Just a reminder, we have a rotten Medicare prescription drug program in part because of the AARP.

Public Citizen has the details of some of AARP’s conflict of interest.

AARP Has Financial Conflict of Interest in Medicare Drug Bill

“Taking its business activities into account, AARP would stand to gain tens of millions of dollars each year in new income under the Republican Medicare bill, a finding that presents a significant conflict of interest for an organization trying to represent the best interests of its members,” said Frank Clemente, director of Public Citizen’s Congress Watch.  Read more 

Remember Krugman’s prediction that there was more reason to be suspicious of the US Attorneys who weren’t fired than of the ones who were? This one—who wasn’t fired at all, oh my no—IMHO stinks worse than all the rest put together. Now somebody else is starting to think so too. Fortunately the Someone Else is a US Senator, so we approach the point where attention must be paid:

Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Tuesday she wants answers about the departure of the former U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, who resigned last October before the Justice Department’s dismissal of eight other U.S. attorneys sparked controversy.

”I have questions about Debra Yang’s departure and I can’t answer those questions right at this time,” Feinstein, D-Calif. and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told reporters…[snip]

Debra Wong Yang went to work for a private law firm, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, and has said she left of her own accord.

Big deal. Ill-paid public service lawyer sells out for the big bux. Happens all the time, right? Nothing to see here, move along…move along I said dammit…pay no attention to

About five months before Yang’s departure, her office had opened an investigation into ties between Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., and a lobbyist. Gibson Dunn, the firm that hired her, is also the firm where Lewis’ legal team works.  Read more