WASHINGTON — Kansas Republican Congressman Todd Tiahrt is defending his role in defense contracts after the Washington Post published a secret House Ethics Committee report that said 23 members of Congress were being investigated for their connection to a high-powered defense lobbying firm. The report was accidently put on a public government computer network last week. Ethics committee chair Zoe Lofgren of California told ABC News the report is not a conclusive sign of inappropriate behavior
The FBI is investigating the lobbying firm PMA Group which represents Boeing, General Eynamics and Lockheed Martin. The Post says Tiahrt wrote several earmarks that gave federal money to PMA clients. The web site opensecrets.org, which monitors campaign contributions to members of Congress, says PMA gave more than $27,000 in campaign contributions to Tiahrt and that its clients gave more than $300,000. Tiahrt is in a race with Congressman Jerry Moran for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate. Open-secrets said PMA has given $14,000 to Moran.