In day 3 of “Indictmentpalooza,” we learn that it’s a family affair! Looks like longtime Congressman Bill Young’s family has benefited greatly from earmarks too. Check out the latest press release from Charlie Justice’s campaign:

YOUNG, INC.

Former Staff And Family of Rep. Young Benefit from $118 Million In Taxpayers’ Money From Young Earmarks

Young Steers $45 Million Of Taxpayers’ Money to Young, Inc. Clients In Just 4 Years; $73 Million Earmarked for Employers of Young’s Sons

St. Petersburg, FL – February 19, 2010 – Congressman Bill Young has steered more than $118 million in taxpayers’ money to the direct and indirect benefit of his children, daughter-in-law and former staff members.

Along the way, Young has taken $386,000 in campaign cash from the clients of his former staffers.

“This is just wrong,” said Charlie Justice. “Congressman Bill Young treats the federal budget like his personal piggy bank. Since 2005, Bill Young has steered $45 million in taxpayers’ money to his daughter-in-law and former members of his staff. In addition, the employers of his sons have received $73 million in earmarks placed in the budget by their father. At the same time, Young has taken $386,000 in campaign cash from the clients of his former staff.”

Justice, a Florida state senator who is running against Young, said the congressman’s campaign account should be called, “Young, Incorporated.”

“At a time when families and small businesses in Pinellas County are struggling to make ends meet, Bill Young and his friends and family are living the high life at the taxpayers’ expense,” Justice said. “When I see this kind of abuse of trust I completely understand the anger and frustration that is shaking the foundations of our democracy.”

Justice’s release of the information today is the third installment in his “ten point indictment” of Young’s abuse of power. Before today’s release, Justice criticized Young for sending $13.5 million to New York Harbor for a floating museum and pointed out that Young-backed earmarks have been investigated by law enforcement officials on four separate occasions. Three of those investigations are still open.

Justice said, “Every person in Pinellas County should be offended by Bill Young using his support of the military and veterans as a smoke screen to hide this corrupting enterprise that benefits him personally and directly. I will not take a backseat to anyone in my support of the military and our veterans. During a time when veterans are victimized by cuts to health care and the debacle at Walter Reed, Bill Young was happily wearing out a path between his office and the bank with huge contributions from the defense contractors he serves.”

“It is time for Bill Young to go,” Justice said. “Bill Young has embraced the corrupt ethics of a bygone era and made it a part of the federal budget process. Until Bill Young is removed from Congress, the federal budget process cannot be healed and deficits cannot be controlled.”

Indictment #3 – Young, Inc. a $118 Million Business

Sons, daughter-in-law, former staff feed at federal budget trough while Young collects $386,000 in campaign cash.

Earmarks for Daughter-in-law’s Clients

In 2005, clients of Cindy Young, Rep. Young’s daughter-in-law, received $2 million in funding in the defense appropriations bill. Rep. Young was chairman of the House Appropriations Committee at the time. One earmark procured $1 million for a single client of Cindy’s.

Last year, clients of Cindy Young’s firm won $2 million in funding in the defense spending bill that her father-in-law oversaw. In one case, $1 million was directed to one of Cindy Young’s clients, Dynamic Defense Materials, to develop body armor for the military. The money came in the form an “earmark,” a provision that lawmakers add to spending bills for an item or program that wasn’t requested by the agency getting the money, or authorized by previous legislation. (USA Today, Oct. 17, 2006)

Cindy Young was paid $40,000 by Dynamic Defense Materials to lobby Bill Young for the earmark, according to USA Today.

