Murtha lobbyist group closes its PAC
posted at 12:52 pm on February 13, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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John Murtha wouldn’t call this a “retreat”. He’d call it “redeploying over an event horizon.” By whatever name, the federal investigation of Murtha has apparently frightened his lobbyist pals out of the political-action business:
PMA Group, the lobbying firm tied to Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) that was raided by federal agents back in November, has closed its political action committee, the latest sign of the company’s implosion.
PMA filed a “termination report” with the Federal Election Commission Thursday, notifying the agency that it would be shutting down its PAC. The PAC refunded its last $29,423 to the contributors, including Mark Magliocchetti, brother of PMA founder Paul Magliocchetti.
PMA’s PAC was very recently a significant source of donations for lawmakers, especially those on the House and Senate Appropriations committees. The PMA PAC disbursed more than $378,000 last cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
But PMA has essentially collapsed; most of PMA’s lobbyists have bolted the firm, with one group breaking off to form its own lobbying outfit, while others have sought employment with other lobbying organization.
Magliochetti has himself redeployed over the event horizon, all the way to Florida. He tried selling the company off to his employees, but found no takers. None of them wants to be the person who gets the subpoenas, apparently.
No wonder Nancy Pelosi has become wary of Murtha:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders are “concerned” by a widening criminal probe that may involve Rep. John P. Murtha, but sources close to the leadership say there’s no move afoot to force him out as chairman of the powerful Defense Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee.
“We are watching to see what happens,” said a senior House Democratic aide.
What happened today is that the rats have begun fleeing the sinking ship. Questions about “strawman” donations to Murtha appear to have triggered the exodus. PMA organized a very expensive rescue of John Murtha in the final days of the 2008 campaign. Just the above-board money PMA raised hit six figures in the final weeks. Did PMA use false fronts to redirect funds and cheat William Russell out of seat in Congress? We’ll see, but the retreat and collapse of PMA sends a bad signal to Democrats about their King of Pork.
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Horse escapes. Lock the stable door.
coldwarrior on February 13, 2009 at 12:58 PM
I think I hear the MSM wagon train coming to form the circle.
WashJeff on February 13, 2009 at 12:58 PM
i hope that they will refund my donation
gatorboy on February 13, 2009 at 12:59 PM
“We’ll see, but the retreat and collapse of PMA sends a bad signal to Democrats about their King of Pork.”
Nope, I am sure the Dems are already working on a cover-up plan.
BobK on February 13, 2009 at 12:59 PM
Murtha has always had a bad odor about him, but I always thought it was something he stepped in. It IS him.
AubieJon on February 13, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Like they watched William “Cold Cash” Jefferson until he lost his reelection bid. If he’d have won, they’d still be watching him.
hawkdriver on February 13, 2009 at 1:00 PM
We have been saying that “this is it” for Murtha throughout the last 20 years of corruption.
Don’t hold your breath. The Democrats are stronger now than at any time in Pennsylvania history.
jay12 on February 13, 2009 at 1:01 PM
This is the Democrats’ Jack Abramoff. Pass the popcorn and enjoy.
rockmom on February 13, 2009 at 1:01 PM
Culture of corruption, indeed.
ladyingray on February 13, 2009 at 1:03 PM
Osama Obama will “fully investigate” Murtha, and will conclude that he is a patriotic American who has only the best interests of the nation at heart.
After all, if we had honest people in charge, Murtha would be just one of those — including Pelosi, Reid, Frank, Jefferson, Dodd and Rangel — taking a long vacation in some minimum-security cooler somewhere.
Heck, the trail of filth would reach right up to The Messiah. But, no; one might as well accuse Jesus of shoplifting….
MrScribbler on February 13, 2009 at 1:04 PM
bad boy, bad boy, whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do WHEN THEY COME FO YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ALL THOSE IDIOT REDNECK RACIST IN HIS DISTRICT YOU GET WHAT YOU DESERVE!
BWAHHHHHHH BWAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Mercy4Me on February 13, 2009 at 1:05 PM
This is about more than nailing Jack Murtha. Just like the Abramoff case ended up being about far more than Tom DeLay and DeLay never even got a criminal charge over it, but it was enougn to cripple him as a party leader.
Murtha may have been smart enough in his corruption to avoid prosecution, as DeLay was. But you can bet there’s a Democrat or two out there who weren’t, just like Bob Ney. My money is on Pete Visclosky and Jim Moran, two scumbags who should have been out of Congress years ago anyway. And the stink it will leave on Murtha will be at least enough to force Pelosi to strip him of his Appropriations subcommittee chairmanship. It will hand Republicans a huge campaign issue next year – they can demand that every Democrat return every dollar they got from PMA, or Murtha, or anybody associated with them, just like the Dems did with DeLay and Mark Foley.
rockmom on February 13, 2009 at 1:07 PM
Don’t worry, Obama will shut it down.
tarpon on February 13, 2009 at 1:08 PM
Pretty sure it was reported that Magliochetti had retained a criminal defese attorney and I think what they are looking at with Kuchera is their Hunting refuge where they’ve posted secret us gov work signs on and then had a big fundraiser for Murtha at. Misuse of govt. funds kinda things.
I wondered if they used earmarked funds to host the fundraiser.
Topsecretk9 on February 13, 2009 at 1:11 PM
Won’t they simply select the appropriate one out of their Spring catalog?
oldleprechaun on February 13, 2009 at 1:12 PM
Murtha needs a Surge
jp on February 13, 2009 at 1:13 PM
Gee…I hope that Murtha ends up as ex-Representative Randy Cunningham’s roommate. They could pass the time swapping war stories and comparing kickbacks.
Uniblogger on February 13, 2009 at 1:13 PM
Screw the Rednecks AND Racists in PA that keep elcting this fool, tool, idiot and moron. Seems like it kinda runs in PA. The voters are idiots as are the Representatives… Wow, imagine that…
Mark Garnett on February 13, 2009 at 1:20 PM
Why are all these Democrat investigations and indictments heating up in the past few months? Was Bush holding the Justice Department back, and they’re trying to get something done before Obama can consolidate control?
logis on February 13, 2009 at 1:22 PM
This will end up on the back burner with Rangel, Dodd and Jefferson.
More important things to do, like the “Truth Commission”.
GarandFan on February 13, 2009 at 1:27 PM
Just waiting for them to turn state’s evidence in exchange for favorable treatment by the feds.
eaglewingz08 on February 13, 2009 at 1:43 PM
So Empress Pelosi is “concerned”? Just as she’s “concerned” about Charlie Rangel?
I.e., nothing to see here peasants. Now move along and get back to tending the royal gardens while her majesty jets off to Europe.
rbj on February 13, 2009 at 1:56 PM
Totally OT, but I’m watching the Gibb’s presser and Jake Tapper will more than likely be riding on the wing of that airplane after today.
God I think I have crush on the Tapper.
Back to your regularly scheduled program.
Knucklehead on February 13, 2009 at 2:01 PM
The Viet Cong is so concerned about this allegation of wrong doing that they are considering rescinding the Medal of Honor they issued Sgt Murtha.
NoDonkey on February 13, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Reminiscent of Bill Clinton’s far east “coffee” pals suddenly fleeing the country to all corners of the earth to escape subpoenas.
whitetop on February 13, 2009 at 2:38 PM
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