Larry Romo (photo)
Texas Demvets Chair
Researched by Larry Romo
Henry Bonilla + Alliant Techsystems Inc. Relationship
The Facts:
In early 2002, Bonilla bought through his spouse, tens of thousands of dollars in stock in defense contractor Alliant Techsystems Inc.
Later In 2002, the House Appropriations Committee designated and Congress voted authorizing $1.25 billion dollars for Alliant Techsytems, Inc. to provide Army munitions, $94 million more than the Department of Defense requested.
That same year, the Alliant Techsystems, Inc. Employees Political Action Committee (PAC) contributed $1,000 to Bonilla’s congressional campaign, in addition to the $500 he received in 2001.
With his vote in 2002 as a congressman and as a member of the Appropriations Committee, Bonilla boosted the value of his own stock in Alliant Techsystems, Inc., a company that is receiving more defense appropriations as the war in Iraq continues, meaning higher stock values and more money for campaign contributions.
This conflict of interest is highly unethical for a public official. Bonilla used his position as a congressman to boost his family personal finances and his campaign.
Documentation:
Bonilla’s 2002 Personal Financial Disclosure: http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/pfd2002/N00005985_2002.pdf
Alliant Techsystems 2002 Fall Report: http://www.biz.uiowa.edu/Krause/Alliant_TechSystems_F02.pdf'
Bonilla’s 2002 Campaign Contribution Report:
http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_give/2001_H2TX23058
Is it right for a congressman to profit from a war that he VOTED FOR, and awarded government contracts in exchange for political contributions (through Duke Cunningham and Tom Delay, from MZM Inc. owner “Mr Wilkes”) while American soldiers pay with their blood, and WITH THEIR LIVES? Is it right that some of our brave troops died because of defective body armor made by crooked companies?
ReplyDeleteThese details have been covered at length by the San Diego Union Tribune and The Washington Post, but have been very noticeably absent from the San Antonio media outlets. Bonilla might be considered “home-grown” talent, but if he is a corrupt politician, why would the local media want to cover-up for him, when he is ‘selling-out’ our senior citizens to the pharmaceutical companies, and the safety and blood of our soldiers to the highest bidder? If he is a crook, why should he be protected and possibly allowed to get re-elected, to continue raping the tax-payers, INCLUDING YOU?