FBI investigates lobbying firm that is generous donor to Dicks, Murray (PMA)

Seattle Times ^ | March 23, 2009 | David Heath

[jazusamo]

Congressman Norm Dicks has never been shy about accepting campaign donations from favor seekers.

Now the FBI is investigating one of Dicks' most generous donors — the powerhouse lobbying firm PMA Group.

Questions have been raised about whether some PMA-related campaign contributions were actually given by the people listed as donors. For example, thousands of dollars in contributions to Dicks, Washington Sen. Patty Murray and other lawmakers came from a sommelier and a golf-club employee who were identified as PMA officials on some campaign-finance reports. The investigation has prompted some lawmakers to distance themselves from the PMA-related contributions. Murray said she has donated $3,500 of her questionable contributions to Food Lifeline, a local charity...

Dicks is waiting to see if the FBI finds any criminal wrongdoing before making a decision on his contributions. "If any of those contributions are judged improper, it'd be his intention to give them back," said Dicks' spokesperson George Behan.

~snip~

Dicks, a Bremerton Democrat, was fourth highest on the list, receiving a total of $84,000. PMA's political-action committee also donated $5,000 to the charity Defenders of Wildlife on Dicks' behalf. As the second ranking Democrat on Murtha's subcommittee, Dicks wields substantial influence over defense spending.

~snip~

Murray, a member of the powerful Senate appropriations committee, ranked 25th on the PMA contribution list, receiving $26,000 in donations.

Because Senate disclosure rules are more lax than in the House, it's difficult to tell exactly how many earmarks Murray championed for PMA clients. Based on news releases, she requested and got at least two earmarks worth $4.8 million for PMA clients last fiscal year.

~snip~

What's unusual about PMA is that people with modest means and modest titles gave so much, since far less than 1 percent of Americans give more than $200 to a political campaign,

[Ann Archy]

NOTHING will happen...they are DEMOCRATS!!

[WOBBLY BOB]

IOW, they’re all DICKS.

[jazusamo]

Our own Norm Dicks here in WA state sounds like a protege of John Murtha.

Murtha Watch Ping!

Code Pinkos

To be added to the Murtha Watch ping list please notify myself or RedRover.

[jazusamo]

I agree but hope we’re wrong about it. :)

[RC2]

“it’d be his intention to give them back,”???? I guess that if a bank robber gave the money back the FBI wouldn’t prosecute? These people need to be held accountable. Just accepting the donations is criminal. If not, then they can continue to accept the donations and hope they don’t get caught and be forced to give them back. If they don’t get caught, is it not still criminal?

[sionnsar]

Thanks to jazusamo for the ping.

Say WA? Evergreen State ping

Quick link: WA State Board

FReepmail sionnsar if you want on or off this ping list.

Ping sionnsar if you see a Washington state related thread.

[jazusamo]

You’re right of course but the ethics panels on the Hill refuse to do anything, maybe the fed investigation will get somewhere.

[RedElement]

In memory of Captain Obvious, and just to keep score: Name that party!! First mention of Democrat is in reference to Jack Murtha, paragraph 6. Dicks’ party affiliation not mentioned until paragraph 9. No surprise here.

[jazusamo]

Thanks for pinging the list, sionnsar.

[RC2]

This kind of stuff needs to be taken out of the hands of the ethics committee. If a law is broken, the feds need to take control of it. That’s the only way it would be taken care of. Having the ethics committee investigate there own is BS.

[Islander7]

Government Relations and Legislative Counsel

No one understands the inner workings of our nation’s capital better than The PMA Group. Every day, our associates work across party lines to cultivate up-to-the-minute relationships with major players: key Members of Congress and their staffs, congressional oversight committees, federal departments and agencies, and private sector organizations.

Our staff has extensive knowledge of the legislative process based on years of experience on Capitol Hill. Knowledge of the process means that we can separate the rhetoric from actual key decision points in Congress:

* We know when to act for maximum success. Timing is everything.
* We know where to focus for the greatest legislative impact.
* We know how to apply the proper amount of resources to achieve the client’s objectives.

------snip

From their website

Whois data

Visit AboutUs.org for more information about THEPMAGROUP.COM AboutUs: THEPMAGROUP.COM
Registrant:
The PMA Group
2345 Crystal Drive
Suite 300
ARLINGTON, VA 22202
US

Domain Name: THEPMAGROUP.COM

Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
Moss, Eric emmoss7477@yahoo.com
2345 Crystal Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
US
703-416-0000 fax: 703-415-0182

Record expires on 05-Mar-2012.
Record created on 05-Mar-2001.
Database last updated on 23-Mar-2009 11:50:24 EDT.

Domain servers in listed order:

AUTH00.NS.UU.NET 198.6.1.65
AUTH100.NS.UU.NET 198.6.1.202
THEPMAGROUP.THEPMAGROUP.COM 60.222.251.198


Registry Status: clientTransferProhibited

[jazusamo]

Again you’re right. I believe one of the big reasons for the fed investigation is because the ethics panels refused to police their own and the corruption became too blatant.

[jazusamo]

Thanks for your post and link.

The founder of PMA, Paul Magliochetti, was not just an aide of Murtha’s as stated in the article but a former Chief of Staff for him.

[Islander7]

The founder of PMA, Paul Magliochetti, was not just an aide of Murtha’s as stated in the article but a former Chief of Staff for him.....”

Oh goody! Need to sip this to Hannity, Rush, Levin, Malkin, etc.

[RedRover]

What a small world! If Dicks needs cover, I’m sure the Navy can come across with an award for his service to humanity.

[jazusamo]

Hah! I wouldn’t doubt that you’re right, Red. The Navy has a large presence in the Puget Sound and with Boeing up there our “Murtha west” will surely be protected.

[smoothsailing]

Looks like there may be a weak link here that the FBI can flip. I don't remember hearing about the Welch's before:

The sheer volume of donations from PMA lobbyists raises questions. For example, Sandra K. Welch retired from PMA two years ago as a lobbyist with expertise in education. Her husband was a police officer in Fairfax County, Va. They now live in a Florida home for which they paid about $197,000, according to real-estate records. Between 2003 and 2006, the couple contributed $121,000 to congressional campaigns as well as $5,000 annually to PMA's political-action committee. From 2001 to 2006, the couple contributed $12,300 to Dicks' campaign, with the Fairfax police officer listed in campaign-disclosure records as a PMA consultant. Welch, reached at home, said she did not feel comfortable talking about PMA Group.

[jazusamo]

I agree, Smooth. I’d bet the feds are hounding her like flies on manure.