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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

'If I'm corrupt it's because I take care of my district': PA rep

President Obama is giving the permanent Washington business class fits by banning staffers from discussing stimulus projects with registered lobbyists. Read more in the PhillyDeals print column in last Sunday's Inquirer here. NEW: DC lobbyists and their friends at the ACLU tell Obama to cancel his anti-lobbyist policy here.

Meanwhile, Dennis Roddy of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that, despite federal probes, U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., remains one of the most ardent and unrepentant defenders of the DC lobby system. "If I'm corrupt it's because I take care of my district," based in the ex-steel center of Johnstown, Pa., Murtha told the Post-Gazette. And: "I have no idea why they're going after these lobbyists..." Story here. Excerpts:

"In a development called the John P. Murtha Technology Center, just a stone's throw from the John P. Murtha Airport, a group of locals set up Concurrent Technologies Corp., a nonprofit research and technology combine that found its footing with Murtha-directed earmarks…. A few miles (away) sits Kuchera Industries, another garage startup that… found itself flush with defense contracts under Mr. Murtha's tutelage. Multinational firms, from Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman to DRS Technologies and the Norwegian firm Kongsberg Gruppen, have set up outposts here, capturing defense contracts and partnering with local companies such as CTC and JWF."

Clouds approaching: “Federal agents have subpoenaed records from a CTC subsidiary. In January, they raided Kuchera and carted away boxes of records. In suburban Washington, agents swarmed the offices of PMA Group, an influential lobbying group founded by Paul Magliocchetti, a former Appropriations defense staff member. Mr. Magliocchetti's firm lobbied for a number of companies that benefited from Mr. Murtha's earmarks, including CTC…

Locals defend him: "’Should we be at fault because we have an effective congressman? I say not,’ said Mark Pasquerilla, a conservative Republican and ardent Murtha ally… Mr. Pasquerilla, whose father built Crown American Corp., one of the nation's largest builders of shopping malls [now part of Ronald Rubin’s Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust], also serves on the board of CTC, a past beneficiary of Murtha earmarks."
Posted by Joseph N. DiStefano @ 12:31 PM  Permalink | 21 comments
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:20 PM, 03/31/2009
    "If I'm corrupt it's because I take care of my district" ladies and gentleman...your Democrat Party!!!
    — taxmemore
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:23 PM, 03/31/2009
    Find me a politician that isn't corrupt then you have a real story!
    — K_Ball
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:40 PM, 03/31/2009
    John Murtha speakes the truth, BUT that is why he should be put in jail. This guy is a disgrace to PA. He is corrupt and his criticism of our troops in Iraq cost Iragi's and US forces lives. He may have been a Marine, but he lost his way long ago, he needs to retire or convicted.
    — tony jr
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:06 PM, 03/31/2009
    This attitude is all that's necessary for a climate of waste, fraud, and abuse to take hold. "By any means necessary" might win elections, but it's no way to limit spending in tough economic times or guarantee an ROI for the taxpayers' dollar.
    — CleanupPhilly
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:13 PM, 03/31/2009
    The Congress/Senate needs age and term limits. Murtha is a perfect example of age related dementia.
    — UnionMilkmen
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:27 PM, 03/31/2009
    Larger government shifts wealth from private to public sector. This is what our founders were concerned about. Noone seems to care, because they want someone to take care of their lives.
    — sleepy
  • Comment removed.
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:44 PM, 03/31/2009
    Yes you are a crook...and if that is justification....then all poor folks can now justify stealing from a grocery store to feed thier families......or ceo's stealing from the companies pension program to pay dividends to shareholders.....and we wonder why in the age of "I exists, therefore I am entitled" that this answer comes formour politicians....and does anyone think that he is any different than the other 538 leeches inside the beltway...
    — nuggett
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:46 PM, 03/31/2009
    Wasn't this Vince Fumo's defense?
    — Nick19128
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:52 PM, 03/31/2009
    Term limits folks! Once they stay in power year after year they seem to think the office is no longer a public trust but rather a personal property.
    — mindstorms
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:21 PM, 03/31/2009
    Are all Republican 12 and under? Term limits AND campaign finance reform. Fumo? Whatever. How about the majority of politicians who have been in office for more than two terms? One thing that's become clear is that these people are good at one thing: politics. I guess the idea of doing what's best for the country is old fashioned. Now it's about getting pork so you can bribe people to vote for you. Don't be surprised if there are no criminal charges.
    — MikeP
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:30 PM, 03/31/2009
    Reminds me of O.J.'s book "If I did It..."
    — Mr. Brightside


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About Joseph N. DiStefano
Joseph N. DiStefano writes this blog to feed his PhillyDeals column in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Joe has been a member of Bloomberg LP’s New York Finance Team, wrote the book “Comcasted,” taught writing at St. Joseph’s University, and studied economics and history at Penn. Reach Joe at 215-854-5194 and JoeD@phillynews.com
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