Murtha at the Center of Big Ethics Probe

The Los Angeles Times is reporting a headline: "Ethics probe so big lawmakers have to take a number -- half the Pentagon spending committee caught in net." The LA Times writes:

We already knew that Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Rangel was under investigation for failing to report some of his real estate holdings and rental income, and a few other goodies, on his financial disclosure forms. And that the Ethics Committee was studying Pennsylvania Democrat John Murtha's ties to defense contractors. Now it turns out that those two were just the tip of the iceberg.

Turns out that nearly half the members of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, which Murtha chairs, are under investigation for funneling millions in federal funds to clients of a lobbyist who used to work on the Hill. The charge: They put earmarks worth $300 million in the  2008 Defense appropriation bill to benefit clients of the PMA Group, a now-defunct .... [Full Story]

The NY Daily News also reported "Congressional defense appropriations subcommittee rocked by ethics probe . . ." The NY Dailey writes:

Nearly half the members of a House panel in control of Pentagon spending are facing a probe by Congressional ethics investigators, the Washington Post reported. . . . Two House ethics offices are probing whether Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), chairman of the defense appropriations subcommittee, and six other lawmakers funneled millions in federal funds to clients of an influential lobbying firm in exchange for campaign contributions, the paper reported. . . . [Full Story]