Don Young has spent more than one-quarter million dollars of his campaign contributio

[Mr Fury]

Young beefs up his legal resources
Lawmaker has spent $250,000-plus since hiring of law firm
STEVE QUINN
The Associated Press
Republican Congressman Don Young has spent more than one-quarter million dollars of his campaign contributions on legal services since he put a Washington, D.C., law firm on retainer this year, according to recent regulatory filings.
Young's relationships with a Wisconsin trucking executive and a Michigan-based real-estate developer doing business in Florida have come under scrutiny, but he is not under any legal investigation.
Still, the campaign has since paid out monthly sums to Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld since March. Young's campaign manager Steve Dougherty said he was unable to comment on the quarterly disclosures saying, "it's pretty self-explanatory."
In April, after Young filed his first quarter report, Dougherty had said the campaign put this firm on retainer for wide ranging consulting.
At the time, Dougherty called the hiring a "safety precaution for our organization and Congressman Young to seek advice and second opinions."
The campaign has paid the firm $25,000 in March; $85,103 in April; $87.128.23 in May and $70,075.04 in June. It has also paid another Washington firm Tobin, O'Connor, Ewing & Richard nearly $20,000 total since April.
Young has been targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as a Republican it plans to unseat with one of its own yet-to-be named candidates.
Late last month in an interview with The Associated Press, Young simply said, "let them try."
Alaska's lone representative since a special election in 1973, Young remains undaunted by the national attention he has received. Young said he's abundantly aware of the election environment he's in.
"I'm the one they would like to eliminate," Young said. "It doesn't bother me as long as I do what's right for this state and run the best campaign that I can. Then it's up to the people."
Initially the issue of legal help coincided with about $20,000 worth of contributions made to Young by Wisconsin trucking executive Dennis Troha.
Young, as chairman of the Transportation Committee in 2005, was instrumental in attaching favorable trucking rules in a highway bill.
On Friday, Troha pleaded guilty to making illegal campaign donations to the Democratic Party and to President Bush.
Young was considering returning the money, but his reports do not reflect a substantive refund. Young's staff has said the congressman never met Troha or his family.
Young has also been taking heat a $10 million earmark for a Florida road project that would benefit developer Daniel J. Aronoff, who helped raise $40,000 for Young's re-election.

[gopherbob]

we should use the chinese approach when dealing with self serving corrupt politicians/government officials.