BURNS TO MURTHA: RETURN KUCHERA CONTRIBUTIONS TO HELP RESTORE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE

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BURNS TO MURTHA: RETURN KUCHERA CONTRIBUTIONS TO HELP RESTORE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE

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Chris
New Cumberland, PA
Editor
Joined: May '08
Posts: 313
offline

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM: Kent Gates
DATE: June 23, 2009 412.680.0161 (cell) or Kent.Gates@gmail.com

BURNS CALLS ON MURTHA TO RETURN KUCHERA CONTRIBUTIONS TO HELP RESTORE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE

Johnstown, PA – Tim Burns, a candidate for Congress in the 12th Congressional District, delivered a letter to John Murtha calling on him to return or contribute to charity thousands of dollars in questionable campaign contributions he has received from Kuchera Industries executives and family members in recent years.

“John Murtha has refused to answer mounting questions regarding public scrutiny over his conduct in Washington – particularly in regards to his efforts to secure federal earmarks. He could do a lot to restore our trust in his activities by returning the more than $68,000 he has received in campaign contributions from Kuchera family members, especially in light of the federal investigation into Kuchera Industries and the revelations that some of the contributors have engaged in illegal behavior in the past,” said 12th District Congressional candidate Tim Burns.

Below is a summary of events surrounding the questionable contributions from Kuchera Industries:
§ According to Federal Election Commission records, the Murtha for Congress Committee and John Murtha’s leadership PAC, the Majority PAC, has received over $68,000 in campaign contributions from Kuchera family members with ties to Kuchera Industries. Attached is a complete listing of the contributions. (http://www.fec.gov)

§ On January 22, 2009, federal agents from the FBI and IRS raided the corporate offices of Kuchera Industries and Kuchera Defense Systems in Winder, PA. The defense contractor is accused of padding its payroll to increase its federal funding for a $100 million contract. The federal officials also raided the home of the company’s President, William Kuchera and Chief Financial Officer, Ronald Kuchera. The Kuchera’s hosted a fundraising event for John Murtha at the ranch of William Kuchera in August 2008.

John Murtha told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette in an interview, “I don't have any idea what they're looking for there. I know that they came in hard on them and I have no idea what they found or what they're looking for.” (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09137/970767-455.stm)

According to a report in the Washington Post, the LBK Ranch owned by the Kuchera family was the location of an August 2008 fundraiser. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/04/AR2009060404556.html?hpid=topnews)

The same Washington Post story also reported that prior to Bill Kuchera receiving about $50 million in Murtha backed earmarks, he served nearly one year in federal prison during the 1980’s for a drug conviction, and that other Kuchera family members including Ron Kuchera were implicated though never convicted in the drug running pipeline from Miami, FL to Racine, WI. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/04/AR2009060404556.html?hpid=topnews)

On May 29, 2009, John Murtha in a rare public interview in Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District grew irritated at reporters’ questions about his involvement with Kuchera Industries saying, “So what's that got to do with me? Wait a minute. What do you think, I oversee these companies? That's the Defense Department's job. That's not my job. You guys write these stories [but] you don't have a clue what this is all about." (http://postgazette.com/pg/09149/973618-100.stm)

“While I take John Murtha at his word that he is not responsible for overseeing Kuchera Industries, I am calling on him to eliminate even the appearance of impropriety by either returning this money or donating it to charity,” asserted Burns. “I am troubled by the criminal record of an executive of this company, and the investigations of Kuchera Industries by the FBI and the IRS.”

“With the mounting evidence of illegal and unethical behavior associated with the leadership of Kuchera Industries, John Murtha needs to take a simple but significant step in restoring public confidence in his leadership by returning the political contributions immediately,” concluded Burns.

– 30 –

Paid for and Authorized by Tim Burns for Congress

P.O. Box 4483, Eighty Four, PA 15330

June 23, 2009

The Honorable John Murtha
c/o: Murtha for Congress
647 Main Street, Suite 200
Johnstown, PA 15901

Dear Congressman Murtha:

The public has lost confidence in Congress in part because of questionable earmarking of our hard earned federal tax dollars for projects by members. It is incumbent on any member of Congress to work to improve the quality of life for his or her constituents and this includes fighting for federal funding for infrastructure and economic development projects, but I am concerned that we are spending too much money too fast with no ability to pay for it.

As has been reported by several news organizations, one company that has received millions of dollars in federal earmarks through your efforts is Kuchera Industries in Winder, PA. While this money was designed to create jobs and put people back to work in our region, the company and its executives are accused of padding their payroll and not actually hiring the number of people specified as part of the federal contract.

