WASHINGTON, May 14 (UPI) -- After four years of work and tens of millions of tax dollars, a fraud-free identification card for transportation workers is two years behind schedule.
The Transportation Worker Identification Credential, seen as a tool in the war against terrorism, hasn't even begun production.
The New York Times reports much of the money trail leads to pork projects in the district of Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky., the chairman of the Homeland Security budget subcommittee.
Rogers was appointed to the appropriations subcommittee in 1995 and soon after landed a contract for legal immigration identification cards to be produced in his district.
During the 2002 debates over the transportation worker cards, he was able to steer projects to his district, using the same patent technology of the immigration cards, the Times said.
Jay M. Meier, a senior securities analyst at industry research firm MJSK Equity Research, said, "Something stinks in Corbin," referring to the Kentucky town that has benefited the most from Rogers.
Many of the companies who received pork projects have contributed to his campaigns, the newspaper said.
His son, John Rogers, works for a company that has also been awarded contracts.
And a group that held a no-bid contract until this week has footed the bill for 11 trips Rogers has taken -- six of which were to Hawaii, the Times reported.
