Chicago Trib:War contractors are big donors

[jbfam4]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0310310220oct31,1,5530257.story?coll=chi-news-hed


War contractors are big donors
Study alleges firms have political edge

By Paul Singer
Washington Bureau
Published October 31, 2003

WASHINGTON -- Many of the companies that have received some of the nearly $8 billion in reconstruction contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan also have been strong contributors to the Republican Party or have close connections with government officials, a new study by a government watchdog group concluded Thursday.

The report, issued by The Center for Public Integrity, a non-partisan, non-profit investigative group, was the result of a six-month investigation into contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan.



Charles Lewis, executive director of the center, said in a statement that the report reveals "a stench of political favoritism and cronyism surrounding the contracting process in both Iraq and Afghanistan."


The contributions and personal relationships had no impact on the contract process, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Thursday. "All the contracts were awarded in compliance with the federal regulations," Boucher said. "The reason that these companies get the contracts has nothing to do with who may have worked there before."