Monday, February 20, 2006

The Earmarks Game - Wilkes & Doolittle

In the Washington Post's story detailing the pay-for-play adventures of So Cal defense contractor, Brent Wilkes, it comes at no surprise that Representative John Doolittle's relationship with Wilkes would receive mention:
A month later, Wilkes hired the Alexander Strategy Group, a lobby shop run by former aides of then-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.). Wilkes, Gelwix and their wives and associates then began donating to DeLay, Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Calif.), a member of the Appropriations Committee, among others.

They donated more than $85,000 to Doolittle's campaign and political action committee between 2002 and 2005. Doolittle acknowledged to The Washington Post recently that he sponsored earmarks, totaling $37 million, in defense funding bills for PerfectWave Technologies, beginning in 2002. Wilkes divested his majority interest in PerfectWave late last year after the Cunningham charges and his role in them became public.

There's still time to cast a vote in the poll to the right.

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