CQ Politics has now posted a list of the 104 members of the House of Representatives who secured earmarks for Murtha-connected lobbying group PMA. As stated in earlier reports, the list includes 62 Democrats and 42 Republicans.
Among the Democrats are Reps. John Murtha (PA), Peter J. Visclosky (Ind), James P. Moran (VA), Norm Dicks (WA), Bill Pascrell Jr. (NJ), Tim Ryan (OH), Chet Edwards (TX), and Paul E. Kanjorski (PA). Those Congressmen alone received between $37,000 and $219,000 from PMA’s political action committee. They then went on to secure millions for its clients.
Meanwhile, Republican Congressmen on the list include David L. Hobson (OH), Jerry Lewis (CA), Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ), Jack Kingston (GA), C.W. Bill Young (FL), Duncan Hunter (CA), Joe Knollenberg (Mich), J. Dennis Hastert (Ill), and Peter Hoekstra (Mich). Like their lefty counterparts, these Republicans secured millions for PMA’s clients. They would end up receiving large chunks of change (though less than the Democrats) from the lobbying group’s PAC.
Also on the list? Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, who represented Illinois until being nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate in late January. He joine with others to secure about $7,800,000 for PMA’s clients while receiving $7,450 in campaign contributions.
What does this go to show? That neither party is left untouched by pork-for-donations. While Democrats certainly dominate this list and did promise to end the culture of corruption back in 2006, there’s no excuse for men like Hunter or Hoekstra to be appearing on this list. They should all — Republicans and Democrats alike — be replaced.
More: Hot Air.
by Stephan Tawney on Thu, Feb 19, 2009