Vendor Managing Virus Data Refuses Senate Questions

[babylonsister]

https://politicalwire.com/2020/08/14/vendor-managing-virus-database-refuses-senate-questions/

Vendor Managing Virus Data Refuses Senate Questions
August 14, 2020 at 9:20 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard

“The private health care technology vendor that is helping to manage the Trump administration’s new coronavirus database has refused to answer questions from top Senate Democrats about its $10.2 million contract, saying it signed a nondisclosure agreement with the federal Department of Health and Human Services,” the New York Times reports.

[soothsayer]

1. Well that's effed up

[jpak]

2. My taxes

Fuck that

[genxlib]

3. Talk about a dangerous virus that is spreading

The whole concept of Non Disclosure Agreements should be anathema to Government. There are systems in place to keep some things secret. They might restrict who gets to know but they cannot be used to restrict from oversight.

I don't care how important the testimony is. They should sue to stamp that NDA concept out of existence within the halls of Government.

[KS Toronado]

18. Question if our government has ever used NDA's for minor things like this until trumpig came along

[liberalla]

24. Me too! My first thought - Has this ever happened before?

Highly suspect... but then, what about this administration isn't???

[theaocp]

4. How many licks does it take to

get to the center of congressional impotency? Damn.

[Native]

5. Is that even legal?

[Eugene]

6. It is "unusual," and it stinks to high heaven.

The arrangement was unusual, Jessica Tillipman, an assistant dean at George Washington University Law School who teaches about government contracts and anti-corruption, said in an interview.

“The Trump administration’s decision to hire a private vendor and then cloak that vendor in a nondisclosure agreement raises numerous questions about their motivations and risks the ability of our public health experts to understand and effectively fight this virus,” Mr. Schumer said in a statement Friday.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/world/covid-19-coronavirus.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage#link-538de6a7

The administration is even refusing to name the bidders on the contract.

[Native]

7. Thanks!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

22. Thanks...

I’m so tired of that monster and his machinations.

[nuxvomica]

8. I wouldn't think so

Contracts that violate the law, in this case whatever laws cover Congress's oversight duties, should be unenforceable. It doesn't matter if both parties agreed to it.

[ashredux]

9. BULLSHIT!!

[PatSeg]

10. A nondisclosure agreement with the federal government? Seriously?

I know Trump tries to run the country like his businesses, but this is ridiculous, unless of course, you have goals to become a dictator.

[Canoe52]

11. +1,000

[Ferrets are Cool]

12. This shit has got to be stopped.

[AllaN01Bear]

13. jail time ?

[c-rational]

14. Enough. Find him in contempt and jail him.

[AllyCat]

15. the Federal government. This is your employer idiot!

Congress is part of the Federal government and your employer. You do not get to withhold information from them.

[bucolic_frolic]

16. NDA for government contracting?? WTF? Rule by Secrecy.

Those are our tax dollars at work! This is not a National Security issue. THis is PUBLIC health!

[Thekaspervote]

17. They need to go to jail!!

[paleotn]

19. Once again, they don't know how things work...

Constitutional oversight offsets any kind of disclosure agreement. They're either stupid, or they're in on it with Donnie.

[calimary]

20. Aha!!! A PRIVATE vendor!

There it is AGAIN!

Privatized. THAT’S the main goal of the republi-CON party.

More here:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=13910498

[BlancheSplanchnik]

23. Yes, pukes have been slavering to grab it for years.

Jail! Something! These criminals have to be stopped.

[KPN]

21. Another criminal organization to go after in

January.

[Stainless]

25. Shut the motherfuckers down immediately and jail their boss.........

That would help a lot.

[Lonestarblue]

26. Another need for a law.

We have open government initiatives that agencies are supposed to follow, but Trump follows nothing but his own wishes. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. § 552, requires the full or partial disclosure of information and documents controlled by the United States government upon request. Can Congress not immediately force release of information through FOIA?

If not, we need to codify the laws around NDAs and the ability of any private contractor to hide information from Congress.

[iluvtennis]

27. Of course they won't answer questions. They are manipulating the data to tell the lie trump wants.

(I use to own a t-shirt with this saying on it - then it was with respect to being a software engineer. But it applies to what trump is doing today)