Is This a Stickup? Family members are being hired up by railroad interests

[The Straight Story]

Is This a Stickup?

Climb aboard, the train is leaving the station! Family members are being hired up by railroad interests facing an overhaul of rail safety rules.

"Like every other industry, we felt it was important to have representatives from both the Democratic and Republican side," said Peggy Nasir, spokeswoman for the Association of American Railroads, which hired Shuster, Lipinski, and Sante and Michael Esposito. "We are meeting all the standards we need to meet for lobbying."

The lobbyist hires to which Nasir is referring are: Former Representative Bud Shuster of transportation pork barrel fame and father of sitting Congressman Bill Shuster (R-PA) on the House railroads subcommittee, Former Representative William Lipinski and father of sitting Congressman Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) also on the subcommittee, and the father and brother of majority staff director of the subcommittee, Jennifer Esposito.

An investigation by USA Today last year found that “in 2005 alone, appropriations bills contained about $750 million for projects championed by lobbyists whose relatives were involved in writing the spending bills.” That’s a lotta dough! And makes a few of us wonder, is this a stickup?

-- Beth Daley

http://pogoblog.typepad.com/

[Dr.Phool]

1. I wouldn't put it past them.

As a retired railroader, and a former member of my UTU negotiating team, I've seen it all.

But just in case, I'll send this along to the International.

[The Straight Story]

2. what did you do for the railroads?

I became fascinated with them when I lived in Tehachapi (the loop and all that).