CREW Sends Letter to AG Asking for Investigation:Hastert

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CREW Sends Letter to AG Asking for Investigation into Hastert's Blocking Approps Probe into Illegalities Surrounding Hill Security

Upgrades Upgrades Funded Through 'Black' Budget of House and Senate Defense Appropriations



Earlier today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) sent a letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales requesting an immediate investigation into whether a senior aide to Speaker of the House J. Dennis Hastert hindered a House Appropriations Committee investigation into mismanagement, bid-rigging and kickbacks in regard to Capitol Hill security upgrades.

As reported by Congressional Quarterly and The Washington Post, former House Appropriations Committee investigators have claimed that Ted Van Der Meid, Speaker Hastert's chief counsel, prohibited investigators from visiting certain sites, engaged in screaming matches with investigators and told at least one aide not to talk to them, before ultimately shutting down the investigation altogether.

The Appropriations Committee had authorized the committee's Surveys and Investigations team to focus on charges of waste and abuse in regard to Capitol Hill security upgrades. The upgrades were funded through the "black" budget of the House and Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittees and are forecast to surpass $100 million. The office in charge of the upgrades was funded through the Department of Defense and overseen by the Capitol Police Board, but the Speaker's office took a lead role in overseeing the upgrades.

The inquiry into the security contracts, which commenced in late 2003 or early 2004, was halted by the team's director, Robert Pearre, in the fall of 2005. At the time the probe was stopped, investigators were looking into allegations that security contractors had showered a Department of Defense employee with kickbacks in the form of football tickets, golf outings, golf clubs and meals. Unsuccessful bidders were the source of some of the allegations of problems with the security contracts. In addition to allegations of bid-rigging and kickbacks, there were also charges that many of the upgrades were inadequate.

CREW's Executive Director Melanie Sloan said, "This entire situation is suspicious. Clearly, DOJ needs to look into the allegations of criminal misconduct in regard to the contracts. In addition, Mr. Van Der Meid's conduct is suspicious.

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=76036

[tularetom]

1. The crew at CREW doesn't f*&k around

I've seen Melanie Sloan on TV and she's a real bulldog. As I recall she's a former prosecuter with a keen sense of what's right and what ain't. They have a pretty good track record of prodding or shaming the justice dept into going after prominent officials when torture boy gonzales would rather sweep the dirt under the rug. Hope they make this one stick!

[Janice325]

2. I've seen her on Keith Olbermann's Countdown,

as well as heard her in the past on AAR. She's extremely intelligent and well spoken.