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Posted on 03/16/2009 10:30:17 AM PDT by jazusamo
A Pennsylvania defense research center regularly consulted with two "handlers" close to Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) as it collected nearly $250 million in federal funding through the lawmaker, according to documents obtained by The Washington Post and sources familiar with the funding requests. The center then channeled a significant portion of the funding to companies that were among Murtha's campaign supporters.
The two advisers included a lobbyist for PMA, a firm with close ties to Murtha that is under federal investigation for allegedly making illegal contributions by reimbursing donors to the Pennsylvania lawmaker and other members of Congress. The Electro-Optics Center also relied on advice from a longtime Murtha friend who is now works on the congressman's appropriations staff.
Federal agents are also exploring how the center obtained its funds after receiving dozens of internal documents last year. It is unclear whether the records have become a central focus of the Justice Department's ongoing probe, but they open a window into a largely hidden process in which powerful lawmakers can direct funds to pet projects.
~snip~
Unlike traditional earmarks -- funding for specific projects publicly requested by members of Congress -- most of the money for the center came through a budget maneuver known as a "plus-up." The process for this kind of earmark allows lawmakers to add money to an existing program in the budget without public disclosure. The center sought $120 million in this type of money for itself and other companies in 2006 alone, according to the records.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
To be added to the Murtha Watch ping list please notify myself or RedRover.
This looks to be the same standard operating procedure Mr. Murtha has used for years and yet those racist rednecks keep voting him in.
bump
What an absolute friggin sewer of corruption.
Murtha should be public crucified. I mean that quite literally.
This baffles the hell out of me also I have relatives in W Pa that hate him and they are not alone by a long-shot..
Cunningham, who golfed with Murtha and occasionally drove him home to Pennsylvania, was part of the lobbying firm formed by former Murtha aide Paul Magliocchetti.
So Cunningham is one of the "handlers" of Murtha. HA! Man, this is really getting dirty!
Buying votes is as old as politics. Murtha has it down to a science.
Yes, it is impressive.
No wonder the feds haven’t contacted Murtha as yet, there’s so much info connected to many different companies I doubt he’ll be contacted until they’re ready to snap the cuffs on him. What a great day that will be! :)
No question about it but it seems he may have stepped over the line once to often and may take a well deserved fall.
LOL!
ROTFLOL!
Those may be famous last words for Murtha too!
PinG!
We can always hope, but who will make him fall? Certainly not Obama’s DOJ. and damn sure not an ethics committee made up of his fellow thieves in the House./
You’re definitely right on the ethics committee, they’ll never nail him.
I’m not so sure about DOJ. The FBI, DOD and IRS have a huge investigation ongoing with these companies he’s been involved with and even had a hand in starting up. We should know before too awful long and I’ve a hunch he’ll finally get nailed.
lots of Western Pennsylvanians loathe the guy, but if you live in his district and virtually your entire local economy is 98% dependent on Federal Pork for it’s continuation, many of those sadly hold their noses and pull the lever for him anyway.
Yes, that’s exactly why he keeps getting re-elected.
Bill Russell who is going to be running against him again will be trying to dispel that. He contends the pork he brings home doesn’t in fact create that many jobs for the local population. If Russell is successful he may just knock Fat Jack off if he isn’t already in prison. :)
Say it isn’t so, Jack! /s
The truth is that the locals BELIEVE that the local economy is largely dependent on Murtha, when in fact very little in the way of employment finds locals.
They are told over and over again how much fat Jack does for them, and most of them buy it.
The addresses are mostly operations set up for almost the exclusive purpose of funneling money.
I
Hiya, HC! Can’t you just picture Fat Jack shrugging his shoulders and saying “who, me?” LOL!
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