Congressman Brian Higgins is at the epicenter of the United States’ National Security apparatus, with assignments to both the House Homeland Security and House Foreign Affairs committees. On Homeland Security, he is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Counter-terrorism.
As one would expect, defense contractors readily patronize the Congressman — but one firm in particular has contributed an unseemly amount. Honeywell International, Inc. first entered the defense industry in World War II, producing aerospace parts. During and after the Vietnam War, Honeywell produced cluster bombs, missile guidance systems, napalm, and land mines.
Honeywell is in the consortium that runs the Pantex Plant that assembles all of the nuclear bombs in the United States arsenal. Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies operates the Kansas City Plant which produces and assembles 85 percent of the non-nuclear components of the bombs.
In the 2008 election cycle the firm gave $7,500.
In the 2010 election cycle the firm gave $10,000.
In the 2012 election cycle the firm gave $10,000 to Higgins’ campaign committee, and another $5,000 to a political action committee supporting him.
In the 2014 election cycle the firm gave $10,000 to Higgins’ campaign committee, and another $10,000 to a political action committee supporting him.
So far in the current 2016 election cycle, the firm has given $7,500 to Higgins’ campaign committee, and another $5,000 to a political action committee supporting him.
Activists are calling on the Congressman to return the money.
