Corruption: business as Usual in Congress' management of DC, by fiat.
"The "favor for a favor" culture that grips Capitol Hill made Cunningham's D.C. earmark possible. Truth is, beneath all of the high-profile partisan wrangling that goes on in Congress, the glue holding Capitol Hill together is behind-the-scenes mutual back-scratching."

Congressional earmarks are no secret. They're found in the District's and most federal appropriations bills. Most have stories behind them -- many banal but others strictly opportunistic and benefiting narrow interests. Rep. Tom Davis knows that, too.


From the Hill, Lessons in High-Stepping Hypocrisy: "Weiss said they learned that the owners of the stalls at the fish wharf were Maryland and Virginia residents who paid no D.C. taxes and were charged little rent for their leased space (about $50 to $100 a month, according to a former city official), and that they were grossing millions annually. He said they also learned that the lease on the Washington Marina was held by a family that had operated the business since 1951.
Given the deterioration of the two facilities and the lack of owner-initiated improvements at that prime location, Weiss and Monteilh decided to put the Washington Marina space up for competitive bidding. The existing owner could compete, of course, but would not be guaranteed to win. They also initiated discussions with the fish wharf occupants whose leases had expired. Weiss and Monteilh proposed to put them on a one-year lease, during which time the city would work with them to remodel while seeking more local and minority businesses to participate in the fish business.
And with that, up popped the devil and the District's introduction to Congress's special way of doing business in and with the nation's capital. Without asking, city officials found an extra $3 million in federal funds tucked into the D.C. fiscal 1999 appropriation. The money was a special congressional earmark to spruce up the Washington Marina and the Maine Avenue Fish Wharf. It came with a catch, however.
The $3 million could not be spent by the District on upgrading the marina and fish market areas, the law said, 'unless the District executes a 30-year lease with the existing lessees of the marina.' Thus endeth the notion of putting prime waterfront property out for competitive bids. It was stopped dead in its tracks by the hand of Congress. The message could not h"