Congressman John Murtha, D-Pa., listens to reporters questions at a news conference at the Johnstown Pasquerilla Center Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2005, in Johnstown, Pa. Feds raid contractor with Murtha ties

Federal agents on Thursday raided the offices of a Pennsylvania government contractor with close ties to Rep. John P. Murtha, chairman of the powerful Defense panel on the House Appropriations Committee.

Agents from the FBI, IRS and Defense Criminal Investigative Service searched the offices of Kuchera Industries and Kuchera Defense Systems in three different locations in Pennsylvania.


Over the last several years, Murtha, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, has helped steer more than $100 million in contracts to Kuchera, a government contractor founded in 1985 by Bill Kuchera. The company and its employees have donated more than $65,000 dollars to Murtha’s reelection campaign and leadership political action committee, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Thursday’s raid was first reported by the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat.

The newspaper also disclosed that federal agents went to the homes of Bill and Ron Kuchera, the president and CFO, respectively of the companies.

During the 2007-2008 cycle, Murtha was a top target for House Republicans, who raised questions about his earmarks for government contractors who have donated to him. Murtha defended the earmarks, saying his efforts have helped resuscitate an economically depressed region of Pennsylvania and created new jobs.



Murtha was caught on tape during the ABSCAM scandal back in the 1980s discussing a bribe from an FBI undercover agent, but he was never charged with a crime.

In recent years, FBI agents have scrutinized other contractors linked to the 76-year-old Democrat, but no steps as dramatic as Thursday’s search were ever taken.