Published: April 01, 2008 11:07 pm            

Murtha aide reimburses campaign

WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. John Murtha’s top aide has reimbursed the congressman’s campaign for more than $2,000 used to purchase a rifle, knife and other items at an Indiana County charitable auction.

John Hugya, chief of staff for the Johnstown Democrat, bought the items in September 2006 using campaign funds at an auction in Murtha’s district put on by the NRA Foundation, a nonprofit that supports shooting sports.

After being questioned about the purchase by The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper, Hugya decided Friday to refund the money.

“At the time, we had no reason to think we were not complying with the ethics laws,” Murtha spokesman Matt Mazonkey said Tuesday.

Hugya had attended the NRA Foundation event on behalf of Murtha.

In a statement reported by The Hill, officials said the Murtha campaign “supported the foundation by bidding at the auction, and since it had no use of its own for the items won, let Mr. Hugya keep the items.”

Hugya, who also is a paid consultant to Murtha’s campaign, disclosed the $2,151 purchase as a gift from the Murtha campaign in a financial disclosure report and paid taxes on the items, according to Murtha’s office.

Federal campaign laws allow a campaign to donate money to charities as long as the campaign receives no compensation. Federal law also allows a campaign to make nominal gifts to any person or group.

But the laws are murky on what should happen to gifts bought at a charity auction and whether such items received by a campaign constitute “compensation,” said Paul Ryan, an attorney at the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center.

Hugya, a former Bethlehem Steel Corp. manager, has worked for Murtha since 1987.

        

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