Indicted Lobbyist Gave Heavily Dicks

The founder of a defunct defense lobbying firm who was indicted Thursday for allegedly laundering illegal campaign contributions to members of Congress was a big personal donor to U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks.

In fact, Paul Magliocchetti himself or his wives gave more money to Dicks, D-Bremerton, than to all but two members of Congress, according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics, a campaign-finance watchdog group in Washington, D.C.

Dicks has received $26,700 since 1990 from Magliocchetti, who has given to 135 members of Congress in all.

Only Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., and Rep. James Moran Jr., D-Va., received more from Magliocchetti, who founded the powerhouse lobbying firm PMA Group of Arlington, Va.

Magliocchetti is embroiled in perhaps the biggest federal ethics probe since the Jack Abramoff scandal. On Thursday, the Justice Department indicted him on 11 counts of making illegal campaign contributions.

Magliocchetti, 64, allegedly funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to lawmakers by enlisting his son, employees and even acquaintances who lived near his Florida vacation home to make the donations in their names. Magliocchetti is accused of reimbursing them later.

Read more: (Kyung M. Song, “Indicted Lobbyist Gave Heavily to Rep. Dicks,” Seattle Times, 08/06/10)