FBI Investigating Charity with Rep. Murtha Links

CBS News reports that the FBI is investigating the Commonwealth Research Institute, an obscure charity that reported over $5 million in government grants in 2007 alone according to its Form 990(free registration required).  The Institute is located in the hometown of Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), Johnstown, Pennsylvania.  The article reports that while the Institute represented to the IRS in 2000 that it would publicize the results of 80 percent or more of its research, it has apparently not published any results despite having received tens of millions of dollars in government contracts.  The 2007 Form 990 describes the organization as “a national resource committed to assisting industry and government achieve world class competitiveness.”  It is associated with Concurrent Technologies Corporation, also a charity and also based in Johnston, Pennsylvania, which received over $220 million in government grants in 2007 according to its Form 990. 

(Hat tip: Chronicle of Philanthropy)

LHM