Terri Whitehouse December 18th, 2007

The good folk at the Sunlight Foundation have highlighted earmarks by Rep. Harold Rogers:

After it hired a lobbyist and its employees’ contributed to a member of Congress’ leadership political action committee, a Kentucky company saw its defense business quadruple thanks to earmarks.

Over the last three years, Rep. Harold Rogers, R-Ky., says he has earmarked at least $10.4 million in defense funds for Phoenix Products, Inc., a small company in McKee, Ky., that makes aircraft accessories, including custom V.I.P. interiors for Black Hawk helicopters that “offer the finest leather,” fabric, naugahyde and carpet, according to the firm’s Web site.

In 2006, Phoenix added Kentucky-based McCarthy & Speaks Strategic Solution, a lobbying firm that has strong connections with Rogers, to its Capitol Hill representation. Partner Jeff Speaks worked in Rogers’ congressional office as projects director for 10 years, according to the firm’s Web site; Speaks represented Phoenix Products, the firm’s lobbying disclosure forms show. The other partner, John T. McCarthy III, was the chairman of the Kentucky state Republican Party.

Since 2004, Martin, Fisher, Thompson and Associates and McCarthy & Speaks Strategic Solution Phoenix Products have reported that Phoenix Products has paid them more than $240,000 to lobby on its behalf.

During that same time period, the firm’s employees have given $12,400 to Rogers’s campaign and have been contributors to his leadership PAC as well. In 2007, Peggy Wilson and Thomas Wilson each made $1,500 donations to Rogers’s leadership PAC, Help America’s Leaders (HALPAC); their first campaign donations to HALPAC came in 2004, Federal Election Commission records show. They’ve also contributed to other members of the Kentucky delegation including Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.).

Must be nice in that ivory tower!

• Coporate Greed , Hal Rogers , Jim Bunning , Kentucky , Kentucky GOP , Mitch McConnell , Pork Spending
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