There ain’t no rules here
“There ain’t no rules here, we’re trying to accomplish something. . . . All this talk about rules . . . When the deal goes down . . . we make ‘em up as we go along.”
- Rep. Alcee Hastings (D – Fla.)
Hastings formerly served as a federal judge before becoming one of six federal judges ever to be impeached in U.S. history (for perjury and corruption). Fittingly, he was elected as a Democrat to the House of Representatives only three years after his impeachment in the Senate.
In: Quotes · Tagged with: Alcee Hastings, corruption, Democrats
Corruption at the UN
Corruption in the United Nations? Surely not!
The folks who brought us one of the greatest scandals of all time (the Oil-for-Food program) have figured out a way to avoid future corruption and scandal: eliminate their anti-corruption task force that had been policing the UN since 2006.
And the U.S. General Accounting Office’s estimates determined that Saddam Hussein made about $10 billion off the deal, not $1 billion as the AP story below reports.
The Procurement Task Force spent about three years chasing down about 20 major schemes, totaling about $1 billion in contracts and foreign aid.
From the AP (via Fox News):
… at the beginning of 2009, the United Nations shuttered the agency and diverted its work to the Office of Internal Oversight Services’ permanent investigation division.
Since then, the number of cases opened, pursued or completed has dropped dramatically and the division has let go most former task force investigators, the AP found in an examination of U.N. documents, audits and e-mails, along with dozens of interviews with current and former U.N. officials and diplomats.
Over the past year, not a single significant fraud or corruption case has been completed, compared with an average 150 cases a year investigated by the task force. The permanent investigation division decided not to even pursue about 95 cases left over when the task force ceased operation, while another 80 unfinished cases have languished.
It also stopped probes into contractors and cut qualified staff and other resources — and halted five major corruption investigations documented by the task force in the final days of 2008.
But we shouldn’t be concerned. Why? Because the UN says so.
“The investigations division, I am convinced, is doing a very good job, and is continuing the good work,” U.N. management chief Angela Kane said in late October. She repeated the assertion last week.
Some of the fraud from this year:
— Nothing has come of a task force report completed in December 2008 that found $1 million a day flowing out of a safe in a U.N. project office in Kabul — part of $850 million intended for Afghanistan’s rebuilding and elections between 2002 and 2006. A year later, U.N. managers say the case is still under review.
— Task force staff ran out of time before they could complete two more investigations on Afghanistan. One involved evidence that a U.S. firm padded its charges by $1 million and the other that U.N. staff diverted millions of dollars from Afghan elections, roads, schools and hospitals, according to U.N. documents and officials.
Task force investigators found evidence some of the money went to expand U.N. operations in Africa, Asia and the Middle East without authorization. And they found no documentation to confirm how the Kabul office used tens of millions of dollars meant to promote democratic elections in Afghanistan.
— No action has been taken on a task force finding that about half of $350,000 in U.N. funds intended to launch a radio station for women in Baghdad was used to pay off personal loans, a mortgage, credit card bills and taxes, as well as for cash withdrawals from a bank in Jordan. The task force recommended disciplining a U.N. staff member and referring the case to national prosecutorial authorities. Neither has happened.
— A task force investigation of collusion and bid-rigging involving a transport company in Africa found contracts steered to one company and two of its senior officers. The task force recommended the case be prosecuted; nothing has happened. U.N. managers say the case is under review.
— In another case, task force investigators obtained evidence of major corruption involving more than $200 million in transportation contracts for U.N. peacekeeping throughout Africa. U.N. procurement records show Russian companies held a large proportion — a quarter of about $400 million in U.N. air transportation contracts in 2009. The case has since been dropped.
Now would Obama kindly explain why we are wanting to send .7% of our nation’s GDP to the UN (about $100 billion from the U.S. each year alone)?
In: Geopolitics · Tagged with: Barack Obama, corruption, Global Poverty Act, UN
Pelosi’s family misusing Air Force transport?
Doug Ross has even more on Nancy Pelosi’s apparent misuse and abuse of Air Force travel. It seems that government documents recently released by a Judicial Watch FOIA request chronicle Pelosi family members frequently having the Air Force ferry them across the country – often without the Speaker accompanying them.
Now her family is quite wealthy and her children are certainly old enough to travel on their own (Pelosi turns 70 in March), so why then would they be freeloading on taxpayer backs?
