Brad Shannon:
The Politics Blog

Brad Shannon maintains this blog. He is political editor at The Olympian and can be reached at 360-753-1688 or bshannon@theolympian.com.

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Report: U.S. Rep. Dicks was No. 4 in earmarks for questioned PMA Group

• Published February 20, 2009

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U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks of Belfair landed pretty high up this week on Congressional Quarterly’s list of more than 100 House members who secured earmarks for clients of a much-scrutinized lobbying firm, The PMA Group.

In fact, the Democrat is No. 4 among all members of Congress. Dicks, whose knack for bringing home bacon to Washington is well established after 17 terms in office, asked for some $11.3 million of contracts on his own and secured $800,000 more with others.

See the story here. See a chart of lawmakers’ requests for earmarks and donations they received here.

Dicks also received $91,600 in campaign donations from the PMA Group and employees since 2001, the article contends.

Dicks is not accused of wrongdoing, and we’re waiting for a follow-up by our partners at McClatchy Newspapers. But the CQ story says PMA is at the heart of a lobbying scandal that touches on U.S. Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa.:

PMA’s offices have been raided, and the firm closed its political action committee last week amid reports that the FBI is investigating possibly illegal campaign contributions to Murtha and other lawmakers. No matter what the outcome of the federal investigation, PMA's earmark success illustrates how a well-connected lobbying firm operates on Capitol Hill. And earmark accountability rules imposed by the Democrats in 2007 make it possible to see how extensively PMA worked the Hill for its clients.

Dicks is not alone in Washington’s delegation when it comes to securing earmarks.

A special report last June 8 by The Olympian and other papers nationally showed extensive use of earmarks to fund local projects. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., ranked No. 8 in the Senate with nearly $141 million of earmarks on her own, $376 million done with others, and $1.2 billion when linked to presidential requests in 2007.

U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell was No. 51 in the Senate with $160 million done alone and with others. Rep. Dicks ranked No. 10 in the House with $105.9 million done alone and with other lawmakers; U.S. Rep. Brian Baird, D-Vancouver, was No. 81; U.S. Rep. Adam Smith, D-Tacoma, ranked No. 134.

Click here for a story on the state’s delegation, here for a story on South Sound earmark requesters, and here for a list of earmarks secured in 2007 for South Sound projects.