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Though Kanjorski, a 12-term Democrat, represents a safe working-class district, Republicans have seized upon the issue as they head into Campaign 2008.
Photo by Robert A. Reeder
A twisted tale of congressional earmarking has taken another turn.
The U.S. Navy wants a business owned by the family of Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski to hand over a piece of high-tech equipment bought with some of the $9.25 million in taxpayer funds Kanjorski steered to the company.
Except no one seems to know where to find the equipment — a high-pressure pump.
The mystery of the missing pump, combined with newly unearthed evidence that federal investigators probed Kanjorski’s connections to the company, Cornerstone Technologies, has given new life to a story that seems unlikely to go away.
Though Kanjorski, a 12-term Democrat, represents a safe working-class district, Republicans have seized upon the issue as they head into Campaign 2008. They’ve been highlighting it and other cases of alleged self-dealing by congressional Democrats to question the new majority’s commitment to one of the promised reforms on which it swept into power last fall: cleaning up the earmarking process through which lawmakers sometimes insert cash into spending bills for cronies, donors and relatives.
And the legal system has kept Kanjorski’s saga fresh. A county judge presiding over countersuits between former Cornerstone employees and the company threatened bench warrants for some of the Kanjorski clan. But three days before a scheduled contempt hearing last year, Cornerstone filed for bankruptcy protection, stalling the suit.
Kanjorski, who along with his chief of staff was subpoenaed in one of the cases but never testified, said he’s storing some of Cornerstone’s property but can’t speak for the company.
“I have no relationship to the Cornerstone company and have had no involvement in the company’s legal proceedings, except I indicated my willingness to give a deposition,” he said in a statement to Politico. If Cornerstone owes the Navy something, he said, “that is a matter between the contracting parties.”
Cornerstone’s lawyer was unaware of the pump and said the Navy never mentioned it.
“I don’t deny that they may have paid money and may have thought that that’s what they were getting. And maybe there is one there,” said John H. Doran, a Wilkes-Barre, Pa., lawyer specializing in bankruptcies. “It strikes me as strange that they’re saying a year later, ‘Gee, that’s our pump.’”
The company reported in its bankruptcy filing that it owed a debt of unknown value to the Navy for an “incomplete contract,” but the U.S. government has not filed a claim against Cornerstone.
Claim or not, the Navy wants the pump, which was part of a prototype water-jet mill taxpayers paid Cornerstone to develop, according to Ignacio Perez, the Navy program officer who oversaw Cornerstone’s work. “The Navy will collect only the pump when it finds it,” he said, but “it has not been located at this point.”
Earmarked public funds don’t lend themselves to accountability, particularly when the recipients are close to members of Congress, said Steve Ellis, an official with Taxpayers for Common Sense.
“We’re giving them money to develop something or to purchase equipment. But if we don’t get something back, when does it end up just becoming a gift to the company?” asked Ellis, whose group advocated for more transparency in budgeting and a ban on earmarks benefiting the extended families of members. “People need to have faith their elected officials are making decisions in the best interest of the country, not in the best interest of their family.”
Kanjorski seeded company
An admitted science geek who became enchanted by the idea of using high-powered water jets to break down materials for use in composites, Kanjorski encouraged the creation of Cornerstone in the late 1990s to develop — and one day commercialize — the technology. It was formed by his nephew, Peter Kanjorski, and a scientist, Bruce Conrad, who were joined in the company by four of the congressman’s other nephews and his daughter.
In 1998, with the help of Rep. John P. Murtha, a fellow Pennsylvanian and the top Democrat on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Rep. Kanjorski earmarked $3.5 million for the research through the Navy.
Dems? Refusing to testify? Why....why....that sounds linke "inherent contempt"!!!! Off with their heads! Impeach! Clearly they are guilty! Why hasn't Reid or Pelosi done something since this happened on their watch? Where are the "ethics police"? Corruption! Corruption! Corruption! This Congress, despite its "new rules", is failing to police its own and has built in "loopholes" to protect their own! Its a "cover-up"! We need an investigation!!!! This looks like the William Jefferson case all over again! Is there a connection between Konjorski and Hsu, the money man behind the Democrat corruption scandal? Did Hsu lobby on behalf of this company? How deep does the corruption go? Hsu is on the run from criminal prosecution for grand theft after he has given over $1 mil to Democrats, and the company owned by Konjoski's family is declaring bankruptsy! We need to investigate this in Congress. The Republicans say that if they are returned to control of Congress, they will cerack down on such corruption and pass new ethics rules to prevent these types of connections. It it the taxpayers money that is being squandered on these Dem-associated corporations who make big contributions in their "pay to play" schemes!
