Washington Post: In the space of three years, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., made a $2 million profit on a real estate investment back home in Illinois. During that time, the speaker intervened

Washington Post: In the space of three years, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., made a $2 million profit on a real estate investment back home in Illinois. During that time, the speaker intervened in negotiations over a mammoth transportation spending bill to get $207 million in federal funding earmarked for two nearby highway projects, including an interchange just 5 1/2 miles from the Hastert property. Was the speaker taking care of folks back home -- or was he taking care of himself?
Evidence of the latter is rather thin. Land prices in the area were soaring even before the new highway money came about. A partner in the company that bought the land said the price was set in 2004; the earmark wasn't approved until last year.
But if the story of Hastert's excellent investment is not one of political scandal, it is a cautionary tale about the potential for abuse. With the explosion of earmarks in recent years comes the temptation for lawmakers to use them for personal gain.
Hastert is not alone
Hastert isn't the only politician to be questioned recently about whether earmarks redounded to his benefit: Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., doubled his investment on a four-acre plot after snagging $9.5 million to build a freeway interchange and spur commercial development near the Air Force base about 16 miles away. Rep. Gary Miller, R-Calif., got $1.28 million for street improvements near a development he co-owns.
The politicians deny any wrongdoing. "I owned land and I sold it, like millions of people do every day," Hastert said. But millions of people aren't the speaker; they don't help control millions in federal funding. Mixing real estate investing and earmark pushing makes for risky political business. A county commissioner who pushes a local project that could help boost an investment is going to face tough questions from voters. When members of Congress act like county commissioners -- but with an oversized checkbook -- they can expect the same. This is yet another argument for cracking down on earmarking gone wild.