The Earmark Down the Street?

Legislators' earmarking ability may be restricted, but it certainly isn't dead. And the Washington Post is reporting that some big beneficiaries are perilously close to where members of Congress own property.

Constituent service indeed. Fair warning: the actual article is quite long.

The Post analyzed public records on the holdings of all 535 members and compared them with earmarks members had sought for pet projects, most of them since 2008. The process uncovered appropriations for work in close proximity to commercial and residential real estate owned by the lawmakers or their family members. The review also found 16 lawmakers who sent tax dollars to companies, colleges or community programs where their spouses, children or parents work as salaried employees or serve on boards.