By Nick Schwellenbach
In a killer story locked behind the Bloomberg Government paywall, Roxana Tiron highlights another classic intersection of the defense industry and political fundraising:
The new Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee are seeking help with their political defenses from lobbyists and companies such as Lockheed Martin Corp., the Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp.
The 13 freshmen, who call themselves the “Lucky 13,” are being featured at a Washington fundraiser on Feb. 15, the day after President Barack Obama releases his fiscal 2012 budget.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Jan. 6 said the budget will propose cutbacks in weapons and support contracts, part of a reduction of $78 billion over five years. The fundraiser gives the military contracting community a chance to make their case, backed by campaign donations.
The “Lucky 13” are Republican Reps. Vicky Hartzler (MO), Scott Palazzo (MS), Austin Scott (GA), Jon Runyan (NJ), Mo Brooks (AL), Chris Gibson (NY), Tim Griffin (AR), Joe Heck (NV), Scott Rigell (VA), Martha Roby (AL), Bobby Schilling (IL), Allen West (FL) and Todd Young (IN).
The “special guest” at the fundraiser is House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard “Buck” McKeon (R-CA). McKeon has been a major beneficiary of defense contractor campaign contributions since first becoming the Committee’s ranking member and later its chairman. The fundraiser will be held at the restaurant Acadiana. Tiron noted:
McKeon’s “21st Century PAC,” a political action committee, sent the invitations on behalf of the “Lucky 13 Joint Fundraising Committee,” founded by the campaigns of the new members.
What’s expected of the potential fundraiser attendees?
The McKeon dinner invitation, sent to the defense companies and other potential donors, suggests a contribution of $5,000 minimum for the Lucky 13 Joint Fundraising Committee, or $5,000 to a combination of each members’ individual campaigns.
Nick Schwellenbach is POGO’s Director of Investigations.
Top Pentagon Military Officers are also Top Lockheed Martin Salesmen
Not sated after sacking the U.S. Treasury, like locusts our Military Industrial Complex is swarming around the globe seeking new sources of sustinance. In the photo linked below we see U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General Norton Schwartz presenting a model of the C-130J-30 Super Hercules to Indian Defense Minister A.K. Antony at a ceremony at the Air Force Station at Hindon near New Delhi, India on Saturday (5 February 2011) to mark the induction of the first of six Lockheed Martin C-130J airplanes purchased for the Indian Air Force.
U.S. total debt $55.6 trillion, U.S. federal debt $14.1 trillion, U.S. federal deficit $1.5 trillion, U.S. dollar rapidly losing world reserve currency status, as U.S. politicians bought and paid for by multinational corporations (legalized by Citizens United vs. FEC) cut education, close schools, convert asphalt roads to gravel and accelerate America's descent into oblivion so they can pay Lockheed Martin and other greed- and graft-infested government contractors billions for Rube Goldberg defense systems and myriad non-defense boondoggles as unnecessary, unaffordable and unjustifiable as our unending wars for oil and profit. And with the open support of Pentagon top brass, the debt for death and destruction will grow to plague nations around the world:
http://watchingfrogsboil.com/top-pentagon-military-officers-are-also-top-l
Posted by: watchfrogsboil | Feb 11, 2011 at 07:38 AM