$43 million for Former Staffers’ Clients

Michael Adcock, Bryan Blom, Doug Gregory, and David Jolly have been employed by Van Scoyoc and Associates after leaving Rep. Young’s Congressional staff. Since 2007, Rep. Young has sponsored $43.8 million in earmarks for clients of Van Scoyoc and Associates. (Open Secrets Lobbying Database)

$29.8 MILLION FOR DAVID GREGORY’S CLIENTS
Clients of David Gregory, former senior aide to Rep. Young, have received nearly $30 million in earmark requests thanks to the patronage of Bill Young: $5.3 million for Alaka’i Consulting, $12.2 million for DRS Technologies, $5.4 million for Information Manufacturing Corp, $5.4 million for Revenge Advanced Composites, $1 million for Mikros Systems, $1 million for L-3 Communications, and $577,000 for Lockheed Martin. (Open Secrets Lobbying Database; Office of Management and Budget; Congressional Record)

$14.7 MILLION FOR MICHAEL ADCOCK’S CLIENTS
Rep. Young has sponsored $14.7 million in earmarks for clients of former staffer and current Van Scoyoc VP Michael Adcock, including $12.2 million for DRS Technologies, $1.5 million for Baycare Health System, and $1 million for the University of West Florida. (Open Secrets Lobbying Database; Office of Management and Budget; Congressional Record)

$10.5 MILLION FOR BRYAN BLOM’S CLIENTS
Former staffer Bryan Blom began working for Van Scoyoc Associates in 2008. He has lobbied on behalf of SAIC, which has benefited from $10.5 million in earmarks sponsored by Rep. Young. (Open Secrets Lobbying Database; Office of Budget and Management; Congressional Record)

$7.8 MILLION FOR DAVID JOLLY’S CLIENTS
David Jolly, former district director for Rep. Young, has been employed by Van Scoyoc Associates since 2007. During that time Rep. Young has requested $7.8 million for Jolly’s lobbying clients: $5.3 million for Alaka’i Consulting, $1.5 million for Baycare Health System, and $1 million for Mikros Systems. (Open Secrets Lobbying Database; Office of Budget and Management; Congressional Record)

Patrick and Billy’s Employers Get $73.2 Million

According to a April 2008 story in the St. Petersburg Times, the employers of Bill Young’s sons have received $73.2 million in earmarks stuck into the federal budget by their father.
According to the Times, “Patrick Young, 20, is a security administrator in the downtown St. Petersburg office of Science Applications International Corp., a large defense contractor more commonly known as SAIC. He has a high-level security clearance and works with intelligence data, Rep. Young said. Another son, Billy Young, 23, is an outreach specialist with National Forensic Science Technology Center, a not-for-profit corporation in Largo that provides training and services for state and local crime labs.”
Justice said, “These earmarks simply don’t pass the smell test. Records show that Rep. Young used his clout to steer millions of dollars to the employers of his sons both before and after they got their jobs.”

$386,641 in Campaign Contributions from Former Staffers’ Clients

While Young says he does not accept campaign contributions from his daugther-in-law’s clients, he does not have a similar prohibition for the clients of his former staffers.
Young has accepted $386,641 in campaign contributions in return for the $43 million in tax dollars he funneled to his former employees.

(Here’s a partial listing of campaign donations. Contact me for the full list. –Susan)

Name Date Amount Employer
Rose, Jeremy 6/19/08 $250.00 Alaka’i Consulting
Waterbury, Robert 6/19/08 $250.00 Alaka’i Consulting
Hipp, Van 3/31/98 $250.00 American Defense Intl.
Hipp, Van 4/16/99 $250.00 American Defense Intl.
Hipp, Van 6/6/02 $500.00 American Defense Intl.
Hipp, Van 4/5/04 $250.00 American Defense Intl.
Brethauer, Craig 3/27/08 $500.00 BayCare
Costello, Robert 3/27/08 $500.00 BayCare
Inzina, Thomas 3/27/08 $250.00 BayCare
Mason, Steve 3/27/08 $1,000.00 BayCare
Sheehan, John 3/27/08 $250.00 BayCare
Cavarocchi, Nic.. 4/20/04 $1,000.00 Cavarocchi Ruscio Dennis
Cavarocchi, Nic.. 2/17/06 $1,000.00 Cavarocchi Ruscio Dennis

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