Kerry seeks to block Bush's highways nominee

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Head of Boston's infamous 'Big Dig' project tapped WASHINGTON (AP) -- Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry said Tuesday he will prevent the former head of Boston's $14.6 billion "Big Dig," Richard Capka, from becoming head of the Federal Highway Administration. "I'm afraid Richard Capka could be the Brownie of highways," Kerry said, referring to former Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Michael Brown, who became the scapegoat for the inept federal response to Hurricane Katrina. Capka, nominated earlier this month by President Bush for the top highway job, was chief executive officer of the project from January 2001 to June 2002 until his position was terminated. The project is to replace a choked, elevated highway through the city with a wider underground expressway. Though costs rose slightly during his 1-1/2-year tenure, Capka was mostly criticized for his failure to handle the political controversies surrounding the massive project. For example, he approved lucrative severance packages for several Big Dig lawyers. Kerry, a Democrat who ran for president against Bush in 2004, said he will place a hold on Capka's nomination, which would prevent the Senate from considering it. "Why on earth would he get a promotion?" Kerry said. "It looks like the administration is going to repeat a stunning pattern of rewarding people who screw up." Matthew Amorello, chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, which manages the still-to-be-completed Big Dig, said Capka had to deal with a difficult political climate in the state. A toll increase to pay for the Big Dig "was dominating public debate here," Amorello said. Kerry remembers the situation differently. "When Capka oversaw Boston's Big Dig, he was fired for massive cost overruns and for giving lucrative severance packages of six months' salary to a bunch of lawyers," Kerry said. Capka later characterized his decision to approve the severance packages for three lawyers as "ill-advised." The price tag for the Big Dig was believed to be $14 billion when Capka took the helm, $14.6 billion by the time he left. The project has been plagued by cost overruns, long delays and leaking tunnels. Its cost ballooned from $2.6 billion and its completion date moved from 1998 to 2007.

another qualified pick by bush... the big dig is our little joke over here.. the neverending project. occassionally, we get some nice leaks in the underwater tunnels..

at least capka has experience, albeit a bad track record.