ESRI Subpoenaed

ESRI and other businesses are being drawn into an investigation of Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) and a Washington, D.C., lobbying firm.

From the AP:

Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc., located in Lewis' hometown of Redlands, Calif., received a subpoena seeking records of its dealings with the Washington, D.C., firm of Copeland, Lowery, Jacquez, Denton & White, a person with knowledge of the matter said Wednesday.

A couple things I'll note, which Adena did not, are the $55.4 million earmarked for ESRI in 2004 and 2005, and that the company is referred to by the AP as a "defense contractor". I'm not sure whether the writer is unware of their large software business or not. Earmarking, for readers outside the US, is not illegal, but is a practice inconsistent with responsible government.