Archive for Friday, October 30, 2009
Tiahrt denies any ethics violations
No reason exists for believing he’s under investigation, he says
October 30, 2009, 8:14 a.m. Updated October 30, 2009, 6:04 p.m.
Advertisement
Washington — Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., denied Friday that he was focus of a House ethics investigation related to a defunct lobbying firm, earmarks and campaign contributions.
The Washington Post reported Thursday night that Tiahrt and six other members of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, including chairman John Murtha, D-Pa., were named in a leaked document. It outlined a probe about allegedly steering appropriations to clients of a defunct lobbying firm, The PMA Group, and in turn, receiving campaign contributions.
Tiahrt, of Goddard, said Friday he has no reason to believe he’s under investigation by the House ethics committee. He said his office complied with a request from the independent Office of Congressional Ethics about the process he uses to submit defense-related project requests to the appropriations committee.
“Projects I submit that are approved by both the appropriations committee and the full House are made available online with my name appearing next to the initiative,” Tiahrt said. “I also routinely issue press releases for these funding requests because I’m proud to fight for worthy projects that help protect our troops serving overseas and that create thousands of direct, high-quality Kansas jobs."
House Ethics Committee leaders in a statement said that its security was breached through “peer to peer file sharing software” used by a junior employee who was working from home. The employee was fired. Committee leaders said because the document was preliminary, no inferences should be made about any lawmaker mentioned in it.
The campaign
The news story drew widespread attention Friday because Tiahrt is campaigning for election in 2010 to a Senate seat that’s opening up Sen. Sam Brownback is running for governor. Tiahrt’s opponent is another Kansas Congressman, Jerry Moran, R-Hays.
Bob Beatty, a Washburn University political science associate professor, said the leak itself can become a major development.
“Just the looking into it can harm somebody in a campaign,” Beatty said. “To them, it’s very important that that’s kept under wraps because of the impression of impropriety, and it can be damaging in a campaign.”
Moran’s campaign could bring up the issue in coming months as the race heats up. Even if Tiahrt is never officially investigated, a third-party could run an ad reminding voters he was linked to potential scandal, Beatty said.
Because it is a primary race, Moran also has to be careful about antagonizing Republicans if he brings it up, Beatty said.
"This is a serious issue that needs to be resolved,” Moran’s campaign manager Aaron Trost said Friday. “This matter speaks to a larger issue. Washington, D.C., needs to change the way it does business when handling taxpayer dollars.”
Contributions
Beatty noted that campaign contributions from groups that benefit from federal legislation don’t necessarily mean anything unethical happened.
“Obviously, they’re looking into whether any hanky-panky occurred,” he said.
Moran earlier this year said he would donate $1,500 in contributions from PMA’s political action committee to charity when federal investigators raided the lobbying firm’s office.
Tiahrt’s campaign has said in earlier news reports that it had a strict policy of only returning campaign donations if a contributor was convicted of a crime. Tiahrt raised roughly $19,750 from PMA’s PAC and employees from 2003 through 2008, according to figures compiled by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
When PMA was in operation, two of its clients were aerospace giant Boeing Inc. and Aeroflex Inc., a Boeing supplier. Both companies have a presence in the Wichita area in Tiahrt’s district. Tiahrt said his office has “an extensive, four-phase, 15-step process for scrutinizing defense-related project requests to determine which ones have merit.”
According to an analysis by Congressional Quarterly and Taxpayers for Common Sense, Tiahrt secured $5 million in earmarks to PMA clients in 2007, and with others helped secure $2 million.
More like this
- Moran reports raising $3.1 million for U.S. Senate race 1 comment / July 15, 2009
- Moran raises $2.9M for Senate race 5 comments / April 17, 2009
- It’s too early to call 2010 U.S. Senate race 12 comments / October 19, 2009
- House approves ethics bill; Senate OK likely soon 1 comment / August 1, 2007
- Moran, Tiahrt must distinguish themselves to voters 60 comments / July 20, 2009
Top ads RSS
Marketplace
Arts & Entertainment · Bars · Theatres · Restaurants · Coffeehouses · Libraries · Antiques · Services
- 3-step approach to health care reform November 27, 2009 · 5 comments
- Turbine manufacturer passes on Lawrence site November 24, 2009 · 95 comments
- The Oread Hotel targets concerns over fire November 27, 2009 · 17 comments
- Fear tactics November 27, 2009 · 14 comments
- Santa arriving in Downtown Lawrence Friday night November 27, 2009 · 5 comments
- Kansas Athletics seeks football fans to invest $34M for Gridiron Club November 27, 2009 · 27 comments
- On the street: Are you a Black Friday shopper? November 27, 2009 · 21 comments
- Shelter needed November 22, 2009 · 52 comments
- Blog: How Has Obama's Stimulus Helped You? November 21, 2009 · 93 comments
- Obama to promise 17% cuts in U.S. emissions in next decade November 26, 2009 · 51 comments
- The Oread Hotel targets concerns over fire November 27, 2009
- Center of attention: New LAC director acclimates to challenging post November 27, 2009
- Tight credit slows state’s business development November 27, 2009
- Natural scorer: Xavier Henry used to carrying points load November 27, 2009
- Kansas Legislature likely to debate judicial nomination process in 2010 session November 25, 2009
- Message warns students at Perry-Lecompton not to attend class today April 20, 2007
- Jayhawks: We are focused on Tigers November 27, 2009
- Oread owners share view from the top September 24, 2009
- Santa arriving in Downtown Lawrence Friday night November 27, 2009
- Kansas Athletics seeks football fans to invest $34M for Gridiron Club November 27, 2009
30 October 2009
at 8:43 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
snap_pop_no_crackle (Anonymous) says…
Most ethical Congress ever?
