Corrine Brown, Bill Young Named Among WaPo's Biggest Earmarkers

What do Corrine Brown, Bill Young, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have in common?

Hint: They're not all Democrats.

Hint II: They're not all from Florida.

Hint III: They're not all women.

The Final Jeopardy answer: They're named in a Washington Post story as major earmarkers of federal funds that will have the added benefit of improving the value of personal properties, or benefiting loved ones.

Here's a brief rundown, according to the Post:

Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.): In five years, from 2005 to 2010, the congresswoman representing CD 3 helped secure nearly $22 million for six clients of a lobbying firm where her daughter works that paid more than $1 million for the firm's services before Congress. Brown was also the sole sponsor of $1.79 million in earmarks sent to another of her daughter's clients, the Florida Times-Union reported in 2010.

Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla.): According to The Tampa Times, Young helped secure $73 million for companies where his sons worked as security administrator in the St. Petersburg office of Science Applications International Corp., a defense contractor, and as an outreach specialist for the National Forensic Science Technology Center. The congressman, who is serving his 21st term representing CD 10, told the Times in 2008 that the earmarks were based on merit, not because his sons were employed there.

Sen. Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.): In 2004 and 2005, the Senate majority leader secured $21.5 million to build a bridge over the Colorado River to connect Laughlin, Nev., with Bullhead City, Ariz, where Reid owns 160 acres of undeveloped land."As has been stated before, Senator Reid's support for the bridge has absolutely nothing to do with the property he owns and is based on the fact that the project is good for southern Nevada, and nothing else," a Reid spokeswoman said.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.): In the past 10 years, the House minority leader has helped secure $50 million for a light-rail project that provides direct access to San Francisco's Union Square (near where her husband owns a commercial building) and Chinatown for neighborhoods south of Market Street. Peter Schweizer exposed the earmarks in his book "Throw Them All Out," which chronicles the insider world he describes as "crony capitalism." A Pelosi spokesman said the project was requested by community leaders and the new stations will be farther from her husband's property than existing stations.