Posted by Frank James at 1:43 pm CST
This is how poisonous the partisan sentiment on Capitol Hill is over Iraq and generally.
At a hearing held by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee today on the Coalition Provisional Authority and how its decisions affected Iraq reconstruction, Rep. Henry Waxman of California, chairman of the Democratic-led panel announced the committee’s tip line for informants wanting to report waste, fraud and abuse.
This was during an opening statement when Waxman said of the oversight he intended to do on Iraq and beyond: “This effort isn’t about policy differences and it’s not about partisanship. It’s about making sure that government, which has an important responsibility is as efficient and effective as possible.”
When the committee’s top Republican, Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, gave his opening remarks, he announced that Republicans on the committee had their own tip line. (The email address is oversight@mail.house.gov)
“Whether the subject is Iraq reconstruction or why Sandy Berger was never given a polygraph, we want to help gather the facts that drive constructive oversight… Self righteous finger wagging and political scapegoating won’t make Iraq any more secure, it won’t rebuild that savage nation, and it won’t bring U.S. troops home any sooner.”
Just an aside--the reference to Berger, the Clinton White House National Security Adviser who before testifying to the 9/11 Commission pilfered classified documents from the National Archives by slipping them inside his pants, was a partisan shot.
It's meant to score points on Democrats. Republicans have taken to mentioning Berger whenever they want to put Democrats on the defensive. At a hearing last week of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.,) out of the blue, mentioned the "PDBs in the BVDs," a reference to president daily briefing, the documents Berger snatched, and actual briefs. It's a clever phrase.
Anyway, after Davis finished, a clearly surprised Waxman told the hearing room: “...I do want to report that we seem to have rival tip line websites. Ours for the committee is www.oversight.house.gov. Republicans, as Mr. Davis announced, have a different one. Feel free to contact whichever tip line would be of interest to anybody who has information about waste, fraud and abuse. We’ll be sharing the information, I expect…” Davis said, glancing over to Davis with an expectant look on his face.
There you have it. Congressional Democrats and Republicans can’t even agree on a single tip line for whistleblowers to report waste, fraud and abuse. Makes you wonder how the warring parties will able to get it together long enough to manage the bigger issues on the national agenda.
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Comments
No one will use the Republican tip line. Those cowards called Republican would hide the info.
Posted by: Dale Peters | February 6, 2007 2:04 PM
Two tip lines to report waste. Classic.
Posted by: Tony | February 6, 2007 2:12 PM
New York surrogate judge Gideon J. Tucker wrote in 1866, "No man’s life, liberty or property are [sic] safe while Congress is in session."
Maybe we'll all be safer if Congress can't agree on anything.
Posted by: Dave Brann | February 6, 2007 2:13 PM
This is a simple one.Dems want to crack down on fraud and waste with tax payer dollars in Iraq.
Repubs want to continue their practice of giving our tax dolloars to their crooked cronies who in turn give them to Repubs as campaign donations.
Even the partisan hacks at the swamp should be able to figure this one out.
Go get em Bulldog!
Posted by: Raving Loon | February 6, 2007 2:31 PM
What ever happened to Bunnatine Greenhouse?
Remember her?
The A.C.E procurement officer that testified before the Congress about the no-bid (scam) contracts that were being doled out to "rebuild" Iraq.
She was trash-canned from her position after 25+ years of stellar service to her country the Friday before Katrina hit N.O. - the usual day of the week the government releases their dirty deeds they want to bury, to the press.
Our gutless members of the legislative branch promised to hold hearings regarding her dismissal, but in typical fashion nothing ever transpired. I e-mailed Obamas office on more than one occasion about it and recieved the usual blather about his concern.
Do hacks like Waxman and Davis expect us to believe anyone in government service that whistleblows will not meet the same fate as Bunnatine?
The whole tip line is a pile of baloney, but Waxman and Davis have given new meaning to the term "Greenhouse Gasses".
Posted by: johnf | February 6, 2007 3:41 PM
So proud to be a "Conservative" with our tax dollars.
