Report: appropriations subcommittee fraught with potential abuse

Many lawmakers on a powerful appropriations committee have maintained potentially inappropriate relationships with lobbying firms, a new analysis from a nonprofit group asserts.

A computer analysis by the Center for Public Integrity found that 12 of the 16 members of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee maintained "circles of relationships" resulting in conflicts of interests, a revolving door between former congressional staffers and lobbyists, and millions of earmarks.

The lawmakers have extensive "networks" within 10 lobbying firms, including to the scandal-plagued PMA group, after a number of their former staffers went to work for those firms, only to turn around and seek defense earmarks from their former bosses.

In all, the Center report argued, the lawmakers secured 50 earmarks totaling more than $100 million in earmarks during fiscal year 2008.

The subcommittee chairman, Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), has been under scrutiny for his relationship with the PMA group, as have Reps. Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.) and Jim Moran (D-Va.).

The report named the other lawmakers in both parties who have steered earmarks toward different lobbying groups, including ranking member Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R-Fla.), as well as Reps. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.), Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.), Norman Dicks (D-Wash.), Dave Hobson (R-Ohio), Steve Rothman (D-N.J.), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.), Kay Granger (R-Texas), and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.).