For Lewis, News of Probe Didn’t Stop Funds’ FlowThe machine rolls on. Nothing stops the machine.
As I reported earlier, just days after news surfaced of a federal investigation into his relationship with lobbying firm Copeland Lowery, Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) took donations of thousands more dollars from his Copeland Lowery friends.
In addition, Lewis got at least $23,000 in donations from Copeland Lowery clients — mostly major defense contractors.
Let’s do a quick reality check here: Lewis and the firm are under investigation as part of the ever-expanding Cunningham corruption probe. Lowery and Lewis have long standing ties, and prosecutors appear to be scrutinizing whether contracts were given to Copeland Lowery as a way to secure earmarks of federal funds from Lewis. A key piece of that puzzle is the vast sum of contributions sent to Lewis by Lowery’s clients, which accounted for fully 37 percent of the $1.3 million that Lewis’s political action committee has received in the past six years.
Despite all that, an examination of FEC records and the scandal-linked lobby firm’s client list reveals that days after it was first reported that Lewis was under investigation, Lewis’ campaign and PAC reported generous donations from the following organizations, all of whom were represented in Washington by Copeland Lowery:
SAIC – $5,000
Titan – $5,000
United Technologies – $5,000
Boeing – $3,000
Beamhit – $2,000
General Dynamics – $1,000
Pacific Life Insurance $1,000
SRA International $1,000
I reported earlier that Lewis had taken several thousand dollars from the firm’s principal, Bill Lowery, as well as Lewis’ staffer-turned-lobbyist friend Letitia White, who now lobbies for Lowery’s firm. I also noted he picked up a cool grand from the head of Trident Systems, whose troubles mount as news comes out about the “fees” he paid to White, as well as arrangements he held with Lewis’ stepdaughter, Julia Willis-Leon.
All of these companies and individuals are potential subjects in the growing federal investigation. Prosecutors have reportedly started issuing subpoenas to Lowery’s business clients. Will any of these corporations be among them?