WASHINGTON - The former U.S. occupation chief in Iraq on Tuesday defended the way he haphazardly doled out billions of dollars in Iraqi funds after the U.S. invasion as Democrats began a two-year effort to scrutinize fraud, waste and abuse under the Bush administration.
Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, disagreed, telling a House hearing that Bremer failed to establish any control over the money after 363 tons of cash was loaded onto airplanes and sent into the war zone in 2003. Waxman, one of the chief investigators for Democrats who took control of Congress this year, said U.S. officials had “no way of knowing whether the cash would wind up in enemy hands.”
Posted by: Raving Loon | February 6, 2007 4:08 PM
Wow.
Not only were the Republicics poor winners, they are poor losers, too.
Posted by: C.Morris | February 6, 2007 4:35 PM
"Waxman, one of the chief investigators for Democrats who took control of Congress this year, said U.S. officials had “no way of knowing whether the cash would wind up in enemy hands.”
Posted by: Raving Loon | Feb 6, 2007 4:08:11 PM"
Further,
We have no way of knowing how many US weapons and uniforms are now in the hands of insurgents. Papers, also. Apparently the insurgent fighters can now waltz through a security checkpoint, then wreak havoc, or, conversely leave an area using the same papers.
Iraq War II is the cockup of the ages. And our boys and girls are in the middle of it.
Posted by: C.Morris | February 6, 2007 4:42 PM
Frank James couldn't muster any indignation over Clinton advisor Sandy "Burglar" Berger stealing the documents, but he waxes indignant when a Republican mentions the thief. There is a partisan shot here, but it's coming from the reporter.
Posted by: Bruce | February 6, 2007 6:05 PM
I hope this link still works
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf3UI_aGnZU
Posted by: Dale Peters | February 6, 2007 6:43 PM
Frank, Mark, Dave L,
I have a suggestion.
Uh Oh!!
Ya know those catchy little snap polls on the front page of AOL and other web sites?
Why not institute a weekly Swamp poll. It could be specific to the Swamp. Something like, which is the best blog, or posting of the week, or who do you agree with, Dale or Paulo, in some particularly nasty blog.??
It would, to be even a little bit valid, have to be authenticated using an ID so a Swamp member or passer by could only vote once per poll.
But most Swampies must already have a Tribune ID and password. Branch to that, just for the poll.
It could be a lot of fun, and generate a lot of interest. Lots of people that don't post, but pass through may enjoy it, too.
It would also be interesting to know how many people 'hit' on the Swamp on a normally busy weekday.
Posted by: C.Morris | February 6, 2007 9:19 PM
From Wikipedia-
Berger eventually pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized removal and retention of classified material on April 1, 2005. Under a plea agreement, U.S. attorneys recommended a fine of $10,000 and a loss of security clearance for three years. However, on September 8, U.S. Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinson increased the fine to $50,000 at Berger's sentencing. Robinson stated, "The court finds the fine [recommended by government prosecutors] is inadequate because it doesn't reflect the seriousness of the offense."[14] Berger was also ordered to serve two years of probation and to perform 100 hours of community service.[15]
After a long investigation, the lead prosecutor Noel Hillman, chief of the Justice Department's public integrity section, stated that Berger only removed classified copies of data stored on hard drives stored in the National Archives, and that no original material was destroyed.[21
Perhaps a public stoning or firing squad would be more to Bruce's liking.
Posted by: Catherine | February 6, 2007 9:25 PM
Catherine,
I have to wonder why Bruce thinks it's important for Frank to write about something that happened during the Clinton Administration?
I don't think Bubba is the President anymore,is he?
Shock Treatments for the "one trick" pony sounds like a great idea Catherine.
Posted by: John E. | February 6, 2007 10:04 PM
Oh John E., you continue to show just how ill-informed you are. Sandy Burglar took those documents out of the National Archives in 2003, NOT during the Clinton presidency.
And Catherine (must be John E.'s younger sister. Do you also live at home in the basement with John E., sucking money from rich mummy and daddy too?), more revelations came out about Sandy Burglar stealing those documents in recent months. So much so, that there may be a re-opening of the investigation. Really, Wikipedia is not the best source of information.
Posted by: John D | February 7, 2007 1:42 PM