Congressman Waxman: Feinstein, Blum, Perini and URS?
Congressman Waxman represents the 30th District of California. He is also Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The Congressman has much information available on his website and that of the O&GR committee. On the committee site is an attention getting notice that follows:
House Passes the Accountability in Contracting Act
On March 15, 2007, the House passed H.R. 1362, the “Accountability in Contracting Act,” by a vote of 347-73. The legislation, reported by the Oversight and Armed Services Committees, changes federal acquisition law to require agencies to limit the use of abuse-prone contracts, to increase transparency and accountability in federal contracting, and to protect the integrity of the acquisition workforce.
Most Americans favor processes like oversight and reform believing it is good to uncover and remedy situations that may result in corruption and violations of law if allowed to proceed unchecked. Located just above this House Contracting Act notice was what appeared as a category under which this notice was filed and a link to that categories location. It was entitled Administrative Oversight. This raises the natural question of wondering if the Administration is the focus of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. The Dems are in the majority and the Administration, among other things, represents the minority party. It is difficult not to be convinced that this committee is on a partisan mission to inflict whatever damage it can on the opposition party. It is fair to investigate allegations involving the Administration but to list it at the top and excessively as the focus of the committee needs a little oversight of its own. The committee’s name suggests being a watchdog over all government not just the Administration.
Therefore our question would be why is Senator Waxman not spreading his investigations around. Below is another attention getting notice from the site:
Administration Oversight
Congress has a responsibility under the Constitution to conduct oversight of the executive branch. The Committee on Government Reform has the specific responsibility to oversee whether laws and programs are being implemented and carried out in accordance with the intent of Congress and whether they should be continued, curtailed, or eliminated; the application, administration, execution, and effectiveness of laws and programs; and the organization and operation of federal agencies and entities having responsibilities for the administration and execution of laws and programs. As set forth in House Rule X, clause 4, the Committee also may, at any time, conduct investigations of any matter regardless of whether another standing committee has jurisdiction over the matter. (Last Updated Feb. 8,
Everything points to the committee investigating the Bush Administration and there is little to indicate using that same oversight mandate to investigate other domains. Especially since Senator Diane Feinstein has influence over contracts awarded to defense contractors and her husband IS a defense contractor, why is Henry Waxman not looking for problems there or holding hearings and receiving testimony from Senator Feinstein? She serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee for Defense. No one sees that as a conflict?
Senator Feinstein’s Iraq Conflict
As a member of the Military Construction Appropriations subcommittee, Sen. Feinstein voted for appropriations worth billions to her husband’s firms
By Peter Byrne
In the November 2006 election, the voters demanded congressional ethics reform. And so, the newly appointed chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., is now duly in charge of regulating the ethical behavior of her colleagues. But for many years, Feinstein has been beset by her own ethical conflict of interest, say congressional ethics experts.
Feinstein Resigns
Senator exits MILCON following Metro exposé, vet-care scandal
By Peter Byrne
SEN. Dianne Feinstein has resigned from the Military Construction Appropriations subcommittee. As previously and extensively reviewed in these pages, Feinstein was chairperson and ranking member of MILCON for six years, during which time she had a conflict of interest due to her husband Richard C. Blum’s ownership of two major defense contractors, who were awarded billions of dollars for military construction projects approved by Feinstein.As MILCON leader, Feinstein relished the details of military construction, even micromanaging one project at the level of its sewer design. She regularly took junkets to military bases around the world to inspect construction projects, some of which were contracted to her husband’s companies, Perini Corp. and URS Corp.
Fair is fair Congressman Waxman. If you do not investigate Senator Diane Feinstein over this your credibility is zero. We expected you to be fair and honest and non-partisan and separate your party loyalty from your oversight duties. Are you up to the task? Or is it true that the reason for Harry Reid and Speaker Pelosi and the actions of other Democrats strictly a partisan attack as your only agenda in Congress?
If you want to investigate the Administration, fine. But kindly attend to all matters of oversight and reform. To be credible you cannot cherry pick issues solely on partisan politics. If you are conspiring with others in your party to direct all oversight actions toward the President, you not only undermine the purpose of the committee but the entire government. Do not be fooled by Speaker Pelosi that all her actions have been dictated by the American people. that is simply not true. It is merely her lame excuse for proceeding with her personal agenda. Fix it, Congressman.
Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com
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April 25th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Can you spread the contents of my letter below?
I’m an infantry veteran of WW 2 who witnessed the death of many friends in combat. To my knowledge all of those killed died from enemy causes, none from friendly fire. Learning that any of them had died in the chaos of a pitched battle from misdirected fire from an American weapon with have added considerably to the mental trauma I underwent from their deaths. I can only imagine how their own loved ones would have been affected knowing that his death had been the result of a ghastly mistake. If I thought even for a moment that concealing that information from the family would give them comfort, I wouldn’t hesitate to lie. If Congressman Waxman cannot read the minds of the officers who exaggerated the circumstances of Pat Tillman’s death, he cannot know if their intentions were just to assuage the family’s pain. Neither can they. Let Tillman rest in peace.
Marty Daneman
8900 Independence Parkway
Apt. 28-104
Plano, Tx 75025
972 908 0024