Moran should return tainted campaign donations

Lobby shop that funds Congressman's campaigns under FBI probe

Contact: Gerry Scimeca 804-780-0111

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Richmond, Virginia -- In light of recent reports that the FBI is probing lobbying firm PMA Group, Delegate Jeffrey M. Frederick, Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, today called on U.S. Representative Jim Moran to return the $132,800 in campaign contributions he has received from PMA and it’s clients ManTech, Inc. and Argon ST. PMA is Moran’s largest campaign contributor.

In the February 11 edition of the Washington Post, Moran called PMA head Paul Magliocchetti “probably the most professional of all representatives of small defense firms.”

Congressman Moran faces a conflict of interest given that his former Chief of Staff, Melissa Koloszar, worked as a lobbyist for the PMA Group, and Moran supported over $4 million in earmarks for PMA clients.

“Once again, the people of Virginia's Eighth District have been given ample reason to question whether Jim Moran has abused his seat in Congress and the public trust for his own personal benefit and the benefit of lobbyists, contributors and friends,” said Frederick. “Mr. Moran should return these tainted contributions immediately. While families in the Northern Virginia and all across the Commonwealth are worried about their jobs, their paychecks, their family budgets – it is a slap in the face that Congressman Jim Moran is rewarding his lobbyist friends with million-dollar earmarks so they can become his biggest campaign contributors.”

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JIM MORAN’S EARMARKS FOR MANTECH AND ARGON ST INC.

Recepient	Lobbying Firm	Amount
ManTech, Inc	PMA Group	$2,400,000
Argon ST, Inc.	PMA Group	$1,600,000
Total		$4,000,000

Source: U.S. House Appropriations Committee

CONTRIBUTIONS TO JIM MORAN FROM MANTECH AND ARGON ST INC

PMA Contributions to Moran for Congress (05-08)	$79,500
PMA Contributions to Moran's Virginia PAC (05-08)	$12,500
ManTech's Contributions to Moran's Virginia PAC (05-08)	$12,000
ManTech's Contributions to Moran for Congress (05-08)	$11,500
Argon ST's Contributions to Moran for Congress (05-08)	$17,300
Total	$132,800

Source: Federal Election Commission

BACKGROUND:

Over the last two cycles, two companies, ManTech, Inc and Argon ST, Inc and their executives have given $40,800 to Rep. Jim Moran. ManTech, Inc and Argon ST also hired the lobbying firm PMA Group Inc, which has given Rep. Moran $92,000 over the last two election cycles. In return, Moran has rewarded the companies with earmarks totaling $4 million.
In November 2008, the FBI raids the offices of the PMA Group, a lobbying firm headed up by Paul Magliocchetti and Melissa Koloszar, Rep. Moran’s former Chief of Staff (“Top Lobbying Shop Breaks Up” The Hill – February 10, 2009).
After hearing that the FBI had raided PMA headquarters, Rep. Moran went on the record to defend the firm’s president Paul Magliocchetti.

Excerpt from Washington Post article (2/11/09):

Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-VA), whose Alexandria-based district is home to many of the contractors who received earmarks while being represented by PMA, defended Murtha's earmarks and PMA yesterday. PMA was Moran's top donor in the last election cycle, giving $37,500.”

"Paul Magliocchetti is probably the most professional of all representatives of small defense firms," [Moran] said, noting that Magliocchetti sought Pentagon approval for his projects and that Moran never regretted supporting them. "They all knew that if they weren't doing good work, they weren't going to get the money."