rat

n. a precisely targeted legislative amendment or bill proposed as a political favor. Subjects: English, United States, Connecticut, Politics

Editorial Note: Appears to be specific to Connecticut.

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Citations: 1993 Christopher Keating Hartford Courant (Conn.) (June 13) “Special deals have some legislators on ‘rat’ patrol” p. A1: State officials who are seeking to find pork-filled amendments say they are currently on “rat patrol.” Legislators sometimes disagree whether a bill is a rat or simply represents an effort to help someone who has been genuinely wronged by the system. 1998 Hartford Courant (Conn.) (Oct. 20) “While the cats were away…” p. A16: A rat, in the parlance of Connecticut state legislators, is a bill or an amendment slipped in quietly to favor a friend or a special interest. Two Hartford City Council members recently schemed to sneak through a rat. They had the audacity to think they could get away with it. 2004 Mark Pazniokas Hartford Courant (Conn.) (May 12) “Lawmakers OK Borrowing Boost”: The Senate passed it only after Democratic leaders agreed to repeal the special favor for Pawelkiewicz—known in legislative parlance as a “rat”—in a separate bill at a future date. 2004 Michele Jacklin Hartford Courant (Conn.) (May 26) “Legislative Stalling Becomes A Matter Of Degrees”: The measure was a “rat,” which, in legislative parlance, is a favor-bestowing amendment that supporters sneak through when (wink, wink, nod, nod) no one is looking.

Posted 26 May 04 | Permalink | Tell a Friend