« previous | MUCK HOME | next »
Don Young: A Porker for All
Is there anyone to match Rep. Don Young's (R-AK) earmarking abilities? Sure, Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) knows his way around an appropriations bill. But contractors know that the way to Murtha's heart is to open an office in his district. Convincing Young to dole out federal dollars, however, seems even easier.
Witness the $280 billion 2005 transportation bill, Young's masterpiece, the culmination of 30 plus years of experience. In it, Young not only tagged hundreds of millions for his home state -- including his own bridge to nowhere -- but he delivered for projects all over the country. Back in August, we gave a rundown of four states where contributors had ponied up for Young's attention, and this weekend, McClatchy took a step back to admire the full scope of Young's popularity outside of Alaska:
With money pouring in from transportation interests, Young amassed $6.5 million in political contributions from 2001 to 2005. Facing weak political opposition at home, he didn’t need much for his campaign. Instead, Young tapped his campaign fund to travel the country, often lavishly and in corporate jets, to meet with more developers and view their proposed highway projects....Of the $6.5 million in contributions that Young collected — $5.5 million for his campaign and $1 million for his leadership political action committee (PAC) — about 85 percent came from people who didn’t live in Alaska and couldn’t vote for him.
And many of those contributors weren't disappointed. We've written often about Florida's Coconut Road project. But what about $5 million to help a developer build the largest shopping mall in America in Syracuse, New York? They're just two among many. Take a look.
Comments (12)
Anonymous wrote on November 12, 2007 1:13 PM:none of it was illegal just highly unethical unless VECO phone calls are out there...then its a different story
does Sen. Lisa Murkowski's husband, Verne Martell, have a prior federal conviction from the 80s? If so, for what.
how much does Sen. Stevens wife make lobbying? who hires her
fafner1 wrote on November 12, 2007 3:30 PM:Young’s “Bridge to Nowhere” would have made a lot of money for people whose land would have been within commuting distance of Anchorage as a result. Reportedly the road to the bridge would have been named “The Don Young Way”.
Bill Dettering for Ethan Berkowitz wrote on November 12, 2007 4:31 PM:This guy is a major crook. Ethan Berkowitz, the former Democratic Speaker of the House in Alaska, is running against him. If Ethan is going to restore integrity to Alaska's congressional seat, he could use your help fighting $6 million in special interest money:
Anonymous wrote on November 12, 2007 5:21 PM:http://www.actblue.com/page/ethanberkowitz08
Come on! The FBI has been investigating him for months and there's been nothing. If they had anything they would have done something about it or at the very least leaked it to the press. His home wasn't raided was it? No recorded phone calls with VECO? So where do you get off calling him a crook? You may not like the system but he's no different than the 434 other members. Hate the game, not the player.
Anonymous wrote on November 12, 2007 5:26 PM:Come on! The FBI has been looking into his dealings for months and there's nothing. If they had anything they would have acted on it by now or at the very least leaked it to the press. Did he have his home raided? Recorded calls with VECO officials? Nope. So where do you get off calling him a crook?
He did his job as Chairman and he's no different than the 434 other members - Dems and Repubs alike. You may not like the system but you can't blame a guy for getting the job done. Hate the game, not the player.
PalmerBuyer wrote on November 12, 2007 7:04 PM:I sure hope Don IS different than the other House members. I'd sure hate to think they ALL are arrogant greedy jerks.
Haven't voted for him for years. Bo peep could run and I'd vote for anybody but Don. And I USED to like him.
Bottom line: too many years of an 'entitlement' mentality and arrogance. Enough is enough.
It is time for Don to RETIRE. Maybe he can beat the indictments.
BTW, it isn't the game; this player cheats.
Kuparuk wrote on November 12, 2007 7:37 PM:"He did his job as Chairman and he's no different than the 434 other members - Dems and Repubs alike. You may not like the system but you can't blame a guy for getting the job done. Hate the game, not the player."
He did not get the job done. The job is *not* to pass out tax dollars to campaign contributors, but to responsible spend those dollars in the best interest of of the US.
If you think he did the job correctly, you misunderstand the purpose of a congressman.
I dub thee troll.
(btw, you can donate at Ethan's own site, http://www.ethanberkowitz.com, linked above)
Betty wrote on November 12, 2007 10:50 PM:Why is he still a representative? He had someone sneak into a room in the middle of the night and illegally change a legal document produced by the House of Representatives and the Senate, doesn't anyone there care?
Anonymous wrote on November 13, 2007 12:11 AM:No wonder they run crying when ever republicans say boo, they have no self respect, they don't even take their own bills seriously.
I wonder if I can get into that room, I could use a few million of "free" money. Piss on the tax payers!
If you knew anything about how a bill becomes a law you would know that the enrollment process is done by members and staff from the House and Senate, Dems and Repubs and that the only person - only person - who can change the bill is the Enrollment Clerk. If he/she doesn't want to make a change, it doesn't happen. Don is powerful but he's not that powerful.
Anonymous wrote on November 13, 2007 1:14 AM:
Ed*ard Teller wrote on November 13, 2007 10:53 AM:Correction!
Don is powerful but not that smart
I campaigned for Young in 1978 and 1980. Not since. He may only be under investigation by the FBI, rather than under indictment. But he refuses to discuss how the Coconut Road earmark were unconstitutionally made. He has lied - that's right, lied - about his connections to Jack Abramoff. When he was responsible for the welfare of the residents of the CNMI, he sold them out to an Asian criminal empire.
This past weekend, Alaska Freemasons rebelled after being told he was to be elevated at an Anchorage ceremony. Nobody under investigation by the FBI had been so honored by Alaska Masons. They felt sullied. His name was quietly removed from the ceremony. Call his office and ask how and why all that went down.
I have a lot of respect for former state representative Berkowitz. But Ethan would have more credibilty at this point of his primary campaign if he were better at answering questions posed to him by the media, at call-in programs, or at campaign events. I've spoken with several reporters and Democratic Party officials who are beginning to wonder "if there's a 'there' there" on Berkowitz. I think Alaskans, especially citizens and voters who have had enough of the same old thing so representative of Young and our state pols who have been busted, want more than a candidate who seeks to carefully, without fully answering questions about our future, walk into the August Party nomination.
borealfox wrote on November 13, 2007 6:28 PM:WHERE DOES DON YOUNG LIVE?
If anyone thinks that Don Young is an Alaskan they are very wrong. If you think he lives where he says he does in Alaska, Fort Yukon, take a look at that shack that's falling down.
The only thing that I hope is that he's put in jail and enjoys pruno as much as he has all that fine whiskey that he's poured down his throat for so many years. He's an old drunk who's time is up ............. in more ways than one. Sure wish I was going to be around to read the history books in another fifty years and watch how he's going to be treated in them.