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Eugene

(61,903 posts)
Tue Jan 26, 2021, 07:55 AM Jan 2021

Former Voice of America overseer hired two law firms to $4 million no-bid contracts.

Source: Washington Post

Former Voice of America overseer hired two law firms to $4 million no-bid contracts.

By Paul Farhi
1/25/2021, 5:25:24 p.m.

The former head of Voice of America’s parent agency hired two law firms to open-ended, no-bid contracts, including one specifying that top lawyers would earn $1,470 per hour, according to documents and people familiar with the matter. The two agreements have cost taxpayers close to $4 million over a five-month period, far more than was previously known, and possibly in violation of federal rules.

The first details of the arrangement were made public last week in a whistleblower complaint against Michael Pack, who was appointed chief executive of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) eight months ago, and whom President Biden forced to resign hours after he took office last week.

Documents detailing the agreements with the law firms were turned over in early January to the State Department’s inspector general, which oversees ­USAGM and is now investigating, according to two people with knowledge of the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to disclose potential irregularities.

From his Senate confirmation in June until his resignation last week, Pack oversaw USAGM’s portfolio of international news agencies, including VOA, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Radio Free Asia. The networks specialize in broadcasting news in countries where an independent press is suppressed.

-snip-

The contracts were part of his effort to reshape USAGM and purge employees he saw as problematic from the news and broadcasting groups under its authority. Pack hired two Washington firms, McGuireWoods and Caplin & Drysdale — apparently in contradiction to federal contracting regulations and guidelines, according to internal documents.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/former-head-of-voice-of-americas-parent-hired-two-law-firms-to-no-bid-contracts-price-tag-4-million/2021/01/25/87a35e7a-5d0c-11eb-a976-bad6431e03e2_story.html


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Former Voice of America overseer hired two law firms to $4 million no-bid contracts. (Original Post) Eugene Jan 2021 OP
About Inspectors General....... MyOwnPeace Jan 2021 #1
In this case (State Dept.), the current IG is acting/interim, appointed in August 2020. Eugene Jan 2021 #3
My GAWD, was there ANYBODY MyOwnPeace Jan 2021 #4
Ahh the fix was in.. I wonder how much the kick back was.. .follow the $money$. nt mitch96 Jan 2021 #2
This morning NPR interviewed some of those destroyed under Pack. Not pretty. TreasonousBastard Jan 2021 #5
Trump is such a slut. Karadeniz Jan 2021 #6
Not fair to slut-shame like that. Collimator Jan 2021 #7
Sorry to all the nice sluts!! Karadeniz Jan 2021 #8

MyOwnPeace

(16,928 posts)
1. About Inspectors General.......
Tue Jan 26, 2021, 08:20 AM
Jan 2021

have all of the ones that IQ45 fired been replaced by actual, competent, fair and objective replacements?
We KNOW he fired them because he didn't like what they were finding - just like this case........

Eugene

(61,903 posts)
3. In this case (State Dept.), the current IG is acting/interim, appointed in August 2020.
Tue Jan 26, 2021, 08:31 AM
Jan 2021

Matthew Klimow is a career diplomat, but his position was probably not stable under Trump.

MyOwnPeace

(16,928 posts)
4. My GAWD, was there ANYBODY
Tue Jan 26, 2021, 08:40 AM
Jan 2021

left by the end of the tRump regime that wasn't "acting" (well, here 'acting' means temporary - not having congressional approval - the only way tRump could get people in!)?
Of course we all know that most of his 'Cabinet' was "acting" (here meaning NOT REALLY DOING THEIR JOB) as if it was another part from tRump's "reality-show" vision of how government should run.


Collimator

(1,639 posts)
7. Not fair to slut-shame like that.
Wed Jan 27, 2021, 12:11 AM
Jan 2021

Most sluts are generous people who just really like sex. Don't lump 'em in with T***p.

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