As deputy staff director of the Appropriations Committee, Shockey helps with day-to-day operations of the panel, which, along with its Senate counterpart, controls the purse strings of discretionary government spending. His annual salary is $170,000.
Shockey's attorneys said the payouts were made because federal rules required Shockey to divest himself of any business interest that might constitute a conflict of interest when he returned to government service.
"This was a mandatory sale of Shockey's business required by the federal rules," said one person close to Shockey who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Shockey complied with the letter and spirit of the law and reached into his own pocket to make sure that everything was disclosed as required."
The lawyers released copies of letters they and Lewis had sent to the House Ethics Committee to show they had complied with ethics standards. A letter from Lewis said that Shockey would not participate in any matters that might be considered a conflict of interest.
Investigators are probing the relationship between Lewis and Lowery's firm after a guilty plea by another Southern California lawmaker, former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Rancho Santa Fe), who admitted accepting bribes.
