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4lA-P6-77123 MURTHA, FROM PAGE A-1' rewarding favorable treat- 4fA-PQ -77066 ment in connection with 'K's' subcontract relating to a gov- ernment prime contract." The information does not At the same time, ne has identify "K" been roundly criticized by In April 2006, Mr. Murtha, some Republican House col- D-Johnstown. touted a rela- leagues, as well as various tionship between Coherent reform groups, for his prac- and Kuchera Defense Sys- tice of directing billions in tems. Coherent, of Doyle- defense contracts to compa- stown, Bucks County, work- nies that set up shop in his ing with Kuchera Defense district. Systems in Windber, Som- Since 2003, Mr. Ianier1 and erset County, had obtained colleagues at Coherent have more than $30 million in 14 directed a total of $72,950 in prime contracts for high-tech political donations to a num- tools for the military.. ber of congressmen, both A news release from the Democrats and Republicans, congressman announced with ties to the defense indus. that the two were "working virtually as one company" Twenty percent of that Coherent employees Sam -- ooo'o!$ -- aunous designed, developed and given either to Mr. Murtha's tested the products, while re-election campaigns or to Kuchera did the manufactur- his political action commit- ing. tee. In.August 2007. Coherent When Coherent entered becamea subsidiary of Argon into the defense market in ST for approximately $20 mil- 2006, the company hired KSA lion, including debt assump- Consulting, a Washington- tion. Mr. Ianieri worked for based firm that once employed Argon, based in Fairfax, Va., Mr. Murtha's brother, KIt, as the vice president for busi- and which is headed by a ness development but left the trio of partners that includes company late last summer. Carmen Scialabba,a onetime When contacted at his Murtha aide. home in Doylestown last Neither KSA, Kit Murtha night, Mr. Ianieri referred nor Mr. Scialabba has been questions to his attorney, implicated in any wrongdo- who did not return a call ing in the ongoing probe. seeking comment. As a joint team of FBI and Yesterday's criminal IRS agents probes Kuchera, information marked the first the federal Justice Depart- charges arising out of inves- ment is continuing a sepa- tigations into companies rate investigation into the receiving defense earmarks defunct lobbying firm PMA. - contracts targeted to spe- Created by Paul Maglioc cific projects and firms, usu- chetti, a Pittsburgh native ally at the behest of powerful who worked as a staff mem- members of Congress. ber on the House Appropria- The charge comes six tions defense subcommittee, months after federal agents the firm became the foremost raided the offices of Kuchera lobbyist for defense dollars. Defense Systems and Federal agents searched Kuchera Industries, a subur- PMA's offices in suburban ban Johnstown technology Washington in November, firm. carting away records. At the time of the raid, fed- Since that time, one mem. eral agents also searched the ber of the Appropriations homes of the company's two Committee. U.S. Rep. Pete owners, Ronald and william Visclosky, D-Ind., has been Kuchera. subpoenaed in connection Both firms have relied with that investigation. Mr. in the past on defense con- Visclosky's former chief of tracts directed through the staff was among a number office of Mr. Murtha, who of former congressional did not immediately respond employees who joined PMA to requests for comment last in its heyday. The congressman has not been officially named as a target of the ongoing investi- gation.