Richard Shelby accused of steering $250M worth of earmarks to former aides

[babylonsister]

http://blog.al.com/live/2010/07/politics_links_richard_shelby.html

Politics links: Richard Shelby accused of steering earmarks to former aides
Published: Thursday, July 29, 2010, 4:00 PM Updated: Thursday, July 29, 2010, 4:49 PM


Political news from around the web:

Since 2008, Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby has steered more than $250 million in earmarks to entities represented by former staffers, according to Politico. The sum includes $175 million for the University of Alabama System, which employs to Ray Cole, a former Shelby campaign manager, as a lobbyist. The website reports the beneficiaries of Shelby's earmarking have given nearly $1 million to his campaign committees. The earmarks do not appear break Senate rules or ethics laws.

:wtf: Why is this legal?



Corruption So Blatant Nobody Pays Attention

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/62530

[OhioChick]

1. Shameful n/t

[napi21]

2. Shelby is a jerk, but if we crucified every congressman for

listening to lobbyists ( MANY who are former staffers) we wouldn'd have anyone in congress at all!

[davidinalameda]

3. and that would be a bad thing why?

:shrug:

[napi21]

5. Bad as they all are at times, a country doesn't run itself. Worse,

IMO, would be that problems & grievances would be settled by vigilantes and that's the alternative to a congress, the laws they make, & those who enforce them.

[Octafish]

14. ''Corruption in public office is treason.'' -- Adlai Stevenson

Look about:

Wars for no reason enriching the connected; corporate "rights" trump human rights; an economy that benefits the few at the top at the expense of the vast majority; trillions for Wall Street bailouts and no money for anyone else; public education defunded to the point where people can be satisfied watching television for most of their free hours; major cities abandoned to serve as open air prisons; no regulation or oversight of those who rip off the nation.

Where's Congress? Where are the Courts? Where's the Executive?

Where? No where to be seen or be effective in their duty.

[Oceansaway]

4. K&R...n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. "We have Bin Laden on the Run" Shelby?

All the more interesting since Shelby said right before we were hit with 9/11.

[lib2DaBone]

7. Maybe we need to get the Attorneys and Judges out of the Legislature...

How about a Pipefitter for Congress.. or an Electrician? Or a Housewife? Sharron Angle/Sarah Palin..(never mind...a bad Idea)

[saigon68]

13. A Plumber

Like Wurzelbacher

[Historic NY]

8. Wait you can pay off you buddies & former employees with public funds...

and its not illegal its is ethically challenged.

[babylonsister]

9. I hear you; why isn't this illegal? Shouldn't we expect

elected officials to be working for us, not their buddies?

[malaise]

10. Oh My!!

Hopefully DOJ will give him a call - like Coburn.

[Mnemosyne]

11. Shelby was elected a D, within a week or two switched to R, mid-1990's

He's a crook and a liar.

[Ross K]

12. Hey, he's a Republican!

Whaddaya expect? :shrug:

[Octafish]

15. Shelby's chums with Rove

Remember, he was behind 70 blanket holds on Obama nominees to the courts, etc.