Quick Picks: Murtha's Research Center and Whistle-Blowers — ProPublica

Quick Picks: Murtha's Research Center and Whistle-Blowers

by Christopher Weaver

March 17, 2009, 11:28 a.m. EDT

Quick Picks focuses on a select few of the day's stories from "Breaking on the Web."

A Pennsylvania defense research center, forged by Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) over a decade ago, funneled "significant" amounts of federal dollars to private firms that supported Murtha's campaigns, according to documents obtained by the Washington Post. The Electro-Optics center regularly consulted with PMA Group, a lobbying firm with Murtha ties, to devise strategies for getting its projects funded.

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) says President Obama last week betrayed whistle-blowers who root out corruption and waste. A provision in the appropriations bill would have extended protections, but Obama said in a signing statement that it unlawfully limits his ability to control the flow of executive branch information to Congress.

Check out more of our roundup of the best investigative stories around the Web.

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