Ooo ooo oooh GSA!!!...umm anyone remember Custer Battles (and the other Iraqi contractors rip offs?)

[underpants]

The GSA convention in Vegas undoubtedly heinous but it was for $800,000. Yes we can go down the list of Mindreaders and yearbooks but the bottom line is $800K.




In May 2003, Custer Battles established a presence in Baghdad, Iraq. In June 2003, Custer Battles was competitively awarded a contract to secure the Baghdad International Airport. The 12-month contract with the Coalition Provisional Authority was worth $16.8 million. The company continued to expand its business in Iraq, and became a minor subcontractor operating in the country.

The company continued to expand its operations in Iraq through 2003 and 2004. Their clients included the Coalition Provisional Authority, Bearing Point, Washington Group International, Parsons, Halliburton and the U.S. Army. In early 2004, the Department of Defense initiated an investigation into one of Custer Battles' contracts with the CPA, resulting in the company being suspended from future contract considerations by the Department of the Air Force. In early 2005 Custer Battles ceased operations in Iraq.


Baghdad Airport case

Another trial, with the same set of whistleblowers, concerned a separate $16.8 million contract awarded to Custer Battles to provide security at Baghdad International Airport. As this contract was paid for by seized Iraqi funds, Judge Ellis ruled that the entire contract was susceptible to the False Claims Act, and not just part of it in the previous case. The basic allegations were that Custer Battles had failed to provide adequate security staffing under its Firm-Fixed Price contract of $16.8 million. In January 2007, Judge Ellis granted Custer Battles' motion for summary judgment, finding that there was no evidence of the submission of false claims in this case. In April 2009, the 4th Circuit appeals court affirmed summary judgment for Custer Battles on the Baghdad airport contract.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custer_Battles

Oh and let us not dare to forget the missing money

Iraq Money Missing: $6.6 Billion Still Unaccounted For, U.S. Officials Say
06/13/11
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/13/iraq-money-missing-66-bil_n_876237.html


BBC uncovers lost Iraq billions
Tuesday, 10 June 2008
A BBC investigation estimates that around $23bn (£11.75bn) may have been lost, stolen or just not properly accounted for in Iraq.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7444083.stm

[tanyev]

1. Kind of like the GOP's outrage over $300 million for Planned Parenthood,

but then going on and on about how the Buffett Rule is a ridiculous idea because it would only bring in $47 billion. Thank you to Jon Stewart for highlighting that last night.