Visclosky: no for-profit earmarks

Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.) announced Wednesday that he has dropped all earmark requests for profit-seeking companies. The Indiana Democrat said the move was intended to address concerns regarding the PMA Group, a former defense lobbying firm that had given hundreds of thousands of dollars to Visclosky and was raided by the FBI in November.

“There is a controversy that has attached to PMA, and I want to be focused on the problems we are trying to solve in northwest Indiana,” Visclosky said, according to the Associated Press. “So this year, we are simply not going to request money for any for-profit firms, no matter who those requests come from.”

Visclosky also rejected $21 million in requests from former PMA clients.

BBR reported last week that Visclosky had retained a campaign finance firm to assist with FEC compliance. Just days before, the NY Times revealed federal prosecutors had been investigating the relationship between the Congressman and PMA.

A list of Visclosky’s appropriation requests–for non-profits–can be found here.