Hopenchange, you bet.
Unless there's been a delay former Democratic Congressman Cold Cash Jefferson will be sentenced today.
30 October 2009
at 8:56 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
headdoctor (Anonymous) says…
Yawn. More symbolism over substance. Nothing new. Congress members put fat in the fire, the fat gets pulled out of the fire. Resulting in a supposedly remorseful apology and or some poor staffer or adviser gets thrown to the wolves. All for the attempt to make it look to John Q Citizen that something is being done about Congressional corruption and or wrong doing. Next day, business as usual with no real down side for the politicians involved.
30 October 2009
at 9:24 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
headdoctor (Anonymous) says…
snap_pop_no_crackle (Anonymous) says…
Most ethical Congress ever?
Hopenchange, you bet.
Unless there's been a delay former Democratic Congressman Cold Cash Jefferson will be sentenced today.
_________________________________________________
Even though they will perhaps make an exception in Jefferson's case, I will be very surprised if he spends anywhere close to the amount of time in jail that a regular citizen would and it will probably be in a minimum security setting.
30 October 2009
at 10:35 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
ShePrecedes (Anonymous) says…
I have no doubts about Tiahrt's ethics. It has generally be tainted for some time. No doubt, that man can be bought, imho.
There may be some downside for Tiahrt to this accidental info release. He may be asked to inform his voters statewide, in the run against most honorable Moran, why he is being investigated in the HOR.
All I know is that he is not a nice man. So nothing surprises me.
30 October 2009
at 10:58 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
jmadison (Anonymous) says…
Rep Rangel donates to members of the Ethics committee.
Its been over a year with no resolution of his situation and he remains in power as the head of the committee that writes Tax law. Our current political class is not up to the tasks the country faces.
30 October 2009
at 11:08 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
honeychild (Mel Briscoe) says…
todd tifart LOOKS like a used car saleman but you can't go off of aesthetics.
30 October 2009
at 11:50 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
beobachter (Anonymous) says…
How can you investigate someone for ethics violations when they have none? Ethics, that is.
30 October 2009
at 2:12 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
rdragon (M. Lindeman) says…
Term limits for all of them, that is really the only solution to curving this corrupt Goverment. No matter what side of the isle you may stand. Two terms and don't let the door hit you in the a$$ on your way out.
30 October 2009
at 8:47 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
Number_1_Grandma (Anonymous) says…
rdragon (M. Lindeman) says…
Term limits for all of them, that is really the only solution to curving this corrupt Goverment. No matter what side of the isle you may stand. Two terms and don't let the door hit you in the a$$ on your way out.
*******************************************
I'll second this. It's the ONLY way the system can be fixed.
31 October 2009
at 12:23 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
parrothead8 (Anonymous) says…
As George Washington Cable once wrote, “…be careful next time how you cast doubt upon a public official's guilt.”
31 October 2009
at 7:14 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (Anonymous) says…
“Beatty noted that campaign contributions from groups that benefit from federal legislation don’t necessarily mean anything unethical happened.”
Hogwash. Just because it's standard operating procedure in Washington, on both sides of the aisle, doesn't mean it isn't unethical.
31 October 2009
at 7:41 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
TomShewmon (Tom Shewmon) says…
Well, noone can keep their word and meet the ethical standards of Obama and Pelosi.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2…
Every bit the fraud I knew Obama to be. I suppose that's not the worst thing about him. He's a far-left radical and trying to hide that too. But it's not working.
31 October 2009
at 8:14 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
leftylucky (Anonymous) says…
Tiahrt was the head of the Boeing union before becoming a congressperson.
31 October 2009
at 8:32 a.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
cait48 (Anonymous) says…
He was the head of a union and Republican? That's an oxymoron if I ever heard one and speaks volumes about his ethics.
31 October 2009
at 1:20 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
SouthWestKs (Anonymous) says…
After the democratic party threw the middle class white man in the dirt, we had to change partys..
31 October 2009
at 1:58 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
beobachter (Anonymous) says…
Tihart, GOP, no ethics, no possible violation.
31 October 2009
at 5:43 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
ShePrecedes (Anonymous) says…
Of course Tiahrt denies it. What else is he supposed to do?
I simply don't find him likable and could easily attribute him with unethical behavior simply because he doesn't strike me as a moral human being.
Whereas Moran does strike me as very moral, … and forthright, … and honest.
31 October 2009
at 5:46 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
ShePrecedes (Anonymous) says…
From what I understand from the employees at boeing, very few people liked him. My best friend's spouse worked with him.
“”As George Washington Cable once wrote, “…be careful next time how you cast doubt upon a public official's guilt.””
Absolutely funny, ph8!!
31 October 2009
at 6:47 p.m.
Suggest removal
Permalink
beobachter (Anonymous) says…
she, moran strikes me as a moron. probably less ethics than Tiahrt, if that's possible.