Report: Arms industry donates big money to supercommittee

Nov. 1, 2011 | By Kitty Felde | KPCC
Congressional Budget Director Elmendorf Testifies During Joint Deficit Reduction Committee Hearing
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Committee co-chair Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) (2nd L) speaks as (L-R) Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA), co-chair Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), and Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) listen during a hearing before the Joint Deficit Reduction Committee, also known as the supercommittee, September 13, 2011 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.

A report by Common Cause shows military contractors have made political contributions to each member of the supercommittee charged with cutting $1.5 trillion from the federal deficit.

Common Cause says the arms industry is “doing everything in its power” to protect defense spending. Its new report shows military contractors have given more than a million dollars to members of the supercommittee over the last two years — before and after their summer appointment to the special committee.

Democratic Congressman Xavier Becerra, the only Californian on the committee, received $31,000. Contractors gave another $6,000 to his leadership political action committee.

Common Cause says Republican Congressman Buck McKeon of Santa Clarita has received much more. The head of the House Armed Services Committee has collected three-quarters of a million dollars from defense-related industries.

Neither McKeon nor Becerra would comment on the Common Cause report.

The supercommittee meets again in open session Tuesday afternoon. Its deadline is Thanksgiving.

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