Virginia company run by Rep. LaLota's brother gets $30,000 federal contract

A Virginia firearms-training company run by Long Island GOP Rep. Nick LaLota’s brother has snared a $30,000 federal contract to train U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement snipers and other agents in "high-stakes environments."

Some details of the new Department of Homeland Security contract with the company, Target Down Group, Inc., of Mechanicsville — run by Dan LaLota — are available on a website that tracks government contracts, USASpending.gov.

There is no indication on that site that the contract, which was first reported Thursday by Wired, was won after competitive bidding.

Contacted by Newsday, Dan LaLota declined to comment on whether his company had to bid for the contract. He also did not want to talk about whether his congressman brother had any role in helping him obtain it.

But in a statement, Rep. LaLota (R-Amityville) said, "My brother's qualifications as a badass sniper stand on their own and I did not and could not help him to secure a government contract."

There was no immediate comment from a department spokesman.

The contract calls for five days of agent training starting later this month, with ICE listed as the only DHS subagency involved. 

The company’s website lists Dan LaLota as its president, and it also notes he was a U.S. Marine for 20 years and is a "Scout Sniper Instructor."

The contract is listed as running from Sept. 29 to Oct. 3 "to equip Homeland Security investigations agents with the skills and knowledge to effectively operate in high-stakes environments."

Five days of training matches the duration of a five-day precision rifle long-range shooting course promoted by the company on its website.

While the company is based in Virginia, the contract says the federal money is going to Arizona. It is unclear why that is or if that indicates the training will take place in that U.S.-Mexico border state.

Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport), LaLota's Long Island colleague and chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, did not respond to a request for comment. The committee's top Democrat, Bennie Thompson of Mississippi, also could not be reached through a spokesman.

In his statement. Rep. LaLota said he "couldn't be more proud" of his brother's "continued dedication to the security of our great country and he continues to apply his trade in a manner that help keeps America safe."

On his congressional office website, LaLota has devoted a portion of his biography page to note, "Nick’s brother Dan is a retired Marine Sniper who earned a Bronze Star with Valor for his service in Fallujah, Iraq. Nick also went on to serve."