House Democrats Block Republican Effort to Force Ethics Inquiries

Fox News (AP article on Fox News) ^ | Tuesday May 12, 2009

[topher]

House Democrats Block Republican Effort to Force Ethics Inquiries of Several Lawmakers

The Republican resolution focused on a lobbying firm, PMA, which was raided by the FBI last year

WASHINGTON -- House Democrats on Tuesday stopped a Republican plan to force a campaign finance inquiry that likely would have investigated several influential Democrats. It was the eighth time since late February that the Republican move was halted.

One of the biggest recipients has been the chairman of the defense appropriations subcommittee, Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania.

The vote was 215-182 to stop consideration of a GOP resolution to initiate a House ethics committee inquiry. It called for an investigation into campaign contributions to House lawmakers by recipients of pet project money and their lobbyists.

...

[topher]

Murtha of Pennsylvania... What about an ethics probe of Pelosi and her ability to forget about the waterboarding?

[topher]

Numbers of payola from the article:

At the same time, the three lawmakers received huge amounts of political donations from PMA lobbyists and their clients. Murtha has collected $2.37 million from PMA's lobbyists and the companies it has represented since 1989, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks political money. Visclosky has collected $1.36 million; Moran, $997,348.

[Logical me]

We can forget any investigations of RATS while under Communist Party rule.

[R_Kangel]

Ain't Absolute Power grand!

Hey, ya gotta love it!!!

Or you will be sent to the Gulag.

[ABQHispConservative]

House GOP should keep at it. Either the rats will get tired, or the media will report on this. In either case, it brings a spotlight on all the blue dog rats.

[Nathan Zachary]

"What about an ethics probe of Pelosi and her ability to forget about the waterboarding? "

There isn't a single sitting Democrat that could survive a ethics probe.

[smokingfrog]

I'm surprised the vote was that close.

[The Cajun]

Where in the hell were the Republicans when we controlled the whole shebang a few years ago? This is just a day late and a dollar short BS being spoon-fed to conservatives. I have been tricked too many times in the last 8 years to be tricked by the same crowd again.

[trustandobey]

Why don’t we do our own inquiries with some influential people like Dick Cheney,Judge Bork,Alan Keyes, Phyllis Schlafly, maybe even Sarah Palin or Glenn Beck thrown in
just to make them mad? It could be beautiful!

[Big_Monkey]

"We can forget any investigations of RATS while under Communist Party rule.

When the Republicans were in power, the Democrats knew even without hearings, they would have willing accomplices in the media to do their dirty work and mud slinging. The GOP doesn't enjoy such a luxury. The so-called 4th branch of government went on a four year sabbatical sometime early last spring.

Now, it's going to take a Dem chairman to get caught in a FBI sting, or something similar for the GOP to get any traction in the ethics department.

[randomhero97]

Now, it's going to take a Dem chairman to get caught in a FBI sting

I wouldn't put any hope in that. Who do you think runs the DOJ now?

[Prole]

The democrats forget America's colonial history because they are acting like totalitarians more and more each day.

There is nothing wrong with a totalitarian that tar and feathers cannot cure.

[savedbygrace]

Ethics investigation? Not a snowball's chance. These are the members of the Senate Ethics Committee:

Democrats Barbara Boxer, California, Chairman Mark L. Pryor, Arkansas Sherrod Brown, Ohio

Republicans Johnny Isakson, Georgia, Vice Chairman Pat Roberts, Kansas James E. Risch, Idaho

[Dubya-M-DeesWent2SyriaStupid!]

There are so MANY that need investigated. Pelosi,Dodd,Schumer,Murtha,Frank,Reid,Conyers, OBAMA, Rahm,and the entire administration.

[Liz]

.....the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks political money disclosed three lawmakers received huge amounts of political donations from PMA lobbyists and their clients: Murtha $2.37 million since 1989, Visclosky $1.36 million; Moran, $997,348. ....

POSSIBLE CRIMES Government fraud, conspiracy to steal; theft of public property and official records; money laundering; US postal fraud; electronic fraud.

REPORT TAX FRAUD AND TAX LAW VIOLATIONS HERE:
IRS TOLL-FREE 1-800-829-0433----you may remain anonymous.
EMAIL----OAAG.Tax@tax.USDOJ.gov

The IRS should determine if all taxes were paid (stolen money is taxable).
IRS TOLL-FREE 1-800-829-0433—-you may remain anonymous when reporting tax fraud.

Fiduciary negligence; signing off on falsified official documents is reported here :
EMAIL askDOJ@usdoj.gov

FBI TIP PAGE http://tips.fbi.gov/ (you may remain anonymous)

If publicly-held companies are involved
EMAIL enforcement@SEC.gov

Report possible campaign finance fraud
EMAIL Federal Election Commission

[Liz]

A lobbying firm, PMA, was raided by the FBI last year. One of the biggest recipients has been the chairman of the defense appropriations subcommittee, Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania.

BACKSTORY John Murtha’s nephew gets millions in Pentagon contracts without competition......to a facility that appears non-productive. "Murtech" is located in a low-slung, bland building in a Glen Burnie business park......with blinds drawn tight, and few signs of life. On several days of observation, a handful of cars sit in the parking lot, and no trucks arrive at the 10 loading bays at the back of the building. Yet, last year alone, Murtech received $4 million in Pentagon work, all of it without competition, for a variety of warehousing and engineering services.

The Washington Post notes that Robert’s not the only Murtha doing government business............His father, John Murtha’s brother Robert Sr, runs another highly-successful lobbying group, KSA, that specializes in — wait for it — defense contracts from the Appropriations Committee.

There may be good reasons to occasionally award no-bid contracts for highly specialized work, but warehousing doesn’t fall into that category. Granting no-bid Pentagon contracts to a powerful Congressman’s nephew screams for an investigation, and a deeper look at the “culture of corruption” that seems to surround John Murtha and his allies on Capitol Hill.

COMMENTS There's so many crimes being committed here it's not even funny. Can you say government fraud, conspiracy, kickbacks, money laundering? Conspiracy counts might include mail fraud, electronic fraud, and accounting fraud.

L/E might consider:

(a) conspiracy to defraud the IRS, and evade US banking laws,

(b) international money laundering,

(c) conspiracy to commit money laundering, and,

(d) aiding and abetting the preparation of false federal/state income tax returns.

Authorities might examine the company's receipts to falsely verify bogus charitable contributions (kickbacks) and multiple conspiracies and transfers of funds as part of a money-laundering conspiracy.

Government audits might show off-the-books bank accounts that were accessed solely by insiders, and that government-funds were used in various illegal schemes that might have integrated:

(1) money laundering,

(2) tax evasion (stolen money is taxable),

(3) violations of US banking and currency laws,

(4) conspiracy to commit wire fraud,

(5) commercial bribery in various financial schemes,

(6) establishing secret offshore bank accounts outside the purview of the IRS and US banking laws,

(7) fraudulent and casual accounting practices,

(8) non-existent financial oversight,

(9) Having a hidden financial interest in companies faking business with Murtech,

(10) Putting phantom employees on the payroll (money laundering).