An arcane section of a bill passed last December grants special rights to just three crab fishing companies. All of them have heads who have made substantial contributions to Representative Don Young (R-AK), and two of the three also have ties to Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK). According to the watchdog group Public Citizen, the earmark is âtypical of Don Young-style legislatingâ – it âsmacks of political favoritism, sidestepped the normal process for changing federal fishery rules, wasn’t subject to a public debate or hearing, and was inserted into a major bill at the last minute.â (Anchorage Daily News)
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=179297