Last month, CREW named Senator Mitch McConnell one of the most corrupt members of Congress in our report Beyond DeLay. 

Over the weekend, The Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader reported that McConnell has arranged earmarks for a foreign firm under investigation for bribery:

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is pushing $25 million in earmarked federal funds for a British defense contractor that is under criminal investigation by the U.S. Justice Department and suspected by American diplomats of a "longstanding, widespread pattern of bribery allegations."

McConnell tucked money for three weapons projects for BAE Systems into the defense appropriations bill, which the Senate approved Oct. 3. The Defense Department failed to include the money in its own budget request, which required McConnell to intercede, said BAE spokeswoman Susan Lenover.

One might think, given the scrutiny of earmarks and the public concern about corruption, that Senator McConnell might want to avoid interacting with a firm under investigation for bribery. That's what CREW's Melanie Sloan told the Herald-Leader:

Ethics watchdogs say they're surprised McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, would continue to give earmarks and take donations from a corporation in hot water with his own government. McConnell should keep his distance, said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

"Most politicians decide that a scandal is a good time to stop doing business with a company, at least until the scandal is over," Sloan said. "Particularly when we're talking about a criminal investigation over bribery. You would think that a member of Congress would want to steer clear of anyone accused of bribery."

You would think that. But many members of Congress still haven't clued in.