The Post connects earmarks to political contributions to Sen. Daniel Inouye here.

Since 1997, executives of Navatek and its parent firm, the privately owned Pacific Marine, have contributed more than $29,000 to Inouye’s campaign coffers, most of it since 2003.

And now, the eight-term Hawaii Democrat is trying to direct $2.2 million in taxpayer money to the company to finance a model of an amphibious vehicle that was a vital component of the entry the Navy rejected.