Mollohan Among Top Beneficiaries of Raided Lobby Firm (Updated)

U.S. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, is among the top 10 recipients of money linked to PMA Group, a Beltway mega-lobbying firm whose offices were raided by the FBI late last year, research by the Center for Responsive Politics shows.

Mollohan received $69,620 of the $3.4 million that PMA's PAC and employees have contributed to 284 current members of Congress since 1989, the nonpartisan group reports.

Once among Washington's 10-largest lobbying firms, PMA is "under investigation for funneling campaign contributions through sham donors," The Associated Press reports.

CRP's online databases of campaign contributions suggest that Mollohan received his share from PMA's PAC, and all but $12,000 of the amount before 1998. The online records show no donations from PMA-related individuals during the time period scrutinized in the report.

AP reports that at least three of PMA's 284 congressional beneficiaries have said they will return the money.

Update: Mollohan is not among the House members identified by Congressional Quarterly "who secured earmarks for clients of The PMA Group in the fiscal 2008 defense appropriations law, which was enacted in 2007."

Political Wire explains that the bill was "managed by Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) to exclusively help a lobbying firm with close ties to Murtha."