Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.) spent another $21,000 on legal bills in the first quarter of 2010, both for himself and former aides, according to campaign finance reports.
The Indiana lawmaker’s campaign has spent more than $306,000 to date on legal expenses this cycle.
Visclosky is the subject of a federal investigation into lawmakers’ ties to the PMA Group lobbying firm that was raided by the FBI in late 2008. He was also under a related review by the Office of Congressional Ethics and the House ethics committee, which ended in February.
In his most recent filing with the Federal Election Commission, Visclosky reported a February payment of nearly $16,000 to the law firm Steptoe & Johnson. He has previously reported payments to the firm totaling $240,000.
In addition, Visclosky reported payments made on behalf of both his former chief of staff, Charles Brimmer, who resigned in June after being served with a subpoena as part of the federal grand jury probe of the PMA Group, and former Appropriations Committee aide Shari Davenport.
Visclosky received permission from the FEC in August to pay legal bills associated with his current and former staff. He has previously stated that his office received subpoenas from the Justice Department.
Visclosky’s campaign reported two payments totaling nearly $4,000 on Brimmer’s behalf to the law firm Bryan Cave. The campaign has previously paid $42,000 to the firm.
The campaign also made two payments on Davenport’s behalf to Nixon Peabody for about $1,600. It has previously paid the firm $2,700.
Rep. Bill Cassidy has his blood drawn by Alesha Barbour during a free hepatitis screening in the Rayburn House Office Building hosted by the Congressional Viral Hepatitis Caucus to recognize "National Viral Hepatitis Testing Day."
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