Ship-testing outfit floats Nadler 16G
by BY BENJAMIN LESSER AND GREG B. SMITH New York Daily News · September 5, 2008

Executives of the Manhattan-based engineering firm, Weidlinger Associates, and their lobbyists have contributed $16,000 to Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan) and his "leadership" political action committee, Jerry's PAC.

That included an illegal $5,000 donation from Weidlinger executive Richard Daddazio, an amount that was later refunded. Weidlinger did not return calls seeking comment.

Most of these contributions came at a time when Nadler was funneling $1.6 million in taxpayer funds for a Weidlinger Associates project to test the resiliency of Navy ship hulls with powerful air blasts rather than real explosives.

On March 16, 2007, Nadler wrote a letter to the House Appropriations Committee requesting funds for the "Air Gun Ship Shock Testing System." Just 12 days later, Daddazio donated $5,000 to Jerry's PAC.

"We should look for ways to protect our country without sacrificing the environment," Nadler said, declining to discuss the campaign donations from Weidlinger.