Roll Call: Mollohan Took $23,000 From Corrupt Defense Contractor That Bribed Former Calif. Congressman

The Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call reported today that Congressman Alan Mollohan, D-Fairmont, was the recipient of at least $23,000 donated to PACs and foundations under his control from defense contractor MZM and its affiliates. RedState also has a piece on this.

MZM is the defense contractor that paid $2.4 million in bribes to disgraced former Congressman Randy "Duke" Cunningham. Cunningham, R-Calif., pleaded guilty last week to federal conspiracy and tax evasion charges in connection with the bribes and resigned his seat in Congress.

Mollohan is the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice, Commerce and Related Agencies and the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct--commonly known as the Ethics Committee. In these positions, despite being in the minority party, Mollohan wields considerable influence over the appropriations for 3 Cabinet departments and several independent investigations and the oversight of ethics of House members.

Delegate Chris Wakim, R-Wheeling, has already announced his candidacy for Congress next year, challenging Congressman Mollohan. Wakim is a disabled Gulf War veteran, West Point graduate, and owner of several small businesses in the Wheeling area.