Lawmakers want homeland security 'boondoggles' exposed

[DoYouEverWonder]

February 20, 2006

There's still plenty of homeland security pork going to the dogs.

Consider, for example, that a $30,000 trailer was bought for a mushroom festival in Texas or that bulletproof vests were purchased for police dogs in Ohio -- all money that could have been spent in New York City where a realistic homeland security threat exists, Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Forest Hills) said Sunday at a news conference.

Weiner poked holes in the formula used to dispense homeland security funds, saying it is so vague that it allows the U.S. Virgin Islands to claim a small chunk of money.

He vowed to push legislation this week to make public how every jurisdiction spends funds they receive in the name of homeland security, including small counties in upstate New York.

"All of that is happening, while we here in New York don't have enough funds for overtime," Weiner said.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/am-secu0220,0,6929551.story?coll=ny-nycnews-headlines

[pinto]

1. Rep Weiner has a real legit beef. HS has become a crony pork fest.

*Mixed metaphor alert, there.* But you get my point.

[LiberalEsto]

2. In Montgomery County MD, DHS guys spy in libraries

Two DHS "security officers" hassled a guy in a Bethesda library last week about what was on his computer screen - apparently porn. The librarian intervened and called the police and the DHS guys were kicked out of the library and reassigned to other duties. County officials denounced the behavior of the DHS guys and said they had no right to hassle library patrons.

This was reported in the Washington Post.

If these guys don't have anything better to do, why aren't they in New York City guarding the ports and harbors?

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. They would probably need permission from the Arabs

n.t

[Javaman]

4. morons* middle name stands for WASTE.

and there you go, the new bumper sticker! W aste.

[madmark]

5. And they give the UAE US port operations