WASHINGTON – A company owned by a nephew of Rep. John Murtha received $4 million from the Defense Department last year for engineering and warehouse services, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.
Murtha, D-Pa., is chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.
Murtech Inc., based on Glen Burnie, Md., is owned by the congressman’s nephew Robert C. Murtha Jr., who told the Post the company provides “necessary logistical support” to Pentagon testing programs, “and that’s about as far as I feel comfortable going.”
The Post reported that the Pentagon rewarded contracts to Murtech without competition.
Robert Murtha denied using his family ties to land defense contracts. In fact, he told the Post, “I’ve been critiqued all my life, having the last name of Murtha.”
Rep. Murtha has been known for his skill at steering government money to defense contractors in his home state. But the Post said there was no evidence the lawmaker had earmarked funds for Murtech.