The National Taxpayer’s Union is calling for scrutiny of an earmark that awarded a Homeland Security contract:

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 4 /PRNewswire/ — As part of its ongoing effort to ensure the best value for the money Americans send to Washington, the 350,000- member National Taxpayers Union (NTU) today urged Congress to scrutinize a legislative earmark inserted by Representative Harold Rogers (R-KY) into the 2006 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Law. The provision would give an untested consortium responsibility for a major homeland security program under the auspices of a contract that was not competitively-awarded.

The beneficiaries of the eamrark are, according to NTU, a company called Daon–the firm is privately held–and the American Association of Airport Executives.

Worth noting that the AAAE have taken Rep. Rogers and his wife on trips to San Francisco, San Diego, and several in the middle of Winter to Hawaii over the years, including this one:

Sponsor(s) – American Association of Airport Executives Dates – January 6, 2002 – January 13, 2002 (8 days) Location(s) – Palm Springs, CA – Kona, HI

Purpose – aviation issues conference Notes – spouse Cynthia Rogers – Jan 12 listed as day at personal expense

Travel Cost – $13,717.84 Lodging Cost – $1,030.66 Meal Cost – $1,250.00 Other Cost – Total Cost – $15,998.50

Additional family members – Yes

Altogether, the American Association of Airline Executives spent $69,388.20 taking Rogers on 10 trips between 2000 and 2005, on six of which (at least — the records are unclear) he was accompanied by his wife.

Good enough for government work, I guess…