Spending includes anti-terror projects

0 Comments | USA TODAY, February, 2006 | by Matt Kelley

Sen. Arlen Specter's office helped direct almost $50 million to clients of lobbyist Michael Herson, the husband of one of Specter's top aides and president of American Defense International (ADI).

The spending included:

*$20.9 million in the 2005 and 2006 budgets for projects at Drexel University in Philadelphia dealing with bioterrorism response and computer networking. Drexel has paid ADI $200,000 a year since 2002.

*$11.2 million in the past four years for Gentex Corp. That included $4.9 million for oxygen masks and $6.3 million for protective gear against biological, chemical or radiological weapons. Gentex has paid ADI $260,000 since 2002.

*$10.6 million in 2005 and 2006 spending for Gestalt LLC, which provides software for military computer...