Contracting

The company tasked with guarding the U.S. embassy in Kabul stands accused of defrauding the State Department, hiring non-English speaking guards and involvement in prostitution.

As the Wall Street bailout nears its first anniversary, a risky aspect of the financial rescue has flown largely under the radar.

In February, TWI’s Daphne Eviatar called attention to the weak protections in the federal economic stimulus bill for whistleblowers who expose contracting fraud. At the time, Daphne wrote:
[T]he stimulus bill fails to adequately protect employees of government contractors, who are in the best position to blow the whistle on fraud and abuse of taxpayer money. [...]

Because even if it happened innocently or accidentally or meritoriously, it still doesn’t look good when the nephew of Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), who chairs the House subcommittee that directs defense spending, shows up with a $4 million no-bid defense contract, as The Washington Post reported today.
[L]ast year, Murtech received $4 million in Pentagon work, [...]

Internet junkies and wonks alike may have jumped the gun in looking forward to the new online transparency hyped by House members.

President Obama has said he will go after wasteful Pentagon contracts; defense lobbyists prepare to battle.