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US politicians face inquiry into arms deals

by snuffysmith | November 2, 2009 at 08:37 am

52 views | 28 Recommendations | 4 comments

More than 30 US politicians, among them seven members of a defence procurement committee, are being investigated in congressional ethics inquiries into influence-peddling, according to a document leaked accidentally on to the internet.

What is surprising about this disclosure is that no one is really surprised.

House Representatives named in the document include John Murtha, the chairman of the House Defence Appropriations Sub-committee, who added so-called “earmarks” worth more than $100 million (£61 million) to last year’s defence budget and received $743,000 in campaign contributions from defence contractors. The contributions were funnelled through the PMA Group, a lobbying company set up by a former aide to Mr Murtha which closed after being raided by the FBI this year.

Five of the seven members named in the leaked document are Democrats, which is an embarrassment for Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, who pledged to “drain the swamp” of corruption and excessive corporate influence on Capitol Hill.

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Hugh Askew

at 09:49 on November 2nd, 2009

"Five of the seven members named in the leaked document are Democrats, which is an embarrassment for Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, who pledged to “drain the swamp” of corruption and excessive corporate influence on Capitol Hill."

I'm guessing that the only way to drain the swamp, would be to pull the drain plug....aptly named "Nancy".

politisite

at 16:36 on November 2nd, 2009

Glad to see oversight for a change... What I think is going on here is... throw under the bus a few folks to save Charlie Rangel. But Murtha and Sheila Jackson Lee are some big names.

Phyrillas

at 23:24 on November 2nd, 2009

The Democratic Party owns corruption now. They can't blame it on the Republicans anymore. They're just as dirty.

Hugh Askew

at 05:14 on November 3rd, 2009

"The Democratic Party owns corruption now."

i think that last word on the sentence is possibly wrong......not sure, mind you, but you might want to check with a fellow named Jefferson, from Louisiana.