Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) will impose new rules in his office that govern staffer relationships with lobbyists after a USA Today story exposed possible a conflict of interest in earmarks Specter wrote that benefited the lobbyist husband of Specter’s top appropriations aide. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Specter will have his chief of staff or legislative director “identify any situation in which a staffer might have a conflict of interest because of a relationship with advocates of an appropriations request.” He will also have “any company, institution or cause requesting appropriations through Specter’s offices would now be required to list the names of everyone who lobbies for it – not just who is representing it with Specter.”