PORKBUSTERS UPDATE: More on earmarks and corruption, with a focus on West Virginia:

WHEN she took over as speaker of the House, Democrat Nancy Pelosi said she would “drain the swamp” of political corruption. Then she proceeded to push to have her old friend Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., to be her right-hand man.

But Democrats balked. After all, Murtha was an unindicted co-conspirator in the Abscam scandal.

Still Murtha remains the leader of what can only be described as Earmarks Inc., a string of congressmen who have figured out how to use earmarks to benefit their campaigns and their families. . . .

There is a disturbing pattern of lobbyists raising money for congressmen who then steer earmarks to the clients of the lobbyists.

And some of those clients also are set up by the congressmen.

For example, Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-W.Va., set up five tax-exempt groups in West Virginia, including one headed by a former staff member.

Then Mollohan steered money to those groups. The FBI looked into those connections.

Mollohan is not alone.

Read the whole thing. I certainly agree with this:

The Bush administration has done a stellar job in going after the crooks. Republican Duke Cunningham’s eight-year prison sentence proves that.

In its final year, the Bush administration should not let up.

I hope the Department of Justices is listening.