Pentagon Orders Investigation Of Cunningham's MZM Earmark -Pincus

[Rose Siding]

Undersecretary of Defense Stephen A. Cambone has ordered an internal study of how funding earmarked in a bill by then-Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.) led to contracts for MZM Inc. to do work for the Pentagon's newest intelligence agency, the Counterintelligence Field Activity, a Defense Department spokesman said.

Cunningham pleaded guilty last November to tax evasion and taking bribes from contractors, including the former president of MZM, Mitchell J. Wade. Wade pleaded guilty last month to bribery-related charges and to making illegal campaign contributions to Cunningham and other legislators.

In documents filed in Cunningham's case, prosecutors said that in fiscal 2003 legislation, the congressman, who was a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, set aside, or earmarked, $6.3 million for work to be done "to benefit" the Counterintelligence Field Activity (CIFA), created in 2002. Federal prosecutors have been looking into whether Pentagon personnel committed crimes in awarding CIFA contracts to MZM.

Cmdr. Greg Hicks, a Pentagon spokesman, confirmed yesterday that Cambone has ordered an internal inquiry. Hicks said he was "unable to comment on MZM contracts or related matters since they are the subject of ongoing investigations by the appropriate organizations in the department and the U.S. government."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/23/AR2006032301605.html

[maddezmom]

1. "internal inquiry"

Cambone is gifted in the coverup. :puke:


In Secret Unit's 'Black Room,' a Grim Portrait of U.S. Abuse
~snip~
The documents and interviews also reflect a culture clash between the free-wheeling military commandos and the more cautious Pentagon civilians working with them that escalated to a tense confrontation. At one point, one of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's top aides, Stephen A. Cambone, ordered a subordinate to "get to the bottom" of any misconduct.

Most of the people interviewed for this article were midlevel civilian and military Defense Department personnel who worked with Task Force 6-26 and said they witnessed abuses, or who were briefed on its operations over the past three years.

Many were initially reluctant to discuss Task Force 6-26 because its missions are classified. But when pressed repeatedly by reporters who contacted them, they agreed to speak about their experiences and observations out of what they said was anger and disgust over the unit's treatment of detainees and the failure of task force commanders to punish misconduct more aggressively. The critics said the harsh interrogations yielded little information to help capture insurgents or save American lives.

more:http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/19/international/middleeast/19abuse.html?_r=1&hp&ex=1142744400&en=9efb5b3a1aa3d685&ei=5094&partner=homepage&oref=slogin




In June 2004, Stephen A. Cambone, a top Pentagon official, ordered his deputy, Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin, to look into allegations of detainee abuse at Camp Nama.