House rejects Flake’s call for PMA investigation

For the sixth time, the House has rejected a resolution by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) to initiate an ethics investigation into the relationship between earmarks and campaign contributions, with a special focus on the PMA Group. This time, however, Flake gained more Democratic support than any of the previous votes.

The “privileged resolution”–requiring action within a few days–was tabled by a vote of 210-173, with 25 Democrats voting to keep the resolution alive. Last time, 17 Democrats voted with Flake.

Flake is a long time anti-earmark crusader who has sought to call attention to the ethical shadow surrounding the PMA lobbying firm, which FBI agents raided in February. Paul Magliocchetti, the founder of the firm and a former aide to Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), has closed the lobbying shop and moved to Florida.

Murtha, who chairs the House appropriations subcommittee for defense spending, has come under fire for his ties to PMA clients.

Democrats voting to proceed with the investigation included a number of vulnerable freshman as well as Reps. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) and Barron Hill (D-IN), who co-chair the Blue Dog coalition. Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN), a high ranking member of the appropriations committee who has accepted campaign contributions from PMA and whose former aide was a lobbyist for the group, also voted to keep Flake’s proposal alive.