What is even more troubling is the staggering amount of campaign contributions – $68,300 – that you have taken from the executives and family members of Kuchera Industries in recent years. With the recent Washington Post report that one of the contributors spent time in federal prison for drug trafficking, I believe that it is time for you to take a simple step to restore public confidence in your leadership by returning or donating all of these contributions to charity. I have enclosed a list of the specific contributions. I hope you will return these contributions or donate them to deserving charitable organizations in the 12th Congressional District immediately.

Sincerely,

Tim Burns

Paid for and Authorized by Tim Burns for Congress

P.O. Box 4483, Eighty Four, PA 15330

QUESTIONABLE CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS

KUCHERA, ELIZABETH
LILLY, PA 15938
MURTHA, JOHN P MR.
VIA MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
12/17/20032000.00

KUCHERA, ELIZABETH
LILLY, PA 15938
N/A/HOMEMAKER
MURTHA, JOHN P MR.
VIA MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
08/25/20082300.00
03/28/2008300.00

KUCHERA, LENA C.
JOHNSTOWN, PA 15904
HOMEMAKER
MAJORITY PAC
08/30/20061000.00
03/05/20071000.00

KUCHERA, LENA MRS.
JOHNSTOWN, PA 15904
HOMEMAKER
MURTHA, JOHN P MR.
VIA MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
04/24/20062100.00
03/02/20072300.00

KUCHERA, LENA MRS.
JOHNSTOWN, PA 15904
KUCHERA INDUSTRIES / DEFENSE
MURTHA, JOHN P MR.
VIA MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
04/05/20021000.00
12/17/20032000.00
04/26/20052000.00

KUCHERA, LENA MRS.
JOHNSTOWN, PA 15904
N/A/HOMEMAKER
MURTHA, JOHN P MR.
VIA MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
11/08/20072300.00

KUCHERA, LISA M.
JOHNSTOWN, PA 15904
HOMEMAKER
MAJORITY PAC
08/30/20061000.00

KUCHERA, LISA MRS.
JOHNSTOWN, PA 15904
HOMEMAKER
MURTHA, JOHN P MR.
VIA MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
04/05/20021000.00
12/17/20032000.00
04/26/20052000.00
04/24/20062100.00
03/02/20072300.00

KUCHERA, LISA MRS.
JOHNSTOWN, PA 15904
N/A/HOMEMAKER
MURTHA, JOHN P MR.
VIA MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
11/08/20072300.00

KUCHERA, NEIL
JOHNSTOWN, PA 15904
KUCHERA DEFENSE/SOFTWARE ENGINEER
MURTHA, JOHN P MR.
VIA MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
08/25/20082300.00

KUCHERA, RONALD
JOHNSTOWN, PA 15904
KUCHERA INDUSTRIES INC/EXECUTIVE
MAJORITY PAC
03/05/20071000.00

KUCHERA, RONALD
WINDBER, PA 15963
KUCHERA INDUSTRIES/CFO
MAJORITY PAC
08/10/20061000.00

KUCHERA, RONALD MR.
JOHNSTOWN, PA 15904
KUCHERA INDUSTRIES / DEFENSE/CFO
MURTHA, JOHN P MR.
VIA MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
04/05/20021000.00
10/10/20021000.00
05/06/20032000.00
11/03/20031000.00
12/17/20031000.00
04/26/20052000.00
04/24/20062100.00
03/02/20072300.00
11/08/20072300.00

KUCHERA, WILLIAM
JOHNSTOWN, PA 15904
KUCHERA INDUSTRIES/PRESIDENT
MAJORITY PAC
08/30/20061000.00
03/04/20081000.00

KUCHERA, WILLIAM
LILLY, PA 15938
MURTHA, JOHN P MR.
VIA MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
12/17/20032000.00

KUCHERA, WILLIAM
LILLY, PA 15938
KUCHERA IND./EXECUTIVE
MURTHA, JOHN P MR.
VIA MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
11/08/20072300.00

KUCHERA, WILLIAM M.
LILLY, PA 15938
KUCHERA INDUSTRIES. INC./EXECUTIV
MURTHA, JOHN P MR.
VIA MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
08/25/20082300.00

KUCHERA, WILLIAM MR.
JOHNSTOWN, PA 15904
KUCHERA INDUSTRIES / DEFENSE/PRES
MURTHA, JOHN P MR.
VIA MURTHA FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
04/05/20021000.00
12/17/20032000.00
04/26/20052000.00
04/24/20062100.00
03/02/20072300.00

Posted 1 year ago #
bobguzzardi

Member
Joined: Jun '09
Posts: 177
offline

Good to see candidate Tim Burns raise the profile of this issue. The voters of 12th seem impervious to corruption as an issue. Bonusgate corruption involving Democratic Majority Whip Bill DeWeese may have modest impact. These voters seem to be interested in "free", money they did not earn by merit but by political clout. "something for nothing"

Posted 1 year ago #