Pork-Pillow Politics

Apparently, Shaw's mission was a success. NANA Pacific, an Alaska native corporation also represented by lobbyist Powers, won a contract worth up to $70 million, which included communications work, and subcontracted $3.5 million in dredging work to SSA, the newspaper said, citing federal sources and documents. (Companies owned by Alaskan Native Americans can forego typical bid procedures and be awarded unlimited no-bid government contracts.) FEC reports last week showed that SSA and NANA Pacific each paid Powers $40,000 for his lobbying.

SSA apparently got an exceptional return for the work it did for NANA. The company says it provided only one employee to assist NANA for one month. "We agreed to help NANA to ensure that both the dredging and port operations were able to work at maximum efficiency during the dredging process," says spokesperson Watters. He notes that SSA has wrapped up all its Iraq work to date and "our volunteers who served in Iraq have returned safely home to their families." SSA has received about $100 million in government jobs and funding since 1990. That includes the $1.69 million given for port-security upgrades last year at its operations in Seattle and Los Angeles/Long Beach, announced by Murray and part of $58 million in port-security funding she had sought. Hundreds of other businesses and lobbyists are fighting for pieces of the homeland security action. So far this year, of her nearly $10 million in campaign donations—about twice Nethercutt's total—Murray has received almost $500,000 from lobbyists and transportation interests. "This isn't a question of getting funding for one company or one entity," says Murray spokesperson Spahn. "It's a question of security for the region and country."

Sen. Patty Murray (right) and Sen. Hillary Clinton at the Port of Seattle in June.

Sen. Patty Murray (right) and Sen. Hillary Clinton at the Port of Seattle in June.

Related Content

• Sonics History: How's This Gonna Work?
  May 24, 2012
• Occupy Oakland Votes to Shut Down Entire West Coast Port System on Dec. 12
  November 21, 2011
• Union Longshoreman Threatens to Beat Up News Crew, Following Port Protest Vandalism (VIDEO)
  September 12, 2011
• Coal Train Ban Is Gaining Steam in Bellingham
  January 5, 2012
• Women Health Care Battles Not Over Just Because Komen Backed Down, Warns Sen. Patty Murray
  February 3, 2012

More About

• Rob Murray
• Water Transportation
• Seaport and Harbor Management
• Politics
• Political Lobbyists

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter: Our weekly feature stories, movie reviews, calendar picks and more - minus the newsprint and sent directly to your inbox.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

randerson@seattleweekly.com