Blackwater Founder Implicated in Murder

[sabra]

Source: The Nation/Jeremy Scahill

A former Blackwater employee and an ex-US Marine who has worked as a security operative for the company have made a series of explosive allegations in sworn statements filed on August 3 in federal court in Virginia. The two men claim that the company's owner, Erik Prince, may have murdered or facilitated the murder of individuals who were cooperating with federal authorities investigating the company. The former employee also alleges that Prince "views himself as a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe," and that Prince's companies "encouraged and rewarded the destruction of Iraqi life."

In their testimony, both men also allege that Blackwater was smuggling weapons into Iraq. One of the men alleges that Prince turned a profit by transporting "illegal" or "unlawful" weapons into the country on Prince's private planes. They also charge that Prince and other Blackwater executives destroyed incriminating videos, emails and other documents and have intentionally deceived the US State Department and other federal agencies. The identities of the two individuals were sealed out of concerns for their safety.

These allegations, and a series of other charges, are contained in sworn affidavits, given under penalty of perjury, filed late at night on August 3 in the Eastern District of Virginia as part of a seventy-page motion by lawyers for Iraqi civilians suing Blackwater for alleged war crimes and other misconduct. Susan Burke, a private attorney working in conjunction with the Center for Constitutional Rights, is suing Blackwater in five separate civil cases filed in the Washington, DC, area. They were recently consolidated before Judge T.S. Ellis III of the Eastern District of Virginia for pretrial motions. Burke filed the August 3 motion in response to Blackwater's motion to dismiss the case. Blackwater asserts that Prince and the company are innocent of any wrongdoing and that they were professionally performing their duties on behalf of their employer, the US State Department.

The former employee, identified in the court documents as "John Doe #2," is a former member of Blackwater's management team, according to a source close to the case. Doe #2 alleges in a sworn declaration that, based on information provided to him by former colleagues, "it appears that Mr. Prince and his employees murdered, or had murdered, one or more persons who have provided information, or who were planning to provide information, to the federal authorities about the ongoing criminal conduct." John Doe #2 says he worked at Blackwater for four years; his identity is concealed in the sworn declaration because he "fear(s) violence against me in retaliation for submitting this Declaration." He also alleges, "On several occasions after my departure from Mr. Prince's employ, Mr. Prince's management has personally threatened me with death and violence."

In a separate sworn statement, the former US marine who worked for Blackwater in Iraq alleges that he has "learned from my Blackwater colleagues and former colleagues that one or more persons who have provided information, or who were planning to provide information about Erik Prince and Blackwater have been killed in suspicious circumstances." Identified as "John Doe #1," he says he "joined Blackwater and deployed to Iraq to guard State Department and other American government personnel." It is not clear if Doe #1 is still working with the company as he states he is "scheduled to deploy in the immediate future to Iraq." Like Doe #2, he states that he fears "violence" against him for "submitting this Declaration." No further details on the alleged murder(s) are provided.

Read more: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090817/scahill

[anonymous171]

1. Oh man I hope they get that fucker. nt

[abelenkpe2]

17. I gotta second that. nt

[Divine Discontent]

26. Sweet LORD in heaven - I gotta third that! This fucker is an evil insane power hungry scumbag that

gives real caring people who claim 'faith' of whatever sort, a bad name.

Please let him be proven for the disgusting foul man he is! Take his hundreds of millions.

[KakistocracyHater]

58. "Dogs of War" with Nicholas Cage puts this in pictures

1 of the best but disturbing movies I've seen in a while.

[Divine Discontent]

61. really? thank you. eom

[sce56]

107. You say Cage I say Walken!

That is the movie I think of when you say Dogs of War

[JBear]

114. Cage was Lords of War...

Another really good movie on a similar subject.

[BrightKnight]

172. I say Waffen or Blackwater / Xe -SS

I hope that somebody will drive a stake through the heart of the Blackwater / Xe - SS beast.

[loudsue]

24. I hope so too. Sounds like Prince spent time on "C" Street w/ the "Family".

He sounds like he really believes he's on a crusade.

