Lack of Cooperation Hampers Probes: Senator(Dorgan plans to resume hearing into contracting fraud)

[maddezmom]

Source: Defense News

Lack of Cooperation Hampers Probes: Senator
By william matthews
Published: 23 Apr 17:29 EDT (13:29 GMT) Print | Email

Blocked by Republicans from establishing an investigating committee to probe war profiteering and fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan, U.S. Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., said he plans to resume hearings into contracting fraud through the Democratic Policy Committee.

Dorgan said April 23 he will call two former KBR employees and a third contract employee before the policy committee to testify about waste, fraud and abuse on April 28.

Dorgan conducted a series of similar hearings between 2003 and 2007, disclosing waste, abuse of cost-plus contracts, price gouging, overbilling and other examples of fraud by numerous contracting firms, including the services firms KBR and Halliburton, security firm Blackwater, construction company Parsons, and smaller firms such as security company Custer Battles.

During those hearings, Senate Republicans refused to participate, Dorgan said. Only one House Republican, Rep. Walter Jones of North Carolina, attended some of the hearings. Pentagon officials and company executives often refuse to appear, Dorgan said.



Read more: http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=3494479&c=AME&s=TOP

[Sam Ervin jret]

1. Stop sending the Companies the checks until they DO appear.

Congress does still control the money at least?

If the ReTug's block or the Pres veto's hold a great big Media Extravaganza in their honor.

Use the tools the Constitution gave to you Congress, or resign and let the people elect representatives who will.

[maddezmom]

2. Contractor fraud alleged in Iraq

Contractor fraud alleged in Iraq
A Congressional committee hears testimony today from whistle-blowers alleging double billing by a defense contractor. A Senator says waste fraud is rampant in Iraq. Steve Henn previews the hearing.
Scott Jagow: Today in Washington, a Senate committee opens hearings on contracting abuse in Iraq. This committee doesn't have a whole lot of power, but its chairman hopes the rest of Congress will be listening very closely. Steve Henn has more.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Steve Henn: Sen. Byron Dorgan, a Democrat from North Dakota, says examples of waste and fraud in Iraq are too numerous to count.

Sen. Byron Dorgan: You know, in cost-plus contracts, waste doesn't matter to contractors. The more they get to buy, the more money they make. And we've had testimony that brand new $85,000 trucks have been left beside the road to be torched, because they didn't have a wrench to fix a flat tire. And the contractor says, "Doesn't matter. Taxpayer'll pay for this. We'll just buy another truck."

more:http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/04/28/contractors_iraq