The earmarks of a scandal
Hastert's profits on earmarks $2 million, groups say
House speaker used his position to raise his own land value, the complaint claims
By JONATHAN WEISMAN
Washington Post
Copyright 2006
WASHINGTON - House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., netted a close to $2 million profit last year on the sale of land near a highway project he helped to finance with targeted federal funds.
Hastert says he was securing funds his home district wanted badly, and that in no way did the earmark have any impact on the land values of his investment. But for watchdog groups, the case opened a fresh avenue for investigation in the ongoing controversy over earmarks, home-district projects funded through narrowly written legislative language.
"The sound bites from politicians have always been that they're doing what's best for their districts, but we're starting to see a pattern that looks like they might be doing what's best for their pocketbooks," said Keith Ashdown, vice president of the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense.
Allegations that Hastert used a home-district "earmark" for his personal enrichment are now at the center of a tussle between the most powerful man in Congress and a new watchdog organization that uncovered the land deal this month. Hastert has strongly denied any wrongdoing, and has demanded a retraction from the Sunlight Foundation.
In 2002, Hastert was driving to a parade in Sycamore, Ill., when he saw a post-and-beam house he fell in love with, according to Dallas Ingemunson, a longtime friend. Hastert struck a deal with the owner on the spot, purchasing the house and 195 acres for $2.1 million.
In February 2004, Ingemunson, treasurer of Hastert's campaign committee, established Little Rock Trust 225. A week later, through the trust, Hastert and his business partners paid $340,000 for a 69-acre parcel, providing road access to part of Hastert's farm.
In May 2005, Hastert transferred the previously hemmed-in land from his farm to the land trust. That summer, Hastert personally intervened during negotiations over a huge transportation and infrastructure bill to secure two earmarks, $152 million to help build the Prairie Parkway through Kendall County and $55 million for an interchange 5.5 miles from his property. Bush signed the bill into law Aug. 10.
Then on Dec. 7, 2005, Little Rock Trust 225 sold Hastert's parcels to a subsidiary of the Robert Arthur Land Company for nearly $5 million.
© 2006 Washington Post: www.chron.com
House speaker used his position to raise his own land value, the complaint claims
By JONATHAN WEISMAN
Washington Post
Copyright 2006
WASHINGTON - House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., netted a close to $2 million profit last year on the sale of land near a highway project he helped to finance with targeted federal funds.
Hastert says he was securing funds his home district wanted badly, and that in no way did the earmark have any impact on the land values of his investment. But for watchdog groups, the case opened a fresh avenue for investigation in the ongoing controversy over earmarks, home-district projects funded through narrowly written legislative language.
"The sound bites from politicians have always been that they're doing what's best for their districts, but we're starting to see a pattern that looks like they might be doing what's best for their pocketbooks," said Keith Ashdown, vice president of the watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense.
Allegations that Hastert used a home-district "earmark" for his personal enrichment are now at the center of a tussle between the most powerful man in Congress and a new watchdog organization that uncovered the land deal this month. Hastert has strongly denied any wrongdoing, and has demanded a retraction from the Sunlight Foundation.
In 2002, Hastert was driving to a parade in Sycamore, Ill., when he saw a post-and-beam house he fell in love with, according to Dallas Ingemunson, a longtime friend. Hastert struck a deal with the owner on the spot, purchasing the house and 195 acres for $2.1 million.
In February 2004, Ingemunson, treasurer of Hastert's campaign committee, established Little Rock Trust 225. A week later, through the trust, Hastert and his business partners paid $340,000 for a 69-acre parcel, providing road access to part of Hastert's farm.
In May 2005, Hastert transferred the previously hemmed-in land from his farm to the land trust. That summer, Hastert personally intervened during negotiations over a huge transportation and infrastructure bill to secure two earmarks, $152 million to help build the Prairie Parkway through Kendall County and $55 million for an interchange 5.5 miles from his property. Bush signed the bill into law Aug. 10.
Then on Dec. 7, 2005, Little Rock Trust 225 sold Hastert's parcels to a subsidiary of the Robert Arthur Land Company for nearly $5 million.
© 2006 Washington Post:
posted by Porkus Maximus Tex: at Thursday, June 22, 2006
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