Obama Admin gives $150 million no-bid contract to big Dem donor
By: Mark Hemingway
Commentary Staff Writer
02/25/10 2:00 PM EST
Fox News reports:
<<< The Obama administration has steered up to $150 million in federal funding for the development and production of an anthrax vaccine to a bio-defense firm with strong Democratic Party ties, Fox News has learned.
The move comes in spite of President Obama's long history of pledges to crack down on the awarding of federal contracts without competitive bidding, and just as a federal commission led by two former U.S. senators has given the Obama administration a failing grade on shoring up the nation's bio-defenses.
Federal records show that executives of the company awarded the contract, as well as its investors and related lobbyists, have long been active contributors to Democratic Party causes and campaigns, including the 2008 presidential campaign of President Obama.
The deal was announced at a time when few Americans were likely to be paying attention: on the evening of Dec. 29, midway between Christmas and New Year's Eve. >>>
And even from beyond the grave, John Murtha's corrupt fingerprints are on the deal:
<<< PharmAthene's registered lobbyist in Washington, D.C. is Jim Ervin, founder of Ervin Technical Associates (ETA) and also a general partner at Four Seasons Ventures. ETA's lobbying clients include other major government contractors, including General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, and Raytheon.
A former Air Force colonel and legislative liaison on Capitol Hill, Ervin was a fundraiser for, and contributor to, the late Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., who in turn championed his home state to be the site of various bio-defense projects. Federal records also show that McCleary personally donated at least $7,800 to Murtha across a four-year span. >>>
UPDATE: Jim Ervin contacts the Examiner to deny that he was ever a fundraiser for John Murtha, as reported by Fox News. As of this moment, Fox hasn't issued any corrections or updates to their story.
UPDATE II: It's not just Fox News. This old report from Harpers describes Ervin as having hosted a Murtha fundraiser:
<<<Other hosts for the fundraiser included Jim Ervin of Ervin Technical Associates (firm chairman Joe McDade, a former congressman, was once charged with, but acquitted of, taking bribes from defense companies); two top officials from Kuchera Defense, one of Ervin's clients; and Jack McInnis and Ajay Maddam, respectively a lobbyist for and a leading executive of Optimal Solutions and Technology. >>>
Read more at the Washington Examiner: washingtonexaminer.com |
