USA Today: Specter helped win OK for... grant for client of staffer's son

[Eugene]

Specter helped win OK for $200,000 grant for client of staffer's son
Updated 4/24/2006 11:42 PM ET

By Matt Kelley, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Sen. Arlen Specter obtained a $200,000 grant last year
for a Philadelphia foundation represented by the son of one of Specter's
top aides,the latest example of how the Pennsylvania Republican has helped
clients of lobbyists related to members of his staff.

Bill Reynolds, Specter's chief of staff, said an investigation found
two lobbyists who sought financial favors and who were related to staff
members. Specter has changed his office rules to ban lobbying by staffers'
relatives.

"The better practice is what we have now. We're living and learning,"
Specter said in an interview.

In February, USA TODAY reported that Specter helped get almost $50 million
in funding for clients of a lobbying firm run by the husband of Specter's
top appropriations aide, Vicki Siegel Herson. After that, Specter called
for a Senate ethics investigation of his office and asked his chief of staff
to determine whether there were other potential conflicts of interest.

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Full article: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-04-24-specter-probe_x.htm

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. I smell payback by angry Bushistas. The timing is strange

Specter has shown too much independence on a couple of issues, and they can't have that.