Reports shed light on ties between Weldon, businesses (more!)

[MH1]

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/15867608.htm

WASHINGTON - Pennsylvania congressman Curt Weldon, under investigation for allegedly trading his influence to get lobbying business for one of his daughters, also has helped corporations that have hired another daughter, a friend and some of his former aides.

Federal Election Commission reports show that within months of Weldon's advocacy on their behalf, three of these firms and their executives gave more than $95,000 in political contributions to the 10-term Republican.

Most of those donations were made in 2001 and 2002 to an obscure "soft money" account that helped foot unspecified travel expenses for Weldon and his top aide, according to the FEC filings.

Weldon's financial and lobbying relationships helped cement his rise to power as the vice chairman of the House Armed Services and Homeland Security committees, but now they've drawn the FBI's attention as part of a Justice Department criminal investigation into possible congressional corruption.

Weldon, who's up for re-election on Nov. 7, has denied any wrongdoing and charged that the FBI investigation is part of a left-wing conspiracy. He's expressed confidence that he will be cleared. His lawyer, William Winning of Philadelphia, did not respond to phone messages for comment.

It's often difficult to tell where Weldon's official business ends and his family's and friends' personal business begins:

...read the article for the list...

On Oct. 13, McClatchy Newspapers first disclosed the Justice Department inquiry into whether Weldon swapped legislative favors for those contracts. Three days later, FBI agents swept the homes and the office of Karen Weldon and her lobbying partner and raided the offices of a longtime Philadelphia associate of Weldon and a Russian-owned, Florida-based energy company.

A government official familiar with the investigation also confirmed that the FBI gathered evidence through at least four months of cell phone wiretaps and has examined whether Weldon himself benefited from his daughter's lobbying relationships.

(snip)

Please get this guy out of our government. Please.

Let's replace him - with Joe Sestak.

[Jackpine Radical]

1. Oh, those treacherous leftist FBI agents!

They must have had to take some agents off Quaker terrorist surveillance to work on Weldon.

[MH1]

3. lol, but the 4 MONTHS of wiretaps kind of

trashes that argument about "it's a democratic party plot, bringing this up just 3 weeks before the election!"

:rofl:

[tanyev]

2. Well, heck, if you can't use a political office to benefit your

family and friends, then why in the sam hill would any one bother running?



:sarcasm:

[mcscajun]

4. MH1

Please be aware that DU copyright rules require that excerpts of copyrighted material be limited to four paragraphs. Thanks.

[MH1]

5. Sorry...

It counts as a "paragraph" when it's only one sentence? Gee, I guess that's why they do that. I was just taking a swag at what ought to be a paragraph. My apologies.

[AlCzervik]

6. Weldon can deny and blame the vast left wing all he wants

i seem to remember Bob Ney doing the very same thing. Ok Curt, quit now, admit you have a drinking problem, check into a fancy rehab that at the taxpayers expense and then throw yourself at the mercy of the court.