Curt Weldon is on a streak. In a
diary yesterday, I related a story by
Josh Marshall implicating Curt with some Russians who were involved with the Abramoff-Buckham-Delay crowd. Now, one of the writers who turned the spotlight on Weldon's daughter, Karen, and her
lobbying business based on her Daddy connection has a new story of corruption.
More below ...
In an article entitled,
"The Curt Weldon Employment Agency", Ken Silverstein tells us that
Last year, Weldon was a key supporter of a long-shot bid by AgustaWestland, Finmeccanica's helicopter unit, to land a $1.6-billion contract to build the new presidential helicopter. With Weldon's help, an AgustaWestland partnership with LockheedMartin beat out a bid from United Technologies Corp., which had been favored. On November 29, 2005, AgustaWestland broke ground on an addition to its Philadelphia-area plant. The project, said Weldon, who was on hand that day, "provides a direct and sustained stimulus to the regional economy by way of increased investment and job creation."
OK, the usual fare, but for this
One job at AgustaWestland has been filled by Weldon's daughter, Kim. Weldon's office declined to comment, but a source who declined to be identified but who is close to the Congressman said that Kim has worked in the firm's public relations office since the fall of 2005. "She got the job in the normal way," he said.
Normal for a Weldon I suppose ....
Weldon's twenty-something daughter Karen was once hired by Boeing, one of the congressman's major campaign donors ..... Weldon "family friend" and realtor-turned-lobbyist Cecelia Grimes was retained by Oto Melara, yet another subsidiary of Finmeccanica, and by several other firms with close ties to the congressman as well.
Joe Sestak is running to unseat Weldon and he is looking better every day. Give him some support here.