Chuck Neubauer has a fascinating reported piece on defense superlobbyist Paul Magliocchetti:
Shedding light on the little-scrutinized practice of lobbyists courting members of Congress through legal charitable donations, the papers show Magliocchetti gave more than $200,000 to the favorite charities of the congressional earmarkers and other members of Congress.
That kind of thing makes them more receptive to your Pentagon-related clients. Ponder, if you will, what Congressman Murtha's affinity for classical music cost us:
Ledger entries show Magliocchetti gave a total of $52,530 in four years to the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra was a favored charity of Rep. John P. Murtha, a Democrat who lived in Johnstown, Pa., and chaired the House Appropriations defense subcommittee. Murtha obtained 16 earmarks for Magliocchetti's clients in fiscal 2008 and six in fiscal 2009 worth a total of $54.3 million, according to Taxpayers for Common Sense.
Murtha's wife, Joyce, has been described as a major booster of the symphony, an important cultural institution in Johnstown. The congressman tried to revive the one-time dying steel town with federal earmarks and with help from defense contractors and lobbyists he aided. Several defense contractors who benefited from Murtha's help also became symphony sponsors, according to published accounts. Murtha, who died in February, also supported the symphony, using $14,400 in campaign funds for tickets and advertising during the same period.