Questions About Murtha Contract Awards

(CBS)  CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson and investigative producer Laura Strickler reported this story for CBS News.

Few politicians are as polarizing as Pennsylvania Rep. John Murtha.

Voters in his district love all the federal funding he lines up for projects back home. But critics call him the king of earmarks who wastes a lot of taxpayer money. Now, the FBI is taking a close look at some of those projects, reports CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson.

Under fire for his earmarking practices, Murtha wouldn't grant CBS News an interview today. But he did turn and address our camera while passing by in a hallway.

"That's the Constitution of the United States," he said, holding up a pocket-sized copy. "What it says is the Congress of the United States appropriates the money. Got that?"

What he means is Congress gets to decide how tax dollars are spent. Specifically, Murtha himself often gets to decide. As head of the Defense Spending Committee he has the power to steer hundreds of millions of tax dollars in earmarks to companies of his choice.

But now the FBI is asking whether people who have benefited from Murtha's earmarks have made improper donations to his political campaigns.

There's been a flurry of activity. Agents raided lobbying firm PMA, started by a Capitol Hill staffer who worked closely with Murtha In Murtha's hometown Johnstown, Pennsylvania the FBI has issued subpoenas for Concurrent Technologies and raided Kuchera Defense Industries and a game ranch owned by Kuchera's CEO, once the site of a Murtha fundraiser.

CBS News has learned that federal agents are also looking into a Murtha-backed research firm "Electro Optic Center." According to a source interviewed by the FBI: In one year, the Center sought $120 million in earmarks directly through Murtha's office and managers urged employees to donate to Murtha so the Center would get favorable treatment.

We found at least six donors linked to the Center gave to Murtha on the same day last year, just days before earmarks were decided.

Republican Rep. Jeff Flake, who's against earmarks of any kind, is calling for an ethics investigation and says it could dwarf the last lobby mess to hit Washington.

"In terms of contributions and circular fundraising and the involvement of members it's much bigger [than the Abramoff scandal]," he said. "Much bigger."

In the coming weeks, Murtha will help divy up a new round of defense earmarks.

Though he wouldn't talk with us about the FBI investigation, his office has said he's done nothing wrong and there's no reason to believe he is a target.

[n7uvh]

Hard to believe CBS news is reporting news. What is up with that?

[girammab]

"That's the Constitution of the United States," [Murtha] said, holding up a pocket-sized copy. "What it says is the Congress of the United States appropriates the money. Got that?"

Congress is authorized to appropriate money only within limits of the enumerated powers of Article 1, Section 8. Congress does not have a blank check like Murtha implies.

[Paulyale]

margroks,
Bush was governor of Texas when Enron raped the Calofornia electric ststem. Your boy Clinton was in charge . The Bush administration refused to bail out Enron, put them out of business

[margroks]

Bush and especially Cheney, were deeply involved in handing out favors to their friends such as those at Haliburton. Gas prices climbed high under the Bush administration which had ties to big oil and people, such as those in California, were screwed over bigtime by companies like Enron who had ties to the Bush administration. t's ludicrous to claim Dems are soley at fault when the Bush administration was responsible for so much chicanery and for the huge deficit we now have. Our national debt climbed high under that administration which excelled at such underhanded graft. It's nonsense to make such unsupported claims against all Dems when the Republicans have been at fault for so very much. Any suspicious actions should be examined but it's wrong to blame one party for everything that's happened; that's the Rush Limbaugh attitude and we've had enough of that.

[whosaid1]

Well Hell...it has to be Bush's fault....let's see...maybe he ORDERED Murtha to do it....

[Anabellsmithfield]

Murtha is just one of many crooked politicians who are increasingly filling the news. But don't expect his peers or the Obama administration to do anything about it. I'm surprised that the FBI is even involved. Let's see if the attorney general will actually act. Others who have been quite clearly unethical (to say the least) such as Chris Dodd and Barney Franks and who have led us into the mortgage/banking meltdown have not been touched by ethics committees, the FBI, etc.

Perhaps we need a citizens judicial committee to investigate these guys, make their crimes public and force their prosecution. Being voted out of office is not enough. They should be in jail.

[nolies74621]

Suspend him as head of the Defense Spending Committee until this investigation is over. Just another sleazy politician that holds up the Constitution like a vampire slayer holding up a cross in hopes that it will keep us from asking questions. He is a creepy guy.

[credibility2]

Ah yes, the old pay to play crony scratch I'll scratch yours modus operandi. And this is what is running our very lives. And to think, a Murtha is less vilified than a Liddy from AIG. There's essentially no difference. Come on there two-face sanctimonious hypocrit Mr. Obama. Let's get some equal time now with your condemnations. Equality Mr. Obama, you know what that is, now don't you? That's the thing that enabled you to get elected.

[harpoot]

"We NEED TERM LIMITS!"

A-men to that. For every good congress person that might suffer as a result there are 20 crooks raking in the graft.

[republic1776]

These old F A R T S are killing our Nation!
He has been in office scince 1974.
This is NOT public Service, this is for power and personal gain.
We NEED TERM LIMITS!