INDIANAPOLIS | U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky on Tuesday was named one of the 15 most corrupt members of Congress by a government ethics watchdog group.
The Merrillville Democrat was blasted by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW, in its fifth annual "most corrupt" list for his connections to a lobbying firm that benefited from legislation Visclosky sponsored.
The now-defunct PMA Group is under federal investigation, accused of making illegal campaign donations -- including $18,000 in donations to Visclosky -- from people listed as PMA lobbyists who were not employees of the firm.
Overall, Visclosky took in $1.37 million in campaign donations between 1998 and 2008 from the PMA Group, according to CREW. In the last two years, Visclosky designated more than $30 million in federal spending for the group, CREW claims.
If there was a quid pro quo, direct trading of government actions for campaign donations, Visclosky could face federal charges of bribery, honest-services fraud and receiving an illegal gratuity, the watchdog group said.
Jacob Ritvo, director of communications for Visclosky, said the representative "has always conducted himself with honesty and integrity."
Last month, the Federal Election Commission gave Visclosky permission to use his campaign funds to pay legal defense costs for himself and his aides as a result of the investigation.
Visclosky stepped down temporarily from his chairmanship of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee in May when he was subpoenaed to testify in the criminal probe of the lobbying firm.
While Visclosky was the only Indiana legislator to make the "most corrupt" list, composed of men and women from both political parties, he was joined by two neighbors from the Prairie State.
U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. and U.S. Sen. Roland Burris, both Chicago Democrats, made the list for their roles in the appointment of a replacement for President Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is accused of trying to sell Obama's Senate seat for campaign donations or a better job for himself and his wife, Patti Blagojevich. An emissary acting on behalf of Jackson reportedly offered to raise $1.5 million for Blagojevich, CREW said.
Jackson has denied any wrongdoing.
Blagojevich appointed Burris to the seat on Dec. 30, three weeks after Blagojevich was arrested by the FBI.
Burris initially told an Illinois impeachment panel he didn't offer Blagojevich anything for his appointment. Federal wiretaps later revealed Burris promising Rob Blagojevich, the governor's brother, he would "personally do something" to help the governor.
Burris is not running for a full term in 2010.
