The Justice Department won't disclose how many whistle-blower suits have been filed against contractors in Iraq. But the only Iraq-related False Claims Act case on which the Justice Department so far has announced a decision, it declined to intervene.
That case was filed in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va., by two individuals who alleged that Custer Battles LLC, of Fairfax, Va., overcharged the government for expenses on work in Iraq. The company was awarded contracts totaling $38 million -- partially paid with $4 million in cash -- to provide security at Baghdad Airport, and later to help guard distribution of new Iraqi currency, although the tiny concern never had provided security services before.
The Justice Department declined to say why it decided not to back the case -- filed by a former Custer Battles employee and an employee of a subcontractor -- citing department policy. Robert T. Rhoad, a lawyer for Custer Battles, denies wrongdoing by the company, and said he was optimistic that the case would be dismissed. After suspending Custer Battles from receiving new contracts because of the fraud allegations, the Air Force in Sept. 2005 reinstated the company, declaring it eligible again for contracts. An Air Force spokeswoman said contracting regulations require it to reinstate a company after a year if the Justice Department hasn't taken action or requested that the ban be extended.
A tiny company with no experience gets a $38 million contract, including $4 million in cash. Nothing suspicious there.
Even the number of whistle-blower suits, let alone the content of those suits, is now a state secret. You would think that the Justice Department was working for the contractors instead of the American public.
The Bush administration on Wednesday asked a federal judge to order Google to turn over a broad range of material from its closely guarded databases.
The move is part of a government effort to revive an Internet child protection law struck down two years ago by the U.S. Supreme Court. The law was meant to punish online pornography sites that make their content accessible to minors. The government contends it needs the Google data to determine how often pornography shows up in online searches.
In court papers filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose, Justice Department lawyers revealed that Google has refused to comply with a subpoena issued last year for the records, which include a request for 1 million random Web addresses and records of all Google searches from any one-week period.
The Mountain View-based search and advertising giant opposes releasing the information on a variety of grounds, saying it would violate the privacy rights of its users and reveal company trade secrets, according to court documents.
Nicole Wong, an associate general counsel for Google, said the company will fight the government's effort ``vigorously.''
The Enron trial is by no means a certain victory for prosecutors. The task force, composed of about a dozen lawyers and another 12 federal agents, will be outgunned in both manpower and financial resources. Skilling has paid his lawyers more than $20 million out of his pocket and $17 million more from insurance proceeds. Lay has shelled out millions of dollars more.
A guy robs a liquor store and then flashes a fat bankroll of cash when his lawyer wants his fee. Where'd he get the cash? How is this Skilling/Lay situation any different?
Hey, California, remember those billions you and Grandma Millie paid in fake energy overcharges? Here's where some of it went — it's the fat bankroll Skilling and Lay are flashing in front of their 24K gold-plated attorneys.