[bulloney]

142. What part of the commandment "Thou Shalt Not Kill" don't these "Christians" understand?

They go around shoving their views on abortion in everyone's face while breaking most, if not all of the 10 commandments.

Hypocrites!

[glitch]

161. The "Thou" -- they think it means everybody else. nt

[sasquuatch55]

36. Guns for hire have never been a good idea!

At least the Military has a few intermediaries in place before an action is taken. These guys sound rogue.

[BREMPRO]

155. more evidence that the government (military) CAN run things better than private enterprises (B/water...

i get so tired of this argument that the government can't do anything right. It appears to be the Republican strategy to kill health care reform. Here we have a case, if true, of a rogue private business, private soldiers for hire, that is not only significantly more expensive to operate, but 100 times more corrupt, criminal, and unaccountable than our government soldiers.

We'll have to wait and see if these are just disgruntled employees making exaggerated accusations, but for my money i'll bet all or some of it is true.

[marmar]

38. D'accord......

Put the mofo under the jailhouse.

[rfranklin]

56. Ever heard David Sedaris talk about "d'accord?"

Extremely funny routine about his visit to the doctor in France...

[Initech]

88. Yeah I hope they fry the fucker..

[avaistheone1]

160. Nothing will happen to Eric Prince just like nothing will ever happen

to Bush and Cheney.

Mark my words.

[Initech]

167. Same way "nothing" happened to Ken Lay?

I tell you hell is no good for these people - they deserve much worse.

[Ian David]

108. I'm against the death penalty, but I'd pull the switch.

Which is part of the reason why I'm against the death penalty- because there are circumstances where I would pull the switch myself.

[RaleighNCDUer]

122. I know exactly what you mean.

I don't oppose it because I am a bleeding heart - but because I am NOT a bleeding heart, and something like this deserves justice, not vengeance.

[BonnieJW]

176. I'm tired of there being no justice.

I'm sick of watching all of these people clearly break the law and nothing is done to them. Hell, they go on TV and pontificate, for God's sake! Does anyone disagree that rove/bush/cheney/rummy belong in jail? They have clearly broken the law many times over, and they aren't even charged. Yes, it would be shameful for a past pres to go to jail, but wouldn't it be even more shameful if he walks among us as a free man?

[KansDem]

2. This sordid affair needs to be fully investigated...immediately

The involvement of TeamBush in the midEast needs close and complete scrutiny. From no-bid contracts for Blackwater, Halliburton, KBR, to the Plame outing. From the relationship between the Bush family and the bin Laden family to the 9/11 attacks.

This reeks...BIG TIME!!!

[Duende azul]

29. Oh come on, let's all happily look forward instead.

:sarcasm:





Oh shit, to be in need of that sarcasm thing doesn't feel to good.

[salguine]

98. No shit. Every word of this could be true and nothing whatsoever will come of it.

[sabrina 1]

131. Don't forget Caci and Titan

All of them the scum of the earth more than willing to murder for profit.

I agree about the need to investigate. I sometimes I think that it may be too late. Who will investigate them? Everyone seems to be afraid or complicit. It was all allowed to go too far for too long and now they have so much power. I don't know how they can be stopped.

[jotsy]

139. It ain't with hate. One good fall is all justice may need to bring the rest down

These men (more like boys with toy soldiers) appear to look upon the world in direct opposition to the intent of the founders. What those guys back then did was conceive a nation of notions. While our contemporary criminals are certainly more about their notion of nations, and a single world view where they and those like them reign supreme.

The spirit of the founders intent is what must be fought for now, not through violence and hostility, but through reason and heart. Some people, like the snotty Prince boy must face consequences in order to learn that absolution is not a by product of his divine affluence.

I hope he is the first of many BushWARco colleagues to answer for the crippling blows they've dealt to what this democratic republic is supposed to stand for.

Wonder if they'll look as good in orange when its their turn to dance to Thriller in unison.

How do we stop them?
Be vocal, buy local

[No Elephants]

144. Riiiight. As though anyone is listening to us. Money talks, voter walks.

[jotsy]

173. I think the elongation of your first word speaks to the heart of where you come from

As does the cynicism.
If you haven't the courage to speak to working toward something better, what are you doing here? You've been a member much longer than I, but I must say, with more than 12,000 posts in just over a year, you don't keep a journal here, and I find that interesting.

