Oto Melara announced plans to open a new plant in Weldon's district in 2004, around the time the congressman began pressing the Navy to buy the firm's deck guns to install on new combat ships. A rival's weapon already had been selected.
Last year, Weldon supported an amendment to the defense bill requiring the Navy to study his proposal to switch deck guns, putting weapons made by Grimes' client on the next-generation of Littoral Combat Ships.
Weldon also has championed Oto Melara's parent firm, Finmeccanica. Last year, Finmeccanica's helicopter unit joined forces with Lockheed Martin Corp. to score an upset bidding victory and land a $1.6-billion contract to build the new presidential helicopter.
The Italians beat out a bid from United Technologies Corp. for its American-designed Sikorsky VH-92 to serve as Marine One, the presidential helicopter.
According to Aviation Week & Space Technology, a defense industry trade publication, Weldon was a key backer of Finmeccanica's winning bid.
Oto Melara officials did not respond to requests for comment.
Advanced Ceramics Research has retained Grimes since September 2003 to seek defense funding from the House and the Office of Naval Research.
Mulligan, president of the Tucson company, said Grimes initially contacted him because one of her clients did business with his firm. Mulligan liked Grimes, he said, and hired her.
"We're always getting beat up by bigger [defense] firms that have a lot of generals on their payroll," he said, explaining his decision to hire Grimes and other lobbyists.
Mulligan said that he was unaware Grimes knew Weldon at the time and that he hired her because he "thought she was bright and had the ability to find things out." He said Grimes subsequently introduced him to Weldon, with whom he has met about half a dozen times.
Since August 2004, Mulligan and another Advanced Ceramics executive have donated $4,000 to Weldon's political coffers.
Some of that money was contributed at a fundraiser for Weldon that Grimes hosted at her home in Media. The event raised $8,050 for the congressman's 2004 reelection campaign, with two other Grimes and Young clients making donations, in addition to Advanced Ceramics.
Mulligan said Grimes lobbied about a dozen members of Congress, including Weldon, to help secure a $3-million contract in 2005. The ceramic tools project was the firm's first successful bid for funding in a defense appropriations bill.
