McCain's Role in Plane Pact Spotlights Ties to Lobbyists

"I am concerned that if the Air Force proceeds down its chosen path . . . the Air Force will risk eliminating competition before bids are submitted," he wrote in September of that year. "In my view, this is not in the best interests of either the taxpayer or the warfighter."

McCain has steadfastly said that his role in the process has been one of a neutral arbiter. Yesterday, McCain told reporters that he had "nothing to do" with the winning Airbus contract other than insisting on a fair process.

"I think my record is very clear on this issue, including a paper trail of letters that we wrote to the Department of Defense during this process and saying clearly and unequivocally we just want a fair process and we don't want a repeat of the previous process," McCain said Monday in St. Louis, according to the Associated Press, which first reported that McCain's advisers lobbied for Airbus. "I think my record on this issue is very clear and authenticated by both written and verbal statements on the issue," McCain said.

McCain's spokeswoman said the senator sent the letters months before the Airbus group hired his advisers.

"John McCain uncovered a taxpayer rip-off that led to Boeing and USAF officials being convicted of corruption," Hazelbaker said in an e-mail. "They were sent to jail. The CEO of Boeing resigned. McCain saved the tax payers $6 billion dollars. And somehow he's the bad guy?"

But some McCain critics say the deal creates the appearance of hypocrisy.

Airbus parent EADS North America more than tripled its contributions to U.S. lawmakers after 2004, as it pursued the Air Force contract, according to an analysis done by the Center for Responsive Politics. McCain was the top individual recipient of contributions from company employees and the company's political action committee in the 2008 election cycle.

"This isn't your average Washington politician. It's John McCain, crusader against special interests and presidential contender," said Sheila Krumholz, CRP executive director. "It's more than purely coincidental that he was their top target."

Staff writer Jeffrey H. Birnbaum contributed to this report.