Lucas, did you ever get the feeling you're being used?

HoustonChronicle.com: Fed agency denies reviewing Metro budget

The federal agency that distributes grants to Metro has denied ever confirming numbers that purport to show the transit authority overestimated its future funds by more than $100 million.

That's the lead to the story and it's very misleading. Here's what the FTA actually said, if you skip a paragraph.

But in a Wednesday letter to U.S. Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Beaumont, the administrator of the Federal Transit Administration wrote: "FTA did not produce the chart or the figures included therein."

Of course they didn't "produce" the chart. That does not mean that the chart is not accurate. It is indeed based on FTA supplied numbers.

Schechter accused Culberson and his allies of "deliberately misleading the public by ignoring the facts."

Well, ok then Mr. Schecter, you've pretty much proven that you guys are willing to do anything to get this plan passed, even if it means misleading the public by getting Cong. Lampson to extract this very cleverly written letter from the FTA. The FTA is doing what public affairs offices do in the government, answering the question posed and not going beyond that. But the question posed by Cong. Lampson is misleading. The question to be asked is "are the numbers on the chart accurate in the context given?" Of course, talking facts is boring in a political campaign, especially when the facts aren't on your side.

Culberson, stepping off a plane from Washington, said he was outraged by Dorn's letter.

In the military, we called that an "ambush." So, Lucas, this story was so important that you had to drive all the way out to the airport to ask about it? It couldn't wait until morning? You had to hit up Cong. Culberson after a long day and a long plane flight?

Lampson wrote Dorn on Oct. 9, asking her to clarify where the numbers in the chart came from.

I doubt that's true, because the question she answered was did the FTA "produce" the chart.

The transit authority has acknowledged there is a difference of $43 million between its projections and the Bush administration's six-year transit funding proposal, saying it's because of different rates used to calculate annual increases in federal formula funds. This money is disbursed annually to transit agencies based on factors such as population and ridership. Metro used 8 percent based on historic trends; the president's bill suggests 2 percent.

So, METRO's numbers are based on wishful thinking, and Cong. Culberson's numbers are based on the bill that's on the table. How much do you want to bet that if this rail boondoggle passes, METRO and the ChronicBile are going to try and blame Culberson for their shortfall?

"I don't want anybody to come up with more outlandish statements about it," Lampson said. "You wonder why someone is trying to belittle this effort."

Too late Congressman, you should be ashamed.

So, I've seen glimmers of independence in Lucas Walls' coverage of this story. Even some fairness from time to time. So Lucas, you've got to ask yourself why they sent you out to the airport. Why are they having you file a story with a headline that's so misleading? Is it because METRO's numbers don't add up and the editorial board wants the rail plan passed, no matter what the consequences?