92 days, 8 hours, 40 minutes ago
Earmark beneficiaries help benefactors' re-election
By The Associated Press, Associated Press

Relates to: Rob Andrews, Jack Kingston, George Miller, Patrick Murphy, Todd Tiahrt, Frank LoBiondo, Jack Gulati

Examples of lawmakers who have sponsored earmarks for private companies and received campaign contributions from them and, in some cases, their lobbyists:

Rep. David Hobson, R-Ohio, a member of the House defense appropriations subcommittee, obtained a $2.4 million earmark last year for the Greentree Group of Beavercreek, Ohio, for a digital information sharing system. Greentree Group executives, their families and consultants have donated $43,350 to Hobson since 2000, reports The Columbus Dispatch.

Rep. Peter Visclosky, D-Ind., a member of House defense appropriations subcommittee, sponsored a $2 million earmark to 21st Century Systems last year for a virtual fence demonstration project. 21st Century has opened offices in Visclosky's district. Its executives have contributed more than $27,000 to Visclosky in 2007-2008. The company's Washington lobbyist is the PMA Group, a major appropriations lobbying shop whose associates have his campaign more than $45,000 in 2007-2008. The Indianapolis Star reported that Visclosky also helped Applied Global Technologies obtain a $2 million earmark for video teletraining for the military. Three Applied Global Technologies executives, including Executive Vice President Mike Garvey, each gave Visclosky a maximum $2,300 contribution.

Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., co-sponsored an $8.3 million earmark for Marine Corps UC-12 replacement aircraft built by Hawker Beechcraft Corp. in Wichita. Company executives have contributed $11,750 to Tiahrt this election cycle.

Reps. Rob Andrews, D-N.J., and Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J. Since 2003, Andrews and in some cases LoBiondo sponsored $24.4 million in federal contracts to Gestalt LLC for work on speedy analyses of ships spotted at sea and teaching robots to work together. Executives of Gestalt contributed more than $14,000 to Andrews since 2002, and $2,500 to LoBiondo. Employees from Gestalt's lobbying firm, American Defense International, delivered another $11,000 to Andrews and $5,750 to LoBiondo, reports the Courier-Post of Cherry Hill, N.J.

Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa., earmarked $3.2 million to Reading-based Fidelity Technologies for the Call for Fire Trainer, a training simulator to help "forward observers" conduct calls for fire missions. The family of its founder, Jack Gulati, has contributed $10,000-plus to Holden's re-election campaigns over the past six years. Employees of Fidelity's lobbying firm, PMA Group, have donated $63,225 to Holden campaigns since 2002, the Allentown Morning Call reports.

Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., provided a $1.6 million defense bill earmark to EDO Corp. for "smart rack" weapons release systems that let fighter pilots fire various weapons or drop bombs at separate times. EDO's political action committee gave Murphy $10,000, the Bucks County Courier Times reports. EDO also hired the PMA Group as its lobbying firm. PMA lobbyists and their spouses have given generously to Murphy, with contributions in the current election cycle totaling $18,500.

Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., delivered a $1.6 million for SecuriMetrics Inc., which manufactures biometric identification devices that use iris, fingerprint and facial recognition technology. Employees of SecuriMetrics Inc. have donated $16,090 to Miller and his political action committee since 2004, the Contra Costa Times reports.

Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., won a $1.6 million earmark last year for Engineering and Software Systems Solutions Inc. for advanced coating technologies. Kingston has received more than $20,000 in campaign contributions this election cycle from company executives and their wives.

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