Andrews defends campaign contributions from company at center of Christie-Ashcroft controversy

Rep. Rob Andrews is defending his acceptance of $11,000 in campaign contributions from a Zimmer Holdings director. Zimmer, an Indiana-based medical device manufacturer, agreed to a $311 million settlement with the Department of Justice -- ending a federal investigation into allegations that they paid off surgeons to use their products.

Plainsboro resident Stuart Essig, a former Goldman Sachs managing director, is one of five members of Zimmer’s Board of Directors. His contributions have come between 2003 and 2007.

“Stuart Essig is the president of a terrific New Jersey company-Integra Life Sciences. We are honored to have his support and his employees'. Integra develops innovative products that help to prevent and heal brain injuries which are being used to help treat our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq,” Bill Caruso, a spokesman for Andrews, told PolitickerNJ.com. “Mr. Essig is on the board of Zimmer Holdings but he is not involved in any executive capacity at Zimmer.”

Caruso did not say if Andrews would return Essig’s contributions.

U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie’s decision to hire former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft as the federal monitor – at a fee that could reach $52 million over the next eighteen months—has caused Senate and House Judiciary Committee Chairmen to consider legislation that would allow congressional oversight of deferred prosecution agreements. Two House Democrats, Frank Pallone and Bill Pascrell, have been highly critical of Christie, the likely front runner for the 2009 Republican nomination for Governor.