Dem says Cheney's staff involved from start in Halliburton contract

[CShine]

WASHINGTON -- Vice President Dick Cheney's staff was involved from the very start of the decision-making process that ended with Houston's Halliburton Co. being awarded a multibillion-dollar contract to perform work in Iraq, a key Democratic lawmaker said Sunday.

I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Cheney's chief of staff, was briefed in October 2002 on a proposal to assign Halliburton the task of drawing up a secret plan for putting out oil-well fires and rebuilding Iraq infrastructure in the event of war in Iraq, said Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., whose staff was briefed last week by Pentagon officials. The following March, Halliburton -- without facing competition from any other bidders -- was awarded the contract to implement that plan. At other critical junctures in the decision-making chain, political appointees insisted on hiring Halliburton, despite the objections of career employees at the Pentagon, Waxman said.

"For months, Vice President Cheney has been saying that his office was not consulted before the award of the Halliburton contracts, but that does not appear to be true," Waxman, the ranking Democrat on the House Government Reform Committee, said in a statement released Sunday. Waxman, insisting lawmakers are not "getting straight answers from the White House," called for an independent congressional investigation.

Cheney, who served as Halliburton's chief executive officer for five years before joining the Bush presidential ticket in 2000, has long insisted he had no role in awarding contracts to the company.

"We stand by our previous statements," Cheney spokesman Kevin Kellems said Sunday evening.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2625453

[PartyPooper]

1. No surprise here. Dick Cheney is a TREASONOUS BASTARD!

Now can we put him into the Hague?

:grr:

[aquart]

3. Yes. You have my permission.

Surely that's all that's needed.

[Tellurian]

2. Bingo!

"Congress' General Accounting Office, which has been reviewing that decision, is expected to release a final report today concluding that decision violated federal procurement rules, Waxman said.

After Halliburton had conducted the classified study, the company was selected to perform the actual oil fields repair work, a contract that could have generated revenues up to $7 billion.

Stephen Browning, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers director of regional programs for the South Pacific Division, met with Feith on March 5, 2003, and urged him to declassify some details about the contract so Halliburton could line up subcontractors, Waxman said.

On March 5, Browning sent an e-mail later unearthed by the government watchdog group Judicial Watch suggesting the Pentagon had "coordinated" with Cheney's office about releasing information about the contract. Feith, Browning wrote, had "approved, contingent on informing WH (the White House) tomorrow. We anticipate no issue, since action has been coordinated w (with) VP's office."

The work contract was awarded three days later, but the decision was not made public for another two weeks, because -- at that point -- President Bush had not announced the final decision to go to war."

Now where is Jay Rockefeller when you need him?

[struggle4progress]

6. Can't find the GAO report but here's Waxman's letter to Rummy

http://www.house.gov/reform/min/pdfs_108_2/pdfs_inves/pdf_admin_halliburton_contract_cheney_june_1_let.pdf

[theivoryqueen]

8. It's kind of scary to consider how hard these assholes will fight

considering if they lose the presidency and many congressional seats next election they will likely be facing indictments.

[struggle4progress]

9. I'm trying to get into a frame of mind to be ready for anything ...

but then I've always believed a little paranoia is healthy. Then, again, sometimes I really deserve a tin-foil hat.

But I agree with you. They're scary.

[theivoryqueen]

11. here in texas we just call them pit bulls

in the frenzy of their fighting for what they want, they inflict a lot of damage. No hat necessary, tin-foil or any other type. it's just the way it is. Cornered animals always get a bit viscious.

[Thor_MN]

14. At times, I think Phil Hartman's death was "arranged" just because

he could have done an absolutely dead-on Cheney. He could have nailed that gritted teeth snarl that is Dickhead's permanent expression.

[theivoryqueen]

4. They should dig deeper

Halliburton had intent notices prior to 9/11 regarding Iraq

[pauliedangerously]

5. They should send that SOB to Gitmo

And interrogate the shit out of him until he admits he'd been planning on awarding Halliburton contracts since BEFORE 9/11.

[Tellurian]

7. Hell, he'd sing like a bird if you duct taped him to a chair..

and microwaved a cup of T..

[Merlin]

10. Not seeing anything new here.

Hope they can find a smoking gun somewhere. Cheyney belongs behind bars. Along with the whole gang of neocon bastards who lick his boots.

[w13rd0]

12. Energy Committee meetings....

...LYNCHPIN! Therein, you will find

1) Ken Lay & Associates gaming the market in California, to drive the tech sector into submission, or force tech companies to relocate to Austin or Pennsylvania

2) Discussion of Iraq and dividing up the spoils of an elective war

3) lots of other shadiness...

[wryter2000]

13. Henry Waxman, American hero, eom

eom