Denny's Grand Slam Land Grab

House Speaker Denny Hastert (R-IL) grabbed the opportunity to use $207-million in taxpayer money to make a personal $1.5 million profit on a land deal. (HT: ThinkProgress)





And the Washington Post says Mr Hastert isn't alone. They've got the skinny on pork projects enriching other members of Congress: Rep Ken Calvert (R-CA) made a huge land profit after a pork project drove up the value of some land he bought. And Rep Gary Miller (R-CA) tucked money into the highway bill to pay for street improvements -- on a real estate development he co-owns.

Bloomberg reports that Rep Alan Mollohan (D-WV) funnelled $179 million tax dollars to companies that contributed to his family run charity. The Robert H Mollohan Family Charitable Foundation took in $225,427 from 21 outfits that benefited from the Congressman's pork barrel spending on them.