At the risk of being disrespectful of a senior DUer, I'm gonna go on the defensive and admit to being an idealist who is easy to mock, I can deal.
The "don't bother, accept these cold, concrete and inequitable terms" principles your comments promote are more indicative of a person who's stocking up on tea bags, and getting bussed to healthcare town halls than a blogger who's genuinely participating in a forum for progress.

If that was sarcasm, I apologize in advance. If not, and you're what's called in these parts a troll, stick around, look around and listen up. You may come to appreciate that it is well thought out opinion and voicing possible solutions that build cred here, not heckling one liners that view resistance as futile.

[Enthusiast]

145. +1, jotsy. BUT,

it is looking more and more like reasoned dialog and heart won't be enough at this juncture in U.S. history.

If the Obama DOJ would step up it would start to look a whole lot better.

[jotsy]

169. Agreed

That's the biggest beef I have with the current administration, I want my constitutional rights back, six months ago. If leadership can't stand for equitable justice they shouldn't be asking to lead.

[mod mom]

151. I hope the Justice Dept won't shy away from this to protect BFEE. Serve these

assholes justice!

[SpiralHawk]

3. Republicon 'christian' Family Values stinking out the joint. As usual.

Ptoooey on the Pharisee Crusaders of the Republicon Homeland. They bring constant shame upon America.

[alstephenson]

4. Stunning.

[Divine Discontent]

27. I know... ain't it! I am so happy to hear this news, but sad to hear it because it appears that the

bastard killed people.

[Blue_Tires]

5. doesn't surprise me at all

it's not like these thugs ever play by any rules (what keeps them hired is the simple fact that they are bound by no laws, international or otherwise...)

strip away the billions and high-tech toys, and the mercenary garbagemen are no different than your local street gang or drug ring...except even the local street gang follows a code of honor...

[harun]

97. Yah, who didn't see this coming. Mercenary armies will... uhhh..... behave like

mercenary armies.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

6. .

[lxlxlxl]

7. OMG

I fight my paranoia, but sometimes I wondered with all the mercenaries over there, what the fuck were they really doing? Did we get one story about a succesful blackwater operation? i dont know of any, and ive looked. would i put it past one of these fuckers to set off a carbomb in a market and walk away? im not sure.

this makes me sick

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

8. .

[Joanne98]

9. YAY

[catbyte]

11. Erik Prince is a fundie POS

and whatever trouble he finds himself in is richly deserved. He's part of the whole repugnant/Republican, Pete Hoekstra west MI Dutch Mafia. Ugh. Sometimes I wonder why I just don't move outta Grand Rapids/Holland.

:eyes: :puke:

Diane

Anishnabe and Proud

"Tales of the hunt will glorify the hunter until lions have their own historians."--African proverb

[Demeter]

67. Come to Ann Arbor, Then!

We've got our problems, but Fundies are not gaining any ground here, even though they've destroyed the local paper.

[Seldona]

10. Imagine that?

Just who need running one of the largest, and richest, private armies in the US.

:sarcasm:

This fucking nutcase had access to military hardware, didn't he? Scary.

[dixiegrrrrl]

12. K & R big time.

and how many more "princes" are there out in Iraq?
sheesh...no wonder we had such a time in the Middle East.
Gen-U-Whine Crusaders.
Paid for by the taxpayer, yet.

[earth mom]

13. The Iraq war is not just about oil, it's a Holy War to the fundies. Absolute Genocide.

:cry:

Why hasn't Obama stopped the wars over there?!

That's the question few on DU want to ask.


Putting the blame solely on Blackwater, is bullshit.

Sure, Blackwater is evil to the core, but that doesn't justify the fact that the U.S. is still fighting a war in Iraq based on lies.

[ladywnch]

22. it is both......the fundies willing go along to committ genocide in the name

of 'God' and Christianity and the Haliburtons get their oil....a match made somewhere south of Hell.

