Georgia Governor Nathan Deal Receives $8000 Kickback from Delta Airlines

In all levels of government, special interests try to find their way into the legislative process anyway they can. It's because of their influence and sway over certain legislators that they can win subsidies and tax breaks that hurt a state's fiscal well-being, but is good for an industry's bottom line.

This is the case in Georgia, where Governor Nathan Deal and his wife received close to $8,000 in airline miles and special privileges from Delta Airlines, a Georgia-based company, as a thanks for exempting the company from a sales tax on fuel, worth nearly $30 million over two years. Needless to say, this kickback sparked outrage throughout the state, especially since it was this governor who signed an executive order barring legislators from receiving more than $25 in gifts from lobbyists and anybody who does business with the state of Georgia. Governor Deal's spokesman defended the kickback because it was meant for "economic development" within the state, and the Governor and his wife would only use the free miles on matters of state, not for personal vacations, which exempts it from the executive order. Delta's response was that they reward all legislators in a similar fashion, even though the gifts are nowhere close to the ones Governor Deal received.  More at www.silverunderground.com.

Judge Executive Stamps Out Corruption in Kentucky

Thomas Massie spent much of the last year working to get Rand Paul elected to the Senate. In the meantime, he decided to run for Judge Executive (essentially mayor) of his county. As this article demonstrates, the recently sworn-in Massie is downsizing government and exposing corruption, much to the displeasure of bureaucrats and politicians:

Some called allegations made during Lewis County Fiscal Court's Monday meeting an attempt to make government more transparent.

Others say it was an unnecessary airing of the county's "dirty laundry." ....

During the dialogue, Massie recognized a citizen in the audience to address the fiscal court. George Plummer, also a former judge executive, urged Massie and the magistrates to take the discussion of the allegations into executive session. He said the exposure of all the "dirty laundry" could damage or wreck careers....

"I think that's what I was elected to do," Massie said of the meeting and the exposure of the county's "dirty laundry."

You will definitely want to read the full article here.

Planning to take a Tour of the District of Corruption (D.C.)?

Here's a visual metaphor of what to expect:

(Cartoon from Townhall)

Former Blackwater Employee Claims Government Paid for Blackwater's Prostitutes

From the New York Times:

According to the lawsuit, Ms. Davis raised concerns about the company’s bookkeeping with her bosses in March 2006, when she was handling accounts for the company’s contracts with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. The lawsuit claims she was told to “back off,” and that she “would never win a medal for saving the government money.”

Ms. Davis also asserts that a Filipino prostitute in Afghanistan was put on the Blackwater payroll under the “Morale Welfare Recreation” category, and that the company had billed the prostitute’s plane tickets and monthly salary to the government.

How did this go unnoticed for so long? When will the corruption end?