In perusing the comments in the TTAG follow up story which contained Springfield's CEO's statement responding to the dust up, I ran across this gem from 1989:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/3843 ... SALES.html
Col. Juan Lopez de la Cruz, who stationed at the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador between 1982 and 1984, was named in a seven-count indictment charging conspiracy, bribery, making false statements and aiding and abetting the filing of false claims.The indictment, returned Thursday by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Va., accused Lopez of conspiring with Dennis J. Reese, president of Springfield Armory, Inc., to defraud the foreign military sales program operated by the Pentagon.
Lopez is accused of soliciting and taking bribes totaling $70,000 from Reese in return for helping Springfield Armory complete the sale of $3.7 million worth of firearms to the Salvadoran government.
Efforts to reach Lopez for comment on the charges were unsuccessful.
As an advisor to the Salvadoran Military Group, Lopez recommended to the Salvadoran government what types of weapons and supplies to purchase from U.S. manufacturers under the program.
After they were introduced in 1983, Lopez told Reese that he was in a position to influence the type of weapons the Salvadorans would purchase and could help get U.S. certification to complete the transactions, the indictment said.
Reese, who pleaded guilty last month to conspiracy and filing false statements, also bought Lopez a $4,722 Rolex watch at the colonel's request.
That would be the same Reese who issued the following comment to TTAG:
“The legislative process is a fluid process. The bill has only moved through one chamber, and it is still in the process. We fully support the Second Amendment and stand by it. The Illinois Manufacturers Association will continue to fight and protect not only manufacturers, but dealers and the gun owner as well.”
Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.
