Posted: Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Long-time Washington Congressman Norm Dicks is named in a
new report on defense-spending earmarks and campaign
contributions. The Center for Public Integrity says Dicks, a
Democrat, is among a dozen members of Congress engaged in
questionable relationships with the defense industry and its
lobbyists. Olympia Correspondent Austin Jenkins reports.
Norm Dicks is the number two Democrat on the powerful House
Appropriations Defense Subcommittee. Washington, DC-based
Public Integrity says last year Dicks earmarked $2 million for SAIC, a
Fortune 500 company, to do “underseas warfare” work in his
district. In turn, Dicks received $30,000 in campaign contributions
from the company’s political action committee. Public Integrity’s
Bill Beuzenberg says the circle of influence typically works like this.
Buzenberg: “Where a former staff member becomes a lobbyist, has
a contract with a corporation, the corporation gets an earmark, the
corporation gives a contribution back to the lobbyist or back
directly to the Congressman.”
SAIC’s lobbyist is a former Dicks’s staffer. Dicks’ chief of staff
dismisses the report as sensational and notes that no one is accusing
his boss of ethical lapses.
Copyright 2009 KUOW
On the web: Center for Public Integrity