Lawmaker-Contractor Deals Questioned

Nancy and April Cunningham are among four people listed on the foundation's Web site as members of the "advisory council." Nancy is the name of the lawmaker's wife, and he has a daughter named April.

The foundation, which tax forms said was created with a loan from Wade, lists its address as MZM's headquarters in the District. Wade is listed on the foundation's Web site as the foundation's treasurer and his wife, Christiane, is named as its "president emeritus."

MZM also has ties to Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr. (R-Va.).

In the 2004 election cycle, Goode's largest contributor was MZM; its political action committee and its employees, including Wade, gave a total of $48,551, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Goode was the principal sponsor of a provision in 2003 defense legislation that called for the creation of a military center in his district, known as the Foreign Supplier Assessment Center, which MZM was hired to run, said a senior defense official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

The official added that the center, which is meant to check on the ownership of foreign companies that contract with the Defense Department, will do useful work, but was not a Pentagon priority and was not requested by the Defense Department. It was mandated by Goode on MZM's behalf, the official said.

A November 2003 press release by Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner (D) said Goode was "instrumental in securing this project for Virginia." Goode himself, in the release, said, "I believe that MZM will add a new dimension to the economy of Martinsville," where the center is located.

In March, April and May of 2003 -- the year that Goode sponsored the legislation, Wade, his wife, MZM officer James C. King, and King's wife gave Goode's election campaign a total of $12,000, according to PoliticalMoneyLine.com. MZM's political action committee also donated $10,000 to Goode's campaign in 2003.

Goode's office did not respond to requests for comment.

Wade founded MZM 1993. Last fiscal year, the firm had about $65 million in Pentagon contracts, ranking it among the 100 largest federal information technology contractors, according to Washington Technology magazine.

Researcher Richard S. Drezen contributed to this report.