Here’s the GAO press release. (PDF)
What I think happened is that the Air Force gave the contract for building a new refueling tanker to Airbus, which was going to build it in Mobile, because Richard Shelby was doing his thing. And then the Democrats took over Congress and Washington’s delegation did its thing, plus the economy went into the toilet, as did the dollar, and the government was looking for a way out. But this may be unduly cynical.
Shelby plays earmark game, and Tuscaloosa benefits | TuscaloosaNews.com
Richard Shelby will ultimately give over $10 million in federal money to build a parking deck in downtown Tuscaloosa. But it’s not just a parking deck!
‘It’s more than just a parking deck. It’s an intermodal facility,’ said Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox.
So, everyone, don’t worry, your tax dollars aren’t being used on a parking deck, but on an intermodal facility.
Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby adds millions in domestic spending to war funding bill- al.com
Alabama’s senior senator, the Porkmeister:
“If we’re dealing with terrorists in the world then we’ve got to deal with child predators here,” Shelby said after he persuaded the committee to add $50 million to help track unregistered sex offenders.
Dick, the two don’t really have anything to do with each other. Not anything.
He’s the one who’s supposed to bring in massive amounts of federal spending while the Troll complains about it. My world is upside down!
Katrina aid goes to condo buyers | TuscaloosaNews.com
So this story has been going around the last couple of days and some people have been critical of the University of Alabama, and of Alabama football fans, for supposedly taking advantage of a tax break that was meant for Katrina victims. I thought this was odd, since the break seems to be being used only by private developers, not by the University or individuals.
So I called up media relations at the University and talked to the boss out there. She was not particularly interested in my questions, since I am by my own description “just a blogger”, and had no formal statement. However, she says that from all she can tell my perception is correct, that the University has nothing to do with this, that it all the doing of private developers.
This should by no means excuse Richard Shelby, whose fault this is.
Award tanker deal on merit, Riley urges- al.com
Bob Riley and Jo Bonner (Republican rep from Mobile) went up to DC to argue that the Airbus plant in the Mobile area should get the contract to build refueling tankers for the Air Force. The other option is Boeing, which would build them in Washington State. Which has two Democratic senators and a Democratic representative. (“Which” in this instance can refer either to Boeing or to Washington.)
“After serving up here for six years I know exactly what is going to go on,” said Riley, a former congressman. “It’s one of the biggest acquisition contracts in history of the Department of Defense, and I know everyone … has a tendency to make it political. I’m just trying to encourage everyone, especially the decision makers, `Please don’t let that happen.'”
Sorry. It’s gonna happen. You’re pretty much screwed. Sorry about that. At any event, the blatant hypocrisy of complaining about pork after all the Federal money shoved into Alabama’s trough over the years by Richard Shelby and Bud Cramer and Tom Bevill and so forth… Well, it’s par for the course.
Cramer, Everett steer $31 million in spy funds- al.com
$97 million in earmarked pork in the intelligence bill, and nearly a third of it is from Cramer and Everett. The Democrats have put in a new rule that lays out who’s responsible for earmarks, but Cramer and Everett have no shame. The bill may not get past the Senate, or Li’l George’s veto.
Thomason Tracts 