Justice Department Fraud Cases On Huge Backlog

More than 900 cases alleging that government contractors and drugmakers have defrauded taxpayers out of billions of dollars are languishing in a backlog that has built up over the past decade because the Justice Department cannot keep pace with the surge in charges brought by whistle-blowers, according to lawyers involved in the disputes.

The issue is drawing renewed interest among lawmakers and nonprofit groups because many of the cases involve the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, rising health-care payouts, and privatization of government functions -- all of which offer rich new opportunities to swindle taxpayers.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[PuppaX]

This post should be much more prominently placed. This is a far larger matter of concern to the American people about yet another story about why McCain is just another republican.

[Canaris]

"In a statement, Justice spokesman Charles Miller said that career lawyers and supervisors base their determinations on merit, not on political sensitivities. "

Unlike, say, the determination on whether to hire someone or not? In light of the recent revelations about how hiring Justice Department lawyers was deteremined by their political affiliation, I'm having a hard time believing that decisions on which whistleblower complaints to pursue weren't judged by the same criteria. Sorry Justice Department, but your credibility, along with the rest of the governements, is just about zero. To put it another way, I don't believe you.

[ibsteve2u]

"privatization of government functions -- all of which offer rich new opportunities to swindle taxpayers"

When you were listening to the Republicans chant their "Business is more efficient than government - we need to privatize more of government!" mantra over and over ad nauseum, I bet you didn't know they meant "More efficient at stealing the taxpayer's dollars!", did you?

I guess another meaning for GOP is "Gang Of Pirates". (lolll..man, that list is getting long...)