The House on Thursday again rejected a resolution by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) aimed at sparking a House ethics probe of the PMA Group, the defense lobbying firm under criminal investigation for allegedly misusing campaign contributions.

By a 226-180 vote, lawmakers tabled the resolution, which is Flake’s fourth try at triggering a House probe of the firm. The FBI raided the PMA Group last fall amid allegations that it gave millions of dollars in campaign contributions in exchange for earmarks.

Thursday’s resolution is more narrowly focused than Flake’s previous ones: It calls on the ethics committee to examine the relationship between fiscal 2009 earmarks for PMA clients and campaign contributions from PMA Chief Executive Officer Paul Magliochetti and his relatives.

Despite the measure’s failure to advance, Flake has picked up Democratic votes along the way. On the latest resolution, 22 Democrats sided with Flake in opposing the motion to table. He also won the support of 22 Democrats on his third resolution, compared with 21 on his second resolution and 17 on his first resolution.