The Senate Democratic Policy Committee held a hearing today on "Contracting Abuses in Iraq: Is the Bush Administration Safeguarding American Taxpayer Dollars?" Chairman Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) said this was the thirteenth in a series of oversight hearings to examine contacting abuses in Iraq, such as inappropriate awarding of major contracts, unsubstantiated costs and overcharges, and delivery of unsafe water to the troops in Iraq. Dorgan wants to create a special committee in the U.S. Senate, modeled after the Truman Committee, to "exercise oversight over contracting abuses related to reconstruction and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan."
Frank Cassaday, former KBR employee, said he saw items being wasted in burn pits rather then paying to transport or store them, witnessed numerous illegal activities by KBR managers and employees, and knew of officers withholding ice from troops going into the desert to instead give ice to friends and co-workers or trade for DVDs, CDs, and other items at the Iraqi shops across the street. He also said employees padded their hours and staffed unnecessary workers on a project, which resulted in "more government dollars paid for work never performed." When he reported stolen items to the camp manager, he said he was punished and retaliated against by the KBR ice manager.
Linda Warren, another former Halliburton/KBR employee, was also retaliated against for reporting looting by KBR employees. She said "there appeared to be widespread corruption and no system of checks and balances." She witnessed inflation of the number of troops using the facilities, sometimes counting a soldier 8 times. Warren said she was "ashamed to be an American working in Iraq."
Barry Halley, former WWNS and CAPE Environmental employee, said he discovered missing items that DynCorp had received money for, as well as overcharging for laptops. He also reported on double billing for meals. Halley said a co-worker of his was killed in an unsecured car while the armored car he would have been riding in was being used by a manager to transport prostitutes. He said "it was clear to me that once you knew the right people in Iraq, projects could be created with little emphasis on contract performance."
Witnesses tell stories of contracting abuses in Iraq
Frank Cassaday, former KBR employee, said he saw items being wasted in burn pits rather then paying to transport or store them, witnessed numerous illegal activities by KBR managers and employees, and knew of officers withholding ice from troops going into the desert to instead give ice to friends and co-workers or trade for DVDs, CDs, and other items at the Iraqi shops across the street. He also said employees padded their hours and staffed unnecessary workers on a project, which resulted in "more government dollars paid for work never performed." When he reported stolen items to the camp manager, he said he was punished and retaliated against by the KBR ice manager.
Linda Warren, another former Halliburton/KBR employee, was also retaliated against for reporting looting by KBR employees. She said "there appeared to be widespread corruption and no system of checks and balances." She witnessed inflation of the number of troops using the facilities, sometimes counting a soldier 8 times. Warren said she was "ashamed to be an American working in Iraq."
Barry Halley, former WWNS and CAPE Environmental employee, said he discovered missing items that DynCorp had received money for, as well as overcharging for laptops. He also reported on double billing for meals. Halley said a co-worker of his was killed in an unsecured car while the armored car he would have been riding in was being used by a manager to transport prostitutes. He said "it was clear to me that once you knew the right people in Iraq, projects could be created with little emphasis on contract performance."