Second contractors pleads guilty

A former government employee at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., pleaded guilty Monday and agreed to cooperate with an investigation of appropriations members of Congress steer to defense contractors. Mark O’Hair pleaded guilty to a false statement and conflict-of-interest charge. He’s the second defendant now cooperating with federal prosecutors looking onto allegations of wrongdoing by contractors with ties to Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa. Last week Richard Ianieri, former chief executive of a defense contractor with ties to Murtha pleaded guilty to soliciting kickbacks from a subcontractor in Pennsylvania. (Sources: multiple, including AP, The Hill, Northwest Florida Daily News, 07/20/09) Previous story, February 2009