Ianieri’s company got a direct earmark from Rep. Patrick Murphy:

Richard S. Ianieri of Doylestown, a contributor to Rep. Patrick Murphy’s campaign, was accused of soliciting and accepting $200,000 in kickbacks.

A felony corruption charge was filed Monday against the former CEO of a Doylestown defense contractor who donated to Congressman Patrick Murphy’s campaign and whose company received a $2.4 million earmark from the Democrat.

Murphy plans to donate to local charities $21,400 in campaign cash from Richard S. Ianieri and others – just as he did nearly $28,000 from The PMA Group, a defunct lobbying group under investigation for arranging illegal political contributions.

Ianieri of Doylestown was head of Coherent Systems International in January 2006 when he solicited and accepted $200,000 in kickbacks from a subcontractor identified in charging documents only as “K.”

He was charged via a bill of information, which usually means a defendant is cooperating with prosecutors. District Court Judge Terrence F. McVerry had yet to set a date for the plea hearing Tuesday.

Checks for $102,832 and $97,013 “were provided for the purpose of improperly obtaining and rewarding favorable treatment in connection with K’s subcontract relating to a government prime contract,” according to court papers filed in Pittsburgh.

A 2006 press release from Congressman John Murtha’s office says Coherent worked “virtually as one” with a company in his district called Kuchera Defense Systems. The company, whose principals have given generously to Murphy as well as Murtha, was raided by the FBI in January.

U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan in Pittsburgh has confirmed the raids related to an investigation by her office, but would not say whether Murtha was part of the inquiry. Kuchera has since been blocked from doing business with the Navy, although it is appealing the decision.

Murphy declined through spokeswoman Kate Hansen to be interviewed for this story, but said in a statement via e-mail that he would donate to various charities campaign contributions from Ianieri, his wife, a Coherent employee and the employee’s wife as well as Kuchera’s principals.

Murphy said he will follow up with the Army to find out if Argon ST, which acquired Coherent in 2007, will continue to use its $2.4 million earmark to develop maritime domain awareness sensors and software.

“Due to the Army’s longtime support of the Joint Unified Maritime Protection System (JUMPS) project in Doylestown, I have sent a letter to the Army requesting the status of their continued involvement in this project, and to ensure that ArgonST is fulfilling their obligations under their contract with the Army,” Murphy said in his statement.

The company planned to deploy sensors in the Delaware River to monitor patterns and frequencies that can detect potential threats, Murphy’s office has said. About two-thirds of the money was intended to pay for six jobs and the rest would pay for services and equipment.

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“I secured money for the business in Doylestown, for a project that absolutely will increase our national security,” Murphy said in April. “Folks in the defense industry know that I’m a former soldier who fights for our brothers and sisters who wear the uniform.”

Murphy has not been accused of any wrongdoing and has repeatedly denied any improper connection between campaign donations and earmarks.

Coherent opened an office on South Main Street in the borough in January 2007, according to the occupancy permit – the same month Murphy took office.

Murphy has said the relocation had nothing to do with his election. Nonetheless, the company has kept a low profile. It is not a member of the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce and Bucks County commissioners have said they don’t recall ever encountering the company.

“Coherent and Windber’s Kuchera Defense Systems have garnered more than $30 million in 14 prime contracts for high-tech tools for war fighters,” according to the 2006 statement from Murtha’s office. “Coherent designs, develops and tests the products, and Kuchera manufactures all or parts of them.”

On March 6, 2008, four members of the Kuchera clan each gave Murphy the maximum donations allowed by campaign finance rules, for a total of $9,200.

In an April interview, Murphy said he didn’t know why people who don’t live in his district would donate to his campaign, except to cite a “common value system within our party.”

Ianieri has also been a reliable donor, giving Murphy’s campaign coffers $5,300.

Ianieri maxed out on donations to Murphy the same day as the Kucheras and gave another $3,000 in the two prior years. Calls The Associated Press placed to Ianieri’s Doylestown home were not returned.

The Web site Politico reports Ianieri gave more than $50,000 to Democrats, including $13,500 to Murtha’s campaign committees. Ianieri has also given to the campaigns of Pennsylvania Democrats Reps. Mike Doyle and Joe Sestak and Sen. Bob Casey, campaign finance records show.

Argon CEO Terry Collins said in a statement that the company cannot comment on the criminal allegations because the actions happened before Argon purchased most of Coherent’s assets. Though Ianieri continued working for Argon after the acquisition, he left that company in October, Collins said.

Dennis McGlynn, the Johnstown attorney who represents the Kucheras, told The Associated Press he didn’t know anything about the charge filed against Ianieri. A spokesman at Murtha’s office in Washington, D.C., also declined to comment on the charge.

Murphy up to his keister with Murtha’s corruption

rockmom on July 8, 2009 at 1:58 PM