Report Faults Performance Bonuses for Contractors

Seeded on Mon Jul 6, 2009 1:55 PM EDT (The Washington Post)

Federal agencies have awarded billions in bonuses to contractors regardless of whether the work was deemed satisfactory, according to a Government Accountability Office report released last week.

washington-post

Pirates of the Mediterranean

Seeded on Fri Jul 3, 2009 10:15 PM EDT (Online Journal)

"On June 30, the government of Israel committed an act of piracy when the Israeli Navy, in international waters, illegally boarded the "Spirit of Humanity," kidnapped its 21-person crew from 11 countries, including former US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and Nobel Laureate M …

human-rights, israel, piracy, gaza, world-news, foreign-policy, shame, worlds-largest-concentration-camp

Sleeping with the Enemy

Seeded on Wed Jul 1, 2009 1:06 PM EDT (Politico)

The dinner was financed by donors to the Historical Society who purchased tables ranging in price from $3,500 to $7,500 and placed notices in the bound book congratulating the commission on its achievements.

business, sec, wall-street, lobbyist, corruption, larry-summers

Where IS this money?

Seeded on Tue Jun 23, 2009 9:20 AM EDT (Online Journal)

` "... Abu Seger was also one of Saddam's trusted counter-intelligence agents . . . After Samara was occupied by US forces, it was discovered that Abu Seger lived in a home on the Tigris River just 200 yards from the main U.S. military position in the city.

iraq, cheney, cia, saddam, corruption, theft, us-news, haliburton, shame

Agents say DEA is forcing them illegally to work in Afghanistan | McClatchy

Seeded on Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:42 PM EDT (McClatchy)

Narco-crazies . Why does America think we can fight our way out of every problem? . War - ANY where, against ANY foe - is great for guns, munitions, Haliburton and other profiteering business and BAD for absolutely everything else. . " (S)ome pilots have been sent to Afgh …

drugs, war, dea, profiteer, bad-policy, retailiation, narco-crazy

Lawmakers Reveal Health-Care Investments

Seeded on Thu Jun 18, 2009 6:27 PM EDT (The Washington Post)

Almost 30 key lawmakers helping draft landmark health-care legislation have financial holdings in the industry, totaling nearly $11 million worth of personal investments in a sector that could be dramatically reshaped by this summer's debate.

washington-post

Bush political appointees serving in Obama administration appoint GOP cronies to senior civil service jobs

Seeded on Thu Jun 18, 2009 6:01 PM EDT (Online Journal)

The Washington Post reported in November 2008 that other burrowing was taking place at the Departments of Interior, Labor, and Housing and Urban Development.

bush, labor, politics, interior, mole, obama, hud, cronyism, shame, hhs

The AIPAC espionage case: We can't even take the law into our own hands

Seeded on Fri Jun 5, 2009 12:23 AM EDT (Online Journal)

Apparently... "California Congresswoman Jane 'this conversation doesn't exist' Harman, caught on tape promising an Israeli agent to do her best to get the charges against Rosen and Weissman dismissed, got her message to the right person."

congress, espionage, justice, us-news, bribery, accountability, greed, shame, aipac, harman

Cheney and Rumsfeld pressured CIA to mislead Congress in the 1970s, too

Seeded on Wed May 27, 2009 1:54 PM EDT (Online Journal)

"The first time Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld pressured the CIA to mislead Congress was in 1975 and 1976...

cheney, congress, cia, rumsfeld, politics, lies, torture, vice, evil, shame

Gallup To Release Poll On Torture Probe That Pundits Will Ignore

Seeded on Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:09 PM EDT (The Plum Line)

" ... If majorities say they favor a probe, the news orgs will report the results and it'll make a short term media splash. Then pundits will promptly forget the poll ever existed.

poll, politics, gallup, criminal-investigation, establishment, pundit, torture-probe

Cheney Spox Refuses To Explain His “Formal” Request For CIA Torture Intel

Seeded on Tue Apr 21, 2009 4:09 PM EDT (The Plum Line)

Cheney makes assertions that are complete fabrications. The evidence is powerful that he is STILL lying about torture and secret memos. He even thinks he sent a request to the CIA - which denies any such thing.

cheney, cia, jail, lies, torture, fox-news, us-news, evil, bullshit, stonewall

Digby on Greenspan's 'Shocked Disbelief'

Seeded on Sat Apr 11, 2009 11:31 PM EDT (Hullabaloo)

"If only the rest of us had the kind of clout (and chutzpah) to nearly destroy an entire industry, the country and the world --- and expect to be able to dictate the terms of how it's fixed.

business, bankers, greenspan, regulator, chutzpah, tarp, ruling-class, digby

Companies realized big tax savings by spending for lobbyists - Kansas City Star

Seeded on Fri Apr 10, 2009 5:05 PM EDT (The Kansas City Star)

A simple change in tax laws: No moneys whatsoever can ever be deducted by any individual or organization for any form of lobbying or lobbying personnel, irrespective of target, purpose or outcome. I encourage support for this initiative.

congress, fraud, lobbyist, politics, law, irs, initiative, loophole, tax-cheat

SpyTalk - The Mysterious Case of CIA Interrogator Mark Swanner

Seeded on Fri Apr 10, 2009 4:02 PM EDT (CQ Politics)

Why is this story dying? Mark Swanner (perhaps others, as well) may be guilty of murder, and NOTHING has ever been done.

bush, cia, virginia, prison, murder, torture, us-news, interrogation, cover-up, shame

EXCLUSIVE: Barton's foundation not so charitable - Washington Times

Seeded on Tue Apr 7, 2009 2:23 PM EDT (The Washington Times)

The Texan is having lobbyists with issues before his Committee funnel money to his own charity (which his daughter runs) and not disclosing. Then - he takes the credit. This is AGAINST the LAW

texas, congress, charity, politics, law, bogus, pac, disclosure, criminal, barton

They all Knew

Seeded on Mon Apr 6, 2009 11:52 PM EDT (Hullabaloo)

more urgent news

fbi, cia, pentagon, politics, justice, torture, cover-up

Naming & Shaming

Seeded on Mon Apr 6, 2009 12:23 AM EDT (Hullabaloo)

... Brennan, Brennan, hmm, I can't put my finger on where I've heard that name... oh, wait, he was the guy who ... Why do I feel a roiling just under the surface?

cia, security, politics, justice, secret, torture, memo, protect, panetta, brennan

Those poor, demonized lobbyists

Seeded on Tue Mar 24, 2009 1:45 PM EDT (Daily Kos)

How dare the Obama Administration limit the ability of lobbyists to use insider connections to purchase and cajole favors and legislation and make all contacts with administration officials part of the public record? It's unconstitutional!

politics, corruption, power, lobbyists, wealth, open-government

Fake Google-Grant Guys | wafflesatnoon.com

Seeded on Thu Feb 26, 2009 6:25 PM EST ()

Who ARE these people? Amazingly similar pics of people with entirely different names all purporting to help you get rich quick. This is a ROTTEN scam.

money, grant, blog, get-rich, scam, hoeffler

CreditMattersBlog.com: American Express Wants To Pay you to Leave

Seeded on Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:49 AM EST (CreditMattersBlog.com: )

American Express is so desperate to clean liabilities off its balance sheet that it's paying some customer $300 if they will pay off their balance in full and close their credit card. Thanks for playing, don't let the door hit your ass on the way out.

business, credit, american-express, banks, consumers, crunch