In: Politics · Tagged with: corruption, fraud waste and abuse, Nancy Pelosi
Pelosi’s ‘Air Force Scandal’
The 54-passenger Boeing 757 requested by Pelosi to carry her to and from California and Washington, D.C. (U.S. Air Force photo)
Democrats living large on the taxpayers’ expense? Surely not.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has racked up an amazing $2.1 million travel tab during the last two years according to government documents obtained by Judicial Watch through a FOIA request. The Air Force Gulfstream V she rides costs almost $6,000 per hour (an average cost per flight of over $28,000). But that’s nothing when you consider the $22,000 per hour price tag of the Boeing 757 that she requested for ferrying her between her district and Washington.
Interestingly enough, over $100,000 of which was for alcohol and food. What is she eating, unicorn steaks?
Now I understand that for national security reasons, Pelosi shouldn’t travel commercial. But a non-stop flight from D.C. to San Fransisco (first class) costs around $800. In fact, it would take Pelosi 35 first-class commercial flights to equal the cost of one trip on the Gulfstream. She may be second-in-line to replace POTUS, but she isn’t Queen.
If the Air Force is willing to take suggestions, I say that they should palletize her and her entourage and put them on Space Available transportation.
Looking forward to the ’60 Minutes’ expose on this. Holding my breath even.
In: Politics · Tagged with: corruption, fraud waste and abuse, Nancy Pelosi, US Air Force
Democrats raise our taxes, don’t pay theirs
In September of 2008, you had Charlie Rangel (Congressional Progressive Caucus), the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, not reporting income for an investment in the Dominican Republic. That’s the same Mr. Rangel who writes the tax code.
Then we have Obama’s Treasury Secretary, Tim Geithner, who failed to pay $34,000 in taxes.
Then we have Obama’s Health and Human Services nominee Tom Daschle, who failed to pay $140,000 in taxes.
Now we have Senate hopeful Al Franken who owes over $70,000 in taxes.
I thought Joe Biden said that paying taxes was patriotic. By pointing out that Democrats aren’t paying their taxes, are we somehow questioning their patriotism?
In: Politics · Tagged with: Congressional Progressive Caucus, corruption, Democrats
Roundtable Discussion on Earmark Spending
This article is from the February 2008 Unto the Breach Newsletter
With low approval ratings in the White House and historically low ratings in Congress, America is fed up with the status quo in Washington. One of the things turning the public against the politicians is the prolific use of earmark spending. Bills are being loaded down with billions of dollars of taxpayer money to fund projects to the benefit our congressmen and women. There is little to no accountability or transparency to this “pork barrel” spending. Although our federal deficit is growing out of control, Congress seems fit to insert tens of billions of dollars of earmarks into legislation each year. Unto the Breach has lined up a panel to discuss earmark spending.
Chris Carter (Crush) is a conservative internet radio host, blogger, and the editor of the Unto the Breach Newsletter.
Barry Davidson is a writer of fiction who expanded his writing styles to include political and satire writing. He has several short stories and poems published, and is currently working on a book of poetry for regular people as well as pursuing a career in politics.
Mike Duminiak is a Conservative Constitutionalist who believes that local and State governments which are closer to the people can better meet their needs and remain under their control as opposed to the distant and insulated national government controlled by lobbyists and special interest groups. (more…)
In: Politics · Tagged with: Congress, corruption, Democrats, earmarks, Nancy Pelosi, Republicans
Did Speaker Pelosi “Drain the Swamp?”
As the Democrats swept back into power following the November elections, Speaker-Elect Nancy Pelosi pledged she would “drain the swamp” making the “most honest and open congress in history.”
In fact, Pelosi sponsored the House Leadership and Open Government Act which is intended to stop Congress from accepting gifts, trips, and jobs from lobbyists and corporations.
Our former Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert’s son Josh was a registered lobbyist for Google. What qualified Josh to hold the position, well besides dad being Speaker and all? Good question. Before becoming a lobbyist, Josh ran a record store and label in Illinois. The pierced-tongue prodigy said, “I realized that doing consulting and government relations on the Hill took up a lot less time and brought in a lot more money.”
Well done, Josh. Sounds like you have a bright future as an economist if this lobbying gig doesn’t pan out. (more…)
In: Politics · Tagged with: corruption, Nancy Pelosi
