Difference between revisions of "PMA Group"

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'''PMA Group''' is a lobbying firm "specializing in securing defense earmarks for its clients." In March 2009, the ''Chicago Tribune'' reported that "the firm is disintegrating amid a federal investigation into allegations that its founder, [[Paul Magliochetti]], a former top aide to Rep. [[John Murtha]], D-Pa., steered donations to lawmakers through sham donors." <ref name="ChiTri">Henry C Jackson, "[http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/mar/02/news/chi-ap-in-viscloskydonation Visclosky's ties to troubled PMA Group run deep]," ''Chicago Tribune'', March 2, 2009.</ref>
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'''PMA Group''' was a lobbying firm "specializing in securing defense [[earmarks]] for its clients."
  
Representative [[Pete Visclosky]] also has ties to PMA. "His former congressional chief of staff worked as a lobbyist for the firm, and he received at least $100,000 in contributions from donors tied to PMA Group between 2006 and 2008, according to Federal Election Commission reports. PMA Group was the top donor to Visclosky’s 2008 re-election campaign." <ref name="ChiTri"/>
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In March 2009, shortly before the firm closed, the ''Chicago Tribune'' reported that "the firm is disintegrating amid a federal investigation into allegations that its founder, [[Paul Magliochetti]], a former top aide to Rep. [[John Murtha]], D-Pa., steered donations to lawmakers through sham donors." <ref name="ChiTri">Henry C Jackson, "[http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/mar/02/news/chi-ap-in-viscloskydonation Visclosky's ties to troubled PMA Group run deep]," ''Chicago Tribune'', March 2, 2009.</ref> PMA had been "one of the 10 biggest [lobbying firms] in Washington." <ref>David D. Kirkpatrick and Charlie Savage, "[http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/30/us/politics/30pma.html Star Lobbyist Closes Shop Amid F.B.I. Inquiry]," ''New York Times'', March 29, 2009.</ref>
  
was founded by Paul Magliochotti, a former aide of Representative John Murtha; the firm specializes in gaining earmarks in the defense budget, benefitting the earmarked defense contractor.|2March2009 Chicago Tribune]. PMA Group offices in Arlington, VA were raided in November 2008 by the Justice Department and March 2009 attempts by Senators John McCain and Thom Coburn to remove PMA related earmarks from a Senate spending bill, were thwarted by Democrats.[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/04/AR2009030403659.html|5March2009 Washington Post]
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In April 2009, despite ongoing investigations, Murtha requested "$134 million in earmarks for his district this year," including requests benefiting four PMA clients. The PMA-related earmark requests are for [[Advanced Acoustic Concepts]] ($5 million request), [[Argon ST]] ($8 million request), [[MTS Technologies]], Inc. ($5 million request) and [[Planning Systems]] Inc. ($2.3 million request). <ref>Laura Strickler, "[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/03/cbsnews_investigates/main4916653.shtml Rep. Murtha Wants $134M In Earmarks: Pennsylvania Democrat Asks for $20 Million for Clients of Firm Under Investigation]," CBS News, April 3, 2009.</ref>
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==Background==
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In addition to Murtha, Representative [[Pete Visclosky]] also has ties to PMA. "His former congressional chief of staff worked as a lobbyist for the firm, and he received at least $100,000 in contributions from donors tied to PMA Group between 2006 and 2008, according to Federal Election Commission reports. PMA Group was the top donor to Visclosky’s 2008 re-election campaign." <ref name="ChiTri"/>
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In November 2008, the [[FBI]] raided the firm's office, as part of an investigation into PMA's "suspicious campaign donations." After the raid, "many partners left PMA, and its lobbying practice recently closed." In March 2009, the Senate passed a bill providing funding for federal agencies, which included [[earmarks]] for 13 PMA clients, bringing them a total of $10 million. Senators [[John McCain]] and [[Tom Coburn]] offered an amendment to strip the PMA-related earmarks from the bill, but it failed. <ref>Paul Kane, "[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/04/AR2009030403659.html Democrats Stop Effort To Remove Earmarks]," ''Washington Post'', March 5, 2009.</ref>
  
