Taxpayers to pay for Janklow's mistake

What happens when a U.S. Representative speeds through a stop sign and kills a man? We the taxpayers foot the bill:

Former U.S. Rep. Bill Janklow will not have to pay any money out of his own pocket for an accident that killed a Hardwick, Minn., man.

The lawyer representing Randy Scott's family said Tuesday that he will let stand a federal judge's ruling that Janklow was on duty Aug. 16, 2003, when he sped through a stop sign near Trent.

That means federal taxpayers, not Janklow, would pay any monetary awards from a wrongful death lawsuit because Janklow is covered by the Federal Tort Claims Act, which protects federal employees from negligence claims when they're on duty.

I'm glad to hear Janklow will not have to take any personal responsibility for his actions, and that he can instead force us to pay for his mistakes. It is, after all, the Republican way.