Politico "breaks" the "news" that Pork King Richard Shelby is directing vast sums of taxpayer dollars to those who hire his former staffers as lobbyists. Just since 2008, Shelby has directed $250 million in earmarks to entities that employed lobbyists who used to work in his Senate office. Coincidentally (or not!) lobbyists and employees of those earmark benificiaries have contributed nearly a million dollars to Shelby. That doesn't look like much return on investment for Shelby, but remember, the $250 million isn't his money -- it's yours and mine.
“Sen. Shelby, like Rep. Murtha before him, takes trading earmarks for campaign dollars to a level most members of Congress can only dream about,” said Melanie Sloan, executive director of the organization [Center for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington]. “Also like Murtha, Shelby earmarks for the benefit of his former-staffers-turned-lobbyists.”
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Shelby’s earmarking doesn’t appear to run afoul of Senate rules or federal ethics laws. But critics said his tactics are part of a Washington culture in which lawmakers direct money back home to narrow interests, which, in turn, hire well-connected lobbyists — often former congressional aides — who enjoy special access on Capitol Hill.
“It is a system that is in direct conflict of interest with our oath of office because it’s parochial,” said Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), an earmark critic who declined to comment on Shelby directly.
This is not new "news" to anyone who watches Shelby's actions -- he is proud of his ability to bring millions in earmarks to the state and his fundraising is simply obscene -- but you will look long and hard to find any articles like this one in the Alabama press. Why is that?
A Hill insider familiar with Shelby’s earmarking said that the senator is “looked at like Robin Hood in northern Alabama,” especially in the Huntsville region, with its growing military and space industries. “The people there genuinely feel like they’ve been victims of federal policies. Shelby is helping them get even.”
We get about $1.30 back for every dollar we pay in federal taxes, and still think we're being victimized by the feds. And Richard Shelby equals Robin Hood. What is wrong with this picture?
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Politico "breaks" the "news" that 
