posted at www.radaronline.com
D.C. CONFIDENTIAL
Former Hooker Sidekick To Control Federal Purse Strings
APPROPRIATE APPROPRIATOR? CalvertIt's good times for Republicans who love cheap hookers and shady land deals. Congressional Republicans are promoting ethically challenged fatcat politician Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA) to the powerful committee that controls federal spending!
The highly coveted Appropriations Committee seat opened up last month when fellow Californian Rep. John Doolittle stepped down after the FBI raided his home in an attempt to learn more about his relationship with corrupt super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
Calvert's involvement in several land dealsin his home state has raised the ire of a grand jury—and sane Republicans. Also raising eyebrows: a 2004 trip to Saudi Arabia Calvert took with disgraced ex-Rep. Duke Cunningham, a different convicted felon wrapped up in the Cunningham's bribery scandal, and a Saudi-American real estate developer whose father reportedly had close ties to Osama Bin Laden. Questions about Calvert's judgment first arose in 1993, though, following a run-in with police during which he tried to explain he was "just talkingwith a methadone-addled prostitute in the passenger seat of his car while covering his unzipped fly with his hands.
More sane Republicans are not so psyched about this impending new era of leadership. Conservative blog RedState has posted an "open declaration of war" on Republican leaders for their decision to elevate Calvert. For his part, Calvert's denied any wrongdoing, but RedState has concluded that House Republicans won't ditch their old business-as-usual ways without a muscular display of grassroots displeasure and is encouraging bloggers turn up the heat on the Republicans who supported Calvert's promotion: "We must scalp one member. That member's name is Ken Calvert."
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