Hillary, Butts and All

The price of politics: The above photo is of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and the unfortunately named Rev. Calvin O. Butts III, pastor of one of the oldest black churches in America, the Abyssinian Baptist Church of Harlem. On Sunday, Butts provided Clinton with what could prove to be a key endorsement in an increasingly racially charged campaign. And, wouldn't you know it, Hillary has given a little something to Butts, too. As CNSNews reports:

The $555-billion FY 2008 omnibus spending bill approved last month by Congress included 11 appropriations bills with almost 1,000 earmarks. Clinton teamed with senior New York Sen. Charles Schumer and New York Rep. Charles Rangel, both Democrats, to provide three earmarks for the Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC).

The ADC is a separate non-profit community development organization chaired by Butts that focuses on increasing quality housing, delivering social services, and boosting economic and educational opportunities in Harlem.

Clinton backed an $839,000 earmark to the development corporation's programs for at-risk youth; $446,500 for the organization to expand youth after-school programs; and $146,000 for the group's social service work.

Now, it's possible that there's no connection between the earmarks and the endorsement -- possible, but, well, let's just say $1 million in taxpayer cash certainly didn't hurt Clinton's chances with Rev. Butts.

But that reminds me: Weren't the Democrats going to get rid of earmarks when they took over Congress? I thought "everything changed" in Novemeber '06. Didn't it?