Gregg aided former base as he invested there

[ProSense]

Gregg aided former base as he invested there

By SHARON THEIMER, Associated Press Writer Sharon Theimer, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 37 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Sen. Judd Gregg, President Barack Obama's former nominee for commerce secretary, won taxpayer money for redevelopment of a shuttered Air Force base where he and his brother had invested in commercial property, an Associated Press investigation found.

Gregg, R-N.H., has personally 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 to arrange at least $66 million in federal aid for the former base.

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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.

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The head of a watchdog group, Melanie Sloan of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said Gregg's actions have the appearance of a conflict of interest, even if they did not fall under the Senate's narrow definition of an actual conflict.

"He increased the value of property, which caused his own investment to increase in value," she said. "So, it appears that he earmarked and then financially benefited from his own earmark." Sloan noted that Gregg secured earmarks for Pease beyond those sought for the National Guard and city.

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On edit, good thing he isn't planning to run again. LOL!

[asteroid2003QQ47]

1. Kick

[4lbs]

2. I think this is the REAL reason he pulled out of the Commerce Secretary nomination.

He knew this would come out and just make him look bad anyway.

Better to try to get out and make up some bogus crap about a difference in policy opinion.

[Cha]

3. Well well well..Senator

to benefit himself. How much has he helped the people of New Hampshire?

[SpiralHawk]

4. Gregg is a quintessential Republicon: greedy, corrupt, self-serving

Ptoooey on the Vast Conspiracy of Corrupt Homelander Republicons

[SoxFan]

5. This is the Gregg I've seen for the last 30 years

The Manchester Board of Alderman voted to name a bridge after Gregg a few months back, solely because he hauled in the last batch of federal money to finish the project. I was the only dissenting vote.

He gets a free ride from the local media and political community because he comes from an old, wealthy NH family and his old man was an affable and harmless one term governor. Judd himself has always been the Prince of Entitlement.

Hopefully the press will pick up on his mucking with pharmaceutical patents to benefit his friends at Columbia University, his alma mater.

[TahitiNut]

6. Self-enriching politicians have become banal ... as we sink deeper into corruption.

We've gotten desensitized to Congressmen becoming multi-millionaires on 6-figure salaries while the working class becomes homeless and impoverished on 5-figure salaries.

Honesty just doesn't pay. :puke: