The Lehigh Valley area's U.S. House members secured $11.4 million in spending projects in 2008 for clients of the PMA Group, an embattled lobbying firm under investigation for possible illegal campaign contributions.

The "earmarks," compiled by the government watchdog Taxpayers for Common Sense, came as the five members -- Democrats Patrick Murphy, Allyson Schwartz, Tim Holden and Paul Kanjorski and Republican Jim Gerlach -- collected a combined $90,000 from the firm's political action committee and its employees and their family members in the 2007-2008 election cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

They weren't alone. The firm, whose offices were raided by the FBI last year and plans to cease operations in March, according to reports, gave $3.3 million to House members through its PAC and contributions from employees and their family members between 2001 and 2008, Congressional Quarterly reported Thursday.