November 1, 2007 (LPAC)--Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is pushing to get $25 million in earmarked funds for BAE Systems, simultaneous to the British arms firm undergoing criminal investigations by the U.S. Justice Department for bribery and violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

The Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader, which reported the earmarks on Oct. 27, reported that McConnell, who has received at least $53,000 in campaign donations from BAE's political action committees and employees since his 2002 re-election, slipped money for three weapons projects into the defense appropriations bill which the Senate approved on October 3rd.

Another company which BAE purchased two years ago, United Defense Industries, pledged $500,000 to a political-science foundation that McConnell created, the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville.

"Most politicians decide that a scandal is a good time to stop doing business with a company, at least until the scandal is over," said Melanie Sloan, director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). "Particularly when we're talking about a criminal investigation over bribery. You would think that a member of Congress would want to steer clear of anyone accused of bribery."