Following the Money

In the wake of the Randy Cunningham and Jack Abramoff scandals, the New York Times and Washington Post continued to dig deep last week into congressional sleaze. Eric Lipton of the Times shows how the Department of Homeland Security has failed to create a tamperproof ID card for transportation workers while Rep. Harold Rogers has forced money earmarked for the card to firms in his Kentucky district. Lipton's "In Kentucky Hills, a Homeland Security Bonanza" reveals that one of these groups has taken Rogers on six trips to Hawaii, and another one employs his son.
In "West Virginia Democrat is Scrutinized," the Post's Jeffrey H. Birnbaum describes how Rep. Alan B. Mollohan grew rich as he helped funnel millions of dollars to nonprofit groups he had close dealings with in his impoverished West Virginia district. Thanks to Lipton and Birnbaum for investigating how our tax dollars are really spent.