 
==Contact info==
 
==Contact info==
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===Related SourceWatch articles===
 
===Related SourceWatch articles===
 
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*[[John Murtha]]
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*[[Lobbying firms]]
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*[[Paul Magliochetti]]
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*[[Pat Kohli]]
  
 
===References===
 
===References===
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===External resources===
 
===External resources===
 
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*"[http://www.propublica.org/scandal/house-of-murtha/ Scandal: House of Murtha]," PMA Group coverage by ProPublica.org
  
 
===External articles===
 
===External articles===
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*Jonathan Allen and Alex Knott, "[http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003072861 PMA Lobbyist, Relatives Gave Lawmakers $1.5 Million Since 2000]," ''CQ Politics'', March 12, 2009.
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*Carol Eisenberg, "[http://news.muckety.com/2009/03/16/donations-from-defense-lobbyist-pma-group-were-a-family-affair/13131 Donations from defense lobbyist PMA Group were a family affair]," Muckety.com, March 16, 2009.
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[[category:lobbying]]
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[[category:lobbying]] [[category:Lobbying firms]] [[category:Politics (U.S.)]] [[category:United States]]

Latest revision as of 16:17, 7 April 2009

PMA Group was a lobbying firm "specializing in securing defense earmarks for its clients."

In March 2009, shortly before the firm closed, the Chicago Tribune reported that "the firm is disintegrating amid a federal investigation into allegations that its founder, Paul Magliochetti, a former top aide to Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., steered donations to lawmakers through sham donors." [1] PMA had been "one of the 10 biggest [lobbying firms] in Washington." [2]

In April 2009, despite ongoing investigations, Murtha requested "$134 million in earmarks for his district this year," including requests benefiting four PMA clients. The PMA-related earmark requests are for Advanced Acoustic Concepts ($5 million request), Argon ST ($8 million request), MTS Technologies, Inc. ($5 million request) and Planning Systems Inc. ($2.3 million request). [3]

Background

In addition to Murtha, Representative Pete Visclosky also has ties to PMA. "His former congressional chief of staff worked as a lobbyist for the firm, and he received at least $100,000 in contributions from donors tied to PMA Group between 2006 and 2008, according to Federal Election Commission reports. PMA Group was the top donor to Visclosky’s 2008 re-election campaign." [1]

In November 2008, the FBI raided the firm's office, as part of an investigation into PMA's "suspicious campaign donations." After the raid, "many partners left PMA, and its lobbying practice recently closed." In March 2009, the Senate passed a bill providing funding for federal agencies, which included earmarks for 13 PMA clients, bringing them a total of $10 million. Senators John McCain and Tom Coburn offered an amendment to strip the PMA-related earmarks from the bill, but it failed. [4]

Contact info

The PMA Group
2345 Crystal Drive, Suite 300
Arlington, Virginia 22202

Phone: (703) 415-0344
Fax: (703) 415-0182

Email: inforequest@thepmagroup.com
Website: http://www.thepmagroup.com

Articles and resources

Related SourceWatch articles

References

  1. Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 Henry C Jackson, "Visclosky's ties to troubled PMA Group run deep," Chicago Tribune, March 2, 2009.
  2. David D. Kirkpatrick and Charlie Savage, "Star Lobbyist Closes Shop Amid F.B.I. Inquiry," New York Times, March 29, 2009.
  3. Laura Strickler, "Rep. Murtha Wants $134M In Earmarks: Pennsylvania Democrat Asks for $20 Million for Clients of Firm Under Investigation," CBS News, April 3, 2009.
  4. Paul Kane, "Democrats Stop Effort To Remove Earmarks," Washington Post, March 5, 2009.

External resources

External articles