Taking Down Blackwater: One Congressman's Plan

ProPublica:

Blackwater Worldwide may have misrepresented its size to obtain small business contracts, the House oversight committee announced on Monday. The finding is the result of an investigation by the Small Business Administration (SBA), and it's just the first of three reviews of the controversial security contractor requested by Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA).

Unlike a number of investigations by the FBI and the committee itself that have focused on the conduct of Blackwater's guards in Iraq and Afghanistan -- for instance, the allegedly unprovoked shooting of Iraqi civilians -- Waxman appears to be taking a new tack: scrutinizing the contractor's employment practices to make it ineligible for future federal contracts.

Read the whole story: ProPublica

Comments

[ggmome]

The best tool against mercenaries, is hit them in the purse hard!

[sharonh]

The Small Business Administration can and should be the first to file charges.

[aznurse]

It was said on Olbermann last night that Blackwater is getting out of the "security" business and going in the intellegence business for corporations. Kind of like a private CIA

[kellygrrrl]

Onward Christian Soldiers!

at least here in So Cal, most of the Evangelicals can see the hypocrisy here. That's a good sign.

[Nonamnesiac]

Blackwater is a criminal enterprise from top to bottom under existing law -- an illegal private army. All of its officers, all in the government who cooperated with them, awarded them contracts or even recommended their services and even most of their employees are guilty of major crimes and would be jailed if they were prosecuted under existing law. They are wholly different from a rent-a-cop agency, with an air force, and other weapons of mass destruction.

The fact they have not been prosecuted and as a result a private army capable of a coup in the US or outside of the US exists with the encouragement and cooperation of the United States demonstrates how far the Republicans and Democrats have moved away from the rule of law.

The Congressional hearings on Blackwater is just another means the Democrats are attempting to have it both ways -- do nothing about the criminal activities of the Admininstration, even voting to fund Blackwater when they vote for the war budget, while appearing to oppose that which they fund.

[colleen2]

"Blackwater is a criminal enterprise from top to bottom under existing law -- an illegal private army. "

How are they illegal? As far as I can tell NO law applied to them in New Orleans post Katrina and certainly not in Iraq. Their employees have been raping, murdering and torturing Iraqi civilians with impunity for years.

[OgreDaddy]

When Bush double speaks of " Money For Our Troops" he's talking in code meaning
Money for private Blackwater and Dyncorp mercenaries.

Same thing goes for when he double speaks of "Raising Our Taxes" talking in code to the 1%ers

Most of all, imagine how insulted our REAL troops feel risking life and limb, knowing
these private mercenaries are earning upwards of $200K per year while they
beg for medical care, scavenge for armor, shower in recycled waste water and risk electrocution in Halliburton/KBR shower stalls.

[wagadog]

Waxman has fans, for holding all these hearings and asking the hard questions.

[nogimmicks]

Waxman seems to be faking it. I hope I am wrong, though. It seems that it is just like Sen. Levin or 9/11 Commission. The idea is to have a sort of response, but instead of revealing the full truth and really addressing the problem, the response is weak, protracted and inconclusive. At the same time it suppresses the real one.

[southafrica4obama]

As if he will acheive anything

[ImpalaSuperSport]

Waxman needs some serious Rhinoplasty.

[imusintheevening]

He is not interested in a beauty contest despite the fact that he has been representing the Hollywood area for nearly 30 years.

Waxman is one of the absolute best and most tireless workers on behalf of all American's.

[sharonh]

Barbra S, rock on.

[castlerider]

What amazes me is the arrogance of these guys when they feel threatened.
Everything they say and do in response of such as what Waxman is doing shows that they believe themselves invincible and above the law...
Especially since they pay homage only to their Lords and masters, W. and Dick.

[drkazmd65]

Kinda like nailing Al Capone on Tax Evasion charges,..­..

Not particularly satisfying - since you know they got away (literally) with murder at Blackwater­,... but you will take locking them out of Government contracts using a technicality.

Any port in a storm - and thanks Congressman Waxman.

[vietveter]

Right on the money.

They do not need to receive any more of my tax money

Throw the bums out

[waynesmyer]

Fear Not! My fellow brave and fearless Demorats! We are working on it! Right? Rep. Waxman, Demorat-California
Uh! Maybe next year? Uh! 2015?

[wilburr0g]

Huffington really does seek out the most outrageous pictures. 'Animal Farm' anyone?

[kellygrrrl]

uhm, he really does look like that.

I hope he didn't pay good money for that nose.

[Danny]

Meant to say, thank you, Congressman "Moustache of Justice", Waxman. So smart, so cool, so right.

[bdl0715]

I hope one of the first Executive Orders President Obama signs is one that states the federal government are forbidden from doing any type of business with Blackwater, Halliburton and all their subsidiaries.