Kerry letters backed contract

WASHINGTON -- Senator John F. Kerry sent 28 letters on behalf of a San Diego defense contractor who pleaded guilty last week to illegally funneling campaign contributions to the senator and four other congressmen. Members of Congress often write letters supporting constituent businesses and projects. But as the Democratic presidential front-runner, Kerry has promoted himself as one neverbeholden to campaign contributors and special interests.

From 1996 through 1998, Kerry participated in a letter-writing campaign to free-up federal funds for a missile system that Parthasarathi "Bob" Majumder was trying to build for US warplanes.

Kerry's letters were sent to fellow members of Congress -- and to the Pentagon -- while Majumder and his employees at Science and Applied Technology, Inc. were donating money to the senator, court records show. During the three-year period, Kerry received about $25,000 from Majumder and his employees, according to Dwight L. Morris and Associates, which tracks campaign donations.

Court documents say the contractor told employees they needed to make contributions in order for him to gain influence with politicians. He then reimbursed them with proceeds from government contracts.

Federal prosecutors initially determined that $13,000 of the donations were illegally reimbursed, but they now say that nearly all of the money was tainted. They said there was no evidence Kerry and other members of Congress would have known that.

Asked what he did to repay the money, Kerry's campaign said yesterday that he had donated $13,000 to charity two days before the guilty plea. The campaign said Kerry's actions had nothing to do with the contributions. One of the subcontractors working on the guided missile project, Militech, was based in Northampton, Mass.

Kerry, speaking through senior aide David Wade, told The Globe last night that he did not remember writing specific letters on behalf of Majumder; rather, any actions and correspondence by Kerry were, in fact, on behalf of Militech.

"Isn't this an old story?" Kerry said when asked about Majumder, according to Wade. Campaign senior adviser Michael Meehan said Kerry was concerned the project was on hold and at risk of jeopardizing work for constituents.

"Kerry has made a career of going to bat for Massachusetts companies," said Meehan.

"It wasn't a big military firm that had all kinds of influence at the Pentagon."

Kerry wrote at least 21 letters to the secretary of the Navy, the secretary of Defense, the Defense Department Comptroller and to members of committees that control military contracts. The court file shows Kerry had sent copies of some letters to seven other people.

All include Kerry's appeal that the project be funded, and each year, the letters seemed to produce results. The federal money followed.

"It obviously raises questions about whether the campaign contributions bought action from Kerry," said Steven Weiss, communications director of the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington. "It also poses a situation that all elected officials face: Raising questions about what effect, if any, campaign contributions have on the actions of lawmakers."

Last week Majumder, 52, pleaded guilty to two counts of illegal campaign contributions.

Majumder admitted giving illegal contributions to Kerry; Republican representatives Randall Cunningham and Duncan Hunter, both of California, and John Murtha of Pennsylvania; and former Representative Joe Scarborough, Republican of Florida, totaling more than $95,000.

In 1996, the Defense Department proposed rescinding $35 million for the missile project and not funding it in the future. Kerry joined with other senators to protest, and when the Navy held the funds, Kerry wrote to the Navy secretary in August 1996 seeking release of the money.

In 1997, funding was put on hold again. Kerry joined with Senators Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts and Dianne Feinstein of California in writing to then-Undersecretary of Defense John Hamre. Hamre wrote back to say he had released the money.

Kerry wrote other letters to senators on the Appropriations Committee, asking that they include $55 million in the 1998 spending bill.