More than 70 political appointees to federal posts are being held up in the U.S. Senate by one man鈥擲enator Richard Shelby (R-AL)鈥攚ho wants$40 billion in programs for his state or else. Critics have accused Shelby of extortion in his efforts to have new military and law enforcement operations based in Alabama. He also has been publicly criticized by President Barack Obama and Democratic senators Harry Reid of Nevada Richard Durbin of Illinois Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Carl Levin of Michigan for tying up so many nominations including those affecting national security and the federal judiciary.