WASHINGTON — Nearly half the members of a powerful House subcommittee — Defense Appropriations — are under scrutiny by ethics investigators in Congress focused on the relationships with an influential lobbying firm founded by a former Capitol Hill aide.
The investigations by two separate ethics offices include an examination of the subcommittee chairman, John Murtha, D-Pa., as well as others who helped PMA Group secure earmarks for clients.
Internal ethics investigations of members of Congress are normally confidential, but The Washington Post learned details of their work through a document that became available on a file-sharing network.
The chairwoman of the House ethics committee, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., declined to comment on the documents.
