A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.

By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Wednesday, April 1, 1998

Although a pork-laden $217 billion highway bill is expected to pass in the House today, lawmakers from states benefiting from the bill are complaining just as loudly as lawmakers from neglected states that the whole plan is a sordid affair.

"Once he was disarmed, he didn't appear to be a threat to other travelers." – Dallas Airport spokesman Joe Dealey, on the Friday arrest of Kentucky legislator Pete Worthington for carrying a gun in his suitcase. (Lexington Herald-Leader, April 1)

Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) is calling the bill "an example of everything wrong with the way Washington used to work, and apparently still does." Of course, Arizona, which is not represented on the 73-member House Transportation Committee, is set to receive $46 million in pork projects. By contrast, Utah and New Mexico are reaping hefty benefits – $80 million and $75 million, respectively. The measure gives Nevada just $21 million and Colorado $42.6 million.

Wisconsin stands to benefit from having Rep. Tom Petri (R) as chairman of the House Surface Transportation Subcommittee. The bill would end Wisconsin's status as a "donor state," finally allowing it to get back more money from Congress than its citizens pay in federal transportation taxes. It might sound tough for Wisconsinites to have anything disparaging to say about such a bill, but Rep. Dave Obey (D) said he plans to vote against it because he thinks the spending plan is bad for the country as a whole.

Two Oppose Transportation Bill (The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, April 1)
A Boon for State, a Drain on U.S. Budget (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, April 1)
Congressional Guide: House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (washingtonpost.com)
Congressional Guide: House Surface Transportation Subcommittee (washingtonpost.com)

Wash. Passes Drunk Driving Bill as Feds Reject Mandate
Anticipating a federal mandate for states to lower their blood alcohol threshold for drunk driving, lawmakers around the country have been considering lowering the legal limit from .10 to .08. On Monday, Washington became the latest state to lower its limit. On Tuesday, a legislative committee on Capitol Hill decided not to add the requirement to the highway funding bill expected to be passed by the House today.
Much Harsher Penalties for Driving Drunk (The Seattle Times, March 31)

Gore Visiting Iowa Today
On the latest stop of a recent whirlwind tour of states that would be important to any presidential candidate, Vice President Gore is visiting Iowa today.
Gore's Visit to C.R. to Center on Osada (The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, March 31)

S.C. Video Poker Filibuster in 5th Day
In an effort to prevent a vote to ban video poker in South Carolina, Charleston Democrat Ernie Passailaigue has been speaking on the floor of the state Senate for the last three days. The filibuster is expected to enter its sixth day today, with no end in sight. Republican Larry Grooms is in his ninth day of his liquid-only diet to show his opposition to video poker.
'Talk and Talk and Talk' (The State, Columbia, S.C., April 1)
Parties Dueling Over Poker (The State, Columbia, S.C., April 1)

Rep. Kim Will Serve Time in Washington
A federal judge Tuesday ordered Rep. Jay Kim (R-Calif.) to serve his two-month home detention in Washington D.C., essentially preventing Kim from campaigning for reelection in his home district. Kim was sentenced March 11 for accepting and concealing illegal campaign contributions. His lawyers had hoped to delay his serving time or at least working out a way for him to serve it both in California and Washington.
Judge Orders Kim to Serve Home Detention in Washington Area (The Los Angeles Times, April 1)

Utah Gov. Pushes Western Primary Coalition
Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt (R) on Tuesday spoke before the Colorado Senate, urging lawmakers to join other Western states to create a coalition of early presidential primaries that would give those states more clout.
Leavitt Tries to Round Up Western States Into a Political Posse (The Salt Lake Tribune, April 1)

Democratic Challenger Drops Out in Alabama's 6th District
Birmingham lawyer George Harris said on Monday that he would no longer run a Democratic challenge to incumbent Republican Rep. Spencer Bachus in Alabama's 6th Congressional District. Harris said he would not be able to raise the estimated $900,000 he thought it would take to beat Bachus in the heavily Republican district.
Bachus Opponent Drops Out (The Birmingham News, March 31)
Candidate Announcements (The Birmingham News, March 31)

Flynn Pumping Populist Message in Mass.
While other candidates for Massachusetts governor are trying to out tax-cut each other, former Democratic Boston mayor Ray Flynn is running on a platform to spend more on the needy, even raising taxes if necessary.

Meanwhile, Republican gubernatorial candidates are far outpacing the fund-raising efforts of Democratic hopefuls. Boston Globe columnist Brian C. Mooney takes a look at the lackluster lineup of candidates.
Flynn Swims Against the Tide (The Boston Globe, April 1)
Republicans Widen Fund-Raising Gap (The Boston Globe, April 1)
Little to Cheer About Over This Lineup in Governor's Race (The Boston Globe, April 1)

Rusthoven Hits Air First in Indiana GOP Senate Race
Republican Senate candidate Peter Rusthoven began airing the first radio commercials of the Indiana primary race on Monday. Voters go to the polls on May 5.
Rusthoven Airs First Ads in Senate Race (Indianapolis Star-News, March 31)

Filing Deadlines Pass in Arkansas, Missouri
Filing deadlines in Arkansas and Missouri passed on Tuesday with little surprise.
429 Candidates Enter the Fray as Political Filing Comes to End (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 1)
Candidates Flock to File Before Deadline (The Post-Dispatch, St. Louis, April 1)

Ryan Thornburg can be reached at ryan.thornburg@washingtonpost.com