Archive for the ‘corruption’ Category

Despite reforms, Congress hides $3.5B in defense earmarks | Seattle Times

Sunday, October 12th, 2008

Time after time, Congress exploited loopholes or violated those rules, a Seattle Times investigation has found. An in-depth examination of the 2008 defense bill found $8.5 billion in earmarks. Of those, 40 percent - $3.5 billion - were hidden.Read the full story

Cheney’s Link to Sen. Ted Stevens Corruption Trial

Sunday, August 24th, 2008

Two days later, Cheney wrote a letter to the Alaska Legislature urging members to "promptly enact" a bill to build the pipeline. The letter was considered unusual because the White House rarely contacts state lawmakers about pending legislative matters. It also angered state Democrats, who accused Cheney of pushing oil-company ...

Justice Department indicts Sen. Ted Stevens

Tuesday, July 29th, 2008

Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican senator and a figure in Alaska politics since before statehood, was indicted Tuesday on seven counts of failing to disclose thousands of dollars in services he received from a company that helped renovate his home.Read the full story

Air Force uses counterterror funds to pay for VIP ‘comfort capsules’

Sunday, July 20th, 2008

via Mike Malloy : The U.S. Air Force has been trying to use counterterrorism funding to pay for "comfort capsules" that will allow government VIPs to enjoy "world class" travel on military transport planes, according to reports.Read the full story

Grand jury indicts Majority Leader DeWeese; Gov. Rendell investigated

Thursday, July 10th, 2008

Rendell has been a "close friend" to the corporate agribusiness farm bureau and fought to undermine pro-democracy citizen groups in Pennsylvania. "Prosecutors in the last several weeks have grilled Gov. Rendell's state police driver about the governor's associations and whereabouts, and other matters. Federal and state investigators are examining, ...

22-year old with history of domestic abuse reportedly was awarded $300m Pentagon contract to supply

Thursday, March 27th, 2008

The Pentagon entrusted a 22-year old previously arrested for domestic violence and having a forged driving licence to be the main supplier of ammunition to Afghan forces at the height of the battle against a resurgent Taliban, it was reported today. AEY, essentially a one-man operation based in an ...

Lessig Bets On the Net To Clean Up Government

Friday, March 21st, 2008

Larry Lessig really 'gets it' when it comes to the efficacy of distributed open source code production. Now he is attempting to use distributed production methods to expose corruption in the US Congress with the launch of another 'CC' organization - this time it's called 'Change Congress'. CC (as opposed ...

Bush Administration Trying To Stop Fraud Reporting By War Contractors Abroad

Thursday, March 20th, 2008

Thursday's demand marked the first step in a congressional inquiry of the loophole that was quietly slipped into plans otherwise aiming to crack down on waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars spent on government contracts. The loophole was first reported last month by The Associated Press.Read the full story

Local House panel will hold hearing into Cheney’s role in Oregon salmon die-off

Thursday, June 28th, 2007

In light of allegations made about Cheney's role in developing a 10-year water plan for the Klamath River that courts later called arbitrary and in violation of the Endangered Species Act, a hearing is worthwhile, Rahall said. He and other Democrats charged that Cheney's action resulted in the largest adult ...