CA: O.C. Reps campaign cash tied to embattled lobbyist (Rep. Loretta Sanchez)

OC Register ^ | 3/13/09 | Total Buzz

[NormsRevenge]

Virtually every member of Congress- including Orange County’s six House members and California’s two senators – have shared in $40 million that an embattled Washington lobbying firm and its clients have contributed to lawmakers since 1998.

And the biggest O.C. winner in this sweepstakes is Rep. Loretta Sanchez.

The firm is the PMA Group, which is the latest Beltway lobbying firm to reportedly be under investigation by the FBI for violating campaign finance laws. The firm’s bread and butter are getting federal earmarks for its clients.

According to a tally by the Center for Responsive Politics, a campaign cash watchdog, Sanchez got $277,118 in contributions from Paul Magliocchetti-the founder of PMA , Magliocchetti family members and PMA clients.

And according to a data base posted by Taxpayers for Common Sense, Sanchez got a $3.2 million defense earmark for a PMA client last year. The earmark was for L-3 Communications, a defense contractor with a plant in Anaheim.

And the location of the place getting the earmark, says Sanchez, is why she went to bat for the money.

“Every one of the defense contractors that I support either has a plant in Orange County and I’ve gone to see the technology,’’ Sanchez said, or it’s a larger company that benefits Southern California. Her support for Boeing’s C-17, built in Long Beach, is an example, she said.

This earmark for L-3 Communication is for a new advanced 3-D locator technology that Sanchez said the Navy is real high on.

[NormsRevenge]

She's just representing her constituents, yaknow?

[freekitty]

Isn’t she the one that changes her name according to which way the wind is blowing?

[cripplecreek]

My shiny new congressman is another criminal. His first act after getting elected was pay the largest fine ever paid in the state of Michigan for campaign finance violations. I don’t know why these clowns can simply pay the fine and go on to the job they broke the law to get.

http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2009/2/25/95012/4337

[Brad from Tennessee]

The news media has mostly ignored the fact that Vice President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, and brother, Jim, are registered lobbyists. These two came to light again recently because they also manage a hedge fund that has been linked to Sir Allen Stanford, alleged Ponzi scheme operator.

[WOBBLY BOB]

would this make her a Dirty Sanchez?

[UglyinLA]

I have no problem with her securing $3.2 million defense contract for a company in her district. In fact, I would expect her to fight for that contract.

The problem I have is the $277,118 which is means that her services are for sale. She is just a whore.

This entire country is run this way. Limit any and all contribution or any kind to $2000 would fix that. That and kick out all the lobbyist out of DC. They can still lobby but must do it in writing. No more closed door meetings.

What a pipe dream, eh? Oh well, I can still afford to dream.(unless Obama adds a dream tax too)

[kellynla]

Well, B-1 Bob Dornan tried to alert the GOP back in 1996 about the possible and probable fraudulent election of Sanchez but Newt Gingrich, who was the Speaker of the House at the time, refused to investigate the election. And now after districts have been gerrymandered, it is almost impossible to replace these representatives. Term Limits is the only solution...but will likely never happen.

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Lord Acton