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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPierce: A Rather Serious Clog in That There Swamp Drain
A Rather Serious Clog in That There Swamp Drain
Does this look normal to you?
By Charles P. Pierce
Oct 24, 2017
Its quite fitting that the swampiest portion of the Drain The Swamp administration* is the Department of the Interior, presided over by that famous campaign-finance wrangler, Ryan Zinke. After all, the department has responsibility for the public lands, such as they may be once these thieves and vandals get through with them. This includes the public swamplands. The latest, from The Washington Post, is quite remarkable in how swampy its swampiness truly is.
The company, Whitefish Energy, said last week that it had signed a $300 million contract with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority to repair and reconstruct large portions of the islands electrical infrastructure. The contract is the biggest yet issued in the troubled relief effort
The unusual decision to instead hire a tiny for-profit company is drawing scrutiny from Congress and comes amid concerns about bankrupt Puerto Ricos spending as it seeks to provide relief to its 3.4 million residents, the great majority of whom remain without power a month after the storm.
But both Montana and Puerto Rico have mountains, so its all good, right?
Whitefish officials have said that the companys expertise in mountainous areas makes it well suited for the work and that it jumped at the chance when other firms were hesitating over concerns about payment. The company acknowledges it had only two full-time employees when Maria struck but says its business model calls for ramping up rapidly by hiring workers on short-term contracts.
Thars gold in them there rubbles!
Whitefish Energy is based in Whitefish, Mont., the home town of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. Its chief executive, Andy Techmanski, and Zinke acknowledge knowing one another but only, Zinkes office said in an email, because Whitefish is a small town where everybody knows everybody. One of Zinkes sons joined a friend who worked a summer job at one of Techmanskis construction sites, the email said. Whitefish said he worked as a flagger. Zinkes office said he had no role in Whitefish securing the contract for work in Puerto Rico. Techmanski also said Zinke was not involved.
Im certainly convinced. To paraphrase Lamar Parmentel from The Big EasyWhitefish is a marvelous environment for coincidence.
more...
http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a13082993/a-rather-serious-clog-in-that-there-swamp-drain/
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Pierce: A Rather Serious Clog in That There Swamp Drain (Original Post)
babylonsister
Oct 2017
OP
SunSeeker
(51,574 posts)1. K & R for exposure.
FSogol
(45,491 posts)2. K & R. n/t
MyOwnPeace
(16,928 posts)3. They've learned their lessons............
from Cheney and Halliburton............
barbtries
(28,799 posts)4. reminds me of certain appointments made by Gov McRory
shortly after taking office here in NC.
i'm talking in-your-face corruption. stinks to high heaven.