New Turn in FBI Investigation into Weldon

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November 30, 2006

Former Representative Curt Weldon tried to cut U.S. aid to Moldova in a ploy to regain $2.5 million that a family friend lost in an investment deal gone bad, according to  a little-noticed article in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Weldon used his perch to personally help his friend � John J. Gallagher � on several other occasions. Gallagher, in turn, appears to have helped Weldon�s daughter Karen Weldon find clients in Russia. Gallagher�s relationship to the Weldon�s has apparently become a topic of the FBI�s corruption investigation. The Inquirer article follows a New York Times piece a few weeks ago on Weldon�s efforts to help Italian arms makers get U.S. defense contracts. Corruption of the kind being investigated in the Weldon case has is part of a larger effort which has revealed that �wrongdoing by public officials at all levels of government is deeply rooted and widespread.�

In January, the public will find out how the Democratic-run Congress intends to address this with new ethics legislation. Meanwhile, House Majority Speaker Nancy Pelosi�s former chief of staff turned lobbyist warned that big business is in trouble with the Democrats�that is unless they �ramp up their public relations efforts.� Gee, that sounds like a not-so-nuanced pitch for business.

Authors: Beth Daley

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