He needs to go like all the other crooks in Congress regardless of political affiliation. Futher investigations are needed for all elected officials who wasted taxpayer $.
I wanted to find out more about the Hsu disappearance and what people are saying about possible collusion with the Democrats... so I went to CNN's website.
But strangely enough, I couldn't find any mention of it. I'm sure it's just an oversight though; I would never accuse them of burying the story because of liberal bias.
Sad to read this, glad that it came out though. I hope these guys investigate themselves into an honest government. I wish this partisan fervor would translate into highlighting real curruption on both sides so these guys might fear trying some of this stuff.......Fat chance.
lekkerkerk, wow, thanks for putting me in my place. What the **** do neo-cons have to do with this slimy bloated *******? Of course, I forgot he is "DEMOCRAT" and above scrutiny at any cost.Kaiser44
Nope, some of the people out there act like a person has to have to have served in the military to have an opinion, especially about someone who had served such as Murtha, and usually they haven't even served themselves, therefore, out of curiousity I asked if Lekkerkerk had served.
I don't know if Lekkerkerk is one of those types so that is why I asked.
I know that you are being sarcastic but contrary to popular belief not everyone that serves in the military is conservative or Republican, there are liberals and Democrats who serve honorably too.
Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself. - Mark Twain
Did anybody read the story about 11 Dems in NJ taking bribes LOL.You have to read to the bottom of the story to find out they're Dems just like this story. If this was a republican the writer would have had an (R) next to his name in the headline. You have Norman Hsu's dissapperance,Kathleen Willeys house being broke into and the "path to 911" being blocked from release by the Clintoons. Anybody want to bet they don't find Hsu dead? This guy has the goods on who's been funnelling money to the Dems.I'll bet wire transfers from outside the country. It goes beyond the Clintons.Rendell has got ca** from him too,
GFM: "I wanted to find out more about the Hsu disappearance and what people are saying about possible collusion with the Democrats... so I went to CNN's website. But strangely enough, I couldn't find any mention of it. I'm sure it's just an oversight though; I would never accuse them of burying the story because of liberal bias." Liberal Bias? NO, of course not. THE SO-CALLED MSMS IS MARCHING LOCKSTEP FOR HILLARY CLINTON and keeping all the negatives out of the reach of folks who aren't paying attention. GUESS WHAT? The National Review - the voice of the liberals - has an article on its website that asks the question "Hillary Clinton, What EXPERIENCE?" Finally, someone, and strangely enough, its a Dem publication, is starting to inquire how she can run on her self-proclaimed experience and in reality not have any actual experience to be President. Read it - its fascinating.
Another Hillary Clinton supporter in legal trouble? Mayor Rivera, from New Jersey was arrested for corruption by the FBI. Boy, the list is getting longer and longer. How does Hillary attract so many sleazy people to work for her. As the saying goes..."Birds of a feather, flock together" She knows NOTHING, she is surprised by EVERYTHING, and she wants us to believe that she should be our next president. I don't think so. We don't need THAT kind of 'experience' in the White House again. No more Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton. For a change, how about somebody with integrity and good judgment. Barack Obama '08
Sedona,it'll be interesting if the Dem machine starts backing off Hillary promotion and switch to Obama. I don't think a lot of top dems wanted Clinton but were afraid to take her on.I'd love to see Omama upset her but all 3 dems have electibility issues.The Fox debate had 3.1 million viewers and only a little over a million watched Bubba on CNN. People want a GOP president they're just not sure which one to trust yet. Congresses low approval is a reflection on the Dems not the GOP. I don't think people in this country are that stupid like Lekkerjerkoff.
Sedona,it'll be interesting if the Dem machine starts backing off Hillary promotion and switch to Obama. I don't think a lot of top dems wanted Clinton but were afraid to take her on.I'd love to see Omama upset her but all 3 dems have electibility issues.The Fox debate had 3.1 million viewers and only a little over a million watched Bubba on CNN. People want a GOP president they're just not sure which one to trust yet. Congresses low approval is a reflection on the Dems not the GOP. I don't think people in this country are that stupid like Lekkerjerkoff.
12 term congressmen, is there any wonder that these POS's think they own this country. We are the power, we can vote these POS's out of office. I agree with Bill from NJ, party affiliation be damned, full speed ahead.
"The greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes" Winston Churchill
I wonder what the purpose of this pump is, I am sure it is not a swimming pool filter pump. But then again, the defense department is involved, for a mere 9.5 million it might only be an aquarium pump.
"The greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes" Winston Churchill
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