AP Exclusive: Gregg had stake in, won aid for base

[deminks]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's former nominee to become commerce secretary, Sen. Judd Gregg, steered taxpayer money to his home state's redevelopment of a former Air Force base even as he and his brother engaged in real estate deals there, an Associated Press investigation found.

Gregg, R-N.H., personally has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in Cyrus Gregg's office projects at the Pease International Tradeport, a Portsmouth business park built at the defunct Pease Air Force Base, once home to nuclear bombers. Judd Gregg has collected at least $240,017 to $651,801 from his investments there, Senate records show, while helping arrange at least $66 million in federal aid for the former base.

Gregg said he violated no laws or Senate rules.

But the senator's mixture of personal and professional business would have been difficult to square with President Barack Obama's campaign promise to impose greater transparency and integrity over federal budget earmarks - funding for lawmakers' pet projects. Gregg said that during his consideration for the Cabinet job, the White House did not know about his Pease earmarks, although the administration knew about his investments at Pease.

Under new Senate ethics rules, Gregg had to certify that federal aid he directed to specific projects was not intended solely to enrich him or immediate family, including siblings. Senators are also supposed to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest, though the Senate Ethics Committee seldom investigates or disciplines senators when questions are raised about their activities.


Read more: http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1421226.html

[bmbmd]

1. Meh.

That explains his sudden dash of party loyalty.

[SpiralHawk]

2. The Juddhead - Typical Republicon greedhead.

It's a Granite STATE of Mind

"What's in it for me?" - The Juddhead (R)

[NRaleighLiberal]

3. Bingo!

[Demeter]

4. What Piffle!

I doubt they could blow that up into even a 24 hour scandal...keep digging, there's something more substantial behind Gregg's about-face.

[bunnies]

5. Yawn. I used to work at Pease when then were only a few businesses there...

Now there are hundreds of businesses, and even a college or two. Revitalizing Pease has been awesome for the Portsmouth area. You wont find anyone around here faulting him for that.

[bmbmd]

7. So his real estate dealings

subsidized by the state, are successful and highly profitable? No, I won't fault him for that.

[bunnies]

8. Looks like he invested his own money.

I'm sure he's not the only one. So?

[zbdent]

6. but he paid his taxes on time ... so he gets a free pass from the "liberal media" ...

[acmavm]

9. So, the Senate Ethics Committee has its job cut out for it, wouldn't

one think?

[Tesha]

10. spinning, spinning....

So he's a good guy because he helped the Portsmouth area - which of course was his job - and incidentally made a ton of money... for himself and his family....

ummm he did his job, got paid, AND got more $$$ from the earmark than he did from his job...

uummmm - and it's all ok, even the fact that some of the federal money to make this defunct airport now support business went into making him lots more money...

so, our taxes came back to NH, kinda... sorta.... for the good of the people... and Gregg...

my head is spinning

[deminks]

11. Earmarks 101

Republican earmarks are good
Democratic earmarks are bad.

:sarcasm: in huge amounts.

Not to mention, earmarks one has a stake in along with one's family members.