOP congressman Duncan Hunter and Democrat Bob Filner jointly requested the funds. Disclosure documents show that the foundation hired the Washington office of San Diego’s Carpi Clay & Smith last May to lobby for “funding for vocational rehabilitation and education programs for wounded veterans.” Kevin Lombard and Judith Paixao, founders of the group, contend that the veterans knew about the costs of the program when they signed up.