Updates Today -- Tysons Corner Metro project update -- Apparently, the battle is over. Bechtel, and its Republican friends have won the day. In the end, Virgina's Governor, Tim Kaine, blinked. Kaine took seriously the threats to squelch federal funding for a Metro tunnel, so he finally settled on elevated track through Tysons Corner. This means that Bechtel will continue to manage the project. Rep. Tom Davis (VA-11th) stuck his nose in this, warning Gov. Kaine that federal funding might be lost if he chose to go with an alternate proposal to build underground stations and a tunnel through the area. It's not even his district. An historic opportunity to build something really special in that area of Northern Virginia has been lost. Rep. Davis can be proud. Every time Virginians look up at the track and watch trains cut through the neighborhood, they can remember this corrupt bastard.

Davis' history of accepting money from Bechtel ($11,000), and a former Bechtel executive ($20,000) is documented at www.opensecrets.org and on the website of Davis' challenger, Andrew Hurst. http://www.hurstforcongress.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=313&Itemid=1. This year, Bechtel contributed the maximum allowable $5,000.00 to Davis' war chest. This was a small investment by the historically Republican-run international construction company -- a small investment that has paid a big dividend today.

The story on Gov. Kaine's regrettable decision is in today's Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/06/AR2006090601340.html