Dems Using Their Iraq Investigation To Begin Exposing Katrina Corruption

[KittyWampus]

on Cspan2, Byron Dorgan and Levin were holding the Democratic hearing into Procurement issues and corruption in Iraq contracts.

Had Bunny Greenhouse and another woman on testifying.

Also had a lawyer whose career dealt with Procurement in Govt. services and they began discussing Katrina.

Apparently the amount of money given out without need for details was raised, in Katrina funding, from $2500 to a quater million.

Bush cronies will be stealing a quater of a million at a time. If they break down the amounts, apparently they can even get more.

The Senate Democrats are investigating the Iraqi corruption and moving into Katrina.

Not only are they doing something... they're doing something that damages the GOP for ELECTIONS in 06.

DU needs to stop obsessing over Bush and focus on the Corruption in Iraq and now Katrina to win in 06.

[debbierlus]

1. You are soooooooo right

DU does need to stop obsessing over Bush & work on ACTIONS to fight him & exposure of the following:

Contamination caused by oil spills, chemical spills, & sewage. (Reports are out already Bush & co. are covering up - wher is DU on this?)

Corruption on fiscal matters as you eloquently detailed above.

Thanks for the important post!

[enough]

2. Yes, Bushco is now BIG GOVERNMENT.

Corruption in Iraq and Katrina funding is a major issue that will resonate.

[KittyWampus]

3. and it's telling the GOP didn't bother sending anyone to these hearings.

apparently they don't care about corruption, fraud and waste.

[KittyWampus]

4. there is this from Corpwatch.org

US: Halliburton Subsidiary, KBR, Clinches More Hurricane Recovery Work

Defense Industry Daily
September 15th, 2005

Kellogg Brown & Root Services Inc. in Arlington, VA received $15 million for Task Order 0020 under its $500 million maximum "emergency response" contract with the US government.

(cut)

Task Order 0020 is a cost reimbursement, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity construction capabilities contract for post-Katrina recovery efforts in support of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for "unwatering activities" in Plaquemines, East and West basins, New Orleans, LA.

The work to be performed provides for immediate disaster recovery response to repair pumps (many of which were poorly designed for the conditions they faced) and restore utilities to efficiently and rapidly remove water from these areas. Work will be performed in New Orleans, LA, and is expected to be complete by November 2005.

[emulatorloo]

5. kick and nominating

:kick:

[KittyWampus]

6. Here's a blurb w/ quotes from Dorgan

Democrats warn of potential Katrina contract abuse


WASHINGTON, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina could be ripe for fraud if government whistle-blowers are not better protected than those who lost their jobs after disclosing abuses in Iraq's reconstruction, a leading Senate Democrat said on Friday.

Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota said all necessary resources should be deployed to rebuild New Orleans and the U.S. Gulf Coast, but the billions of dollars in expected government spending must be must be carefully monitored.

"We simply must ensure accountability for these massive expenditures -- so that these dollars don't just wind up lining the pockets of unscrupulous contractors, as we've seen all too often in Iraq," Dorgan said at an unofficial hearing held by the Democratic Policy Committee, a congressional group.

"One of the keys to ensuring accountability is to have civil servants who witness fraud, waste and abuse to blow the whistle," Dorgan said.