By SUSAN FERRECHIO
Chief Congressional Correspondent
Rep. Jeff Flake on Wednesday inched forward in his quest to get the House ethics committee to open an investigation into the connection between congressional earmarks and campaign donations from a Washington lobbying firm with ties to Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa.
Flake, an Arizona Republican and foe of the Congressional earmark, introduced a resolution for the seventh time in two months calling for an ethics probe into the matter, though he did not mention Murtha by name.
The bill failed, as it has on the previous half-dozen attempts, but picked up the support of two more Democrats.
Investigators are looking into the PMA Group and whether they made illegal contributions to members. Murtha, chairman of the defense appropriations committee, is a top recipient of campaign cash from the firm.
A total of 25 Democrats voted for the resolution on Monday. Today, Reps. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, and Travis Childers, D-Miss., added their names to the list of those demanding an investigation.
The resolution garnered 185 votes, with 217 voting against it. Some members are on the fence. Five Democrats and 11 Republicans voted “present” though some are members of the House ethics committee who want to remain neutral.
Murtha said he has not even been contacted, never mind charged with a crime by federal investigators looking into the now-defunct lobbying firm, and that fact alone has has made it easy for many Democrats to vote against opening an investigation.
Members are also wary of an ethics inquiry that jeopardize the earmark process, which allows them to steer money back to their districts for pet projects. Flake said he plans to keep introducing the resolutions until one passes.