[onestepforward]

32. Sadly, so true. n/t

[cascadiance]

14. And they want to hire Blackwater goons to do police or national guard's job here...

... so that these armed thugs can patrol the streets of places like New Orleans without meaningful oversight... And now we find out a murderer's in charge of them? This is The Mob strangling us all over again ala Al Capone! I wonder if they'll plea bargain down stuff for Prince to just be tax evasion in a similar fashion just so they can find some way to haul his ass off to prison!

[NMMOM]

158. Yes they do! Check this out:

Sorry I couldn't link it right now.


August 03
Homeland Security, Defense Departments Plan Domestic OperationsHomeland Security, Defense Departments plan domestic operations?
By Jim Kouri

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-2684-Law-Enforcement-Examiner~y2009m8d2-Homeland-Security-Defense-Departments-plan-domestic-operations
The Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security recently notified law enforcement agencies and associations, such as the National Association of Chiefs of Police, about the Obama Administration's interest in using the military during "emergencies."

Government officials reported that the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator W. Craig Fugate met with the Commander of the US Northern Command, General Gene Renuart, to discuss "pre-disaster planning, response and recovery in support of the federal response to the 2009 hurricane season as well as wild fires, floods and other potential disasters."

The meeting reinforced the important relationship between the two organizations and focused on the operational role of US Northern Command and what resources and skills they bring to any major Federal effort related to all-hazards preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. It was also an opportunity to meet operational leaders who would fill key positions in those support efforts.

"NORTHCOM plays a vital role in disaster response in support of state and local officials," Fugate said. "I am impressed by their commitment to teamwork and interoperability. They are leaning forward and are solutions-oriented partners among the nation's emergency response team."

"We are committed to teaming with and supporting our civilian partners," added Renuart. "If our federal partners, state and local officials are successful in responding to contingency operations, then ultimately we are successful. We look forward to our continued collaboration and cooperation."

However, many law enforcement executives and organizations went on the record saying they did not appreciate the prospect of federal troops usurping the authority of local and state law enforcement agencies or the role of the National Guard unit currently under the control of governors.

"My initial reaction is: why are we allowing federal troops to basically invade the sovereignty of individual states when each state has its own law enforcement agencies and each state possesses an armed and trained National Guard and, in the case of some states such as New York, a trained militia?" according to New York police officer Ed Aquino.

"We have not used armed federal troops in New York since the Civil War when Union troops and Navy battleships attacked dissenters who opposed conscription by the Union Army," she added.

According to officials from the Homeland Security Department, FEMA and Northern Command share a common interest and a unified approach to disaster response and recovery.

"Both organizations also understand that the most effective plans to save lives and protect property begins with preparedness. This meeting was an important stepping stone to ensure mutual preparedness and effective planning in support of state and local officials," said one official.

Homeland Security Department officials offered these two rationales for their joint ventures with the Department of Defense:

"Emergency preparedness is everyone's responsibility. Everyone should have a personal response plan for a disaster, everyone should know who their first responders are at the local and state level, and everyone should be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least the first 72 hours.

"FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards."

Political strategist Mike Baker is disturbed over this latest "emergency plan" designed to allow federal troops to operate freely within US borders.

"This is a constitutionally unsound development for our nation. While President Barack Obama and his ilk worry about how America's military is perceived by other nations and are concerned with how we treat enemies, they seem to be willing to use extreme measures against their own citizens. Will we witness another Branch Davidian massacre in the name of 'emergency response' or other rationale? It's not a positive development for this nation," said Baker.

Northcom was established about a year after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and is responsible for an area of operations that includes the United States, Canada and Mexico. It serves as a "one-stop-shopping" point for military support in case of an attack on American soil. However, according to officials speaking during the teleconference, the Obama Administration is expanding that role to include natural disasters or emergencies that were once the domain of state and local authorities.

Over the years, according to Baker, the federal government has expanded its role and even included other nations in operational plans within the US. For example NORAD is a joint US-Canadian command established 51 years ago to defend against nuclear-armed Soviet aircraft entering North American airspace. Decades later, the command's mission has expanded to include early detection of threats via air, space, land and sea.

The sheer number of participants speaks to NORAD's level of preparation and coordination to operate within US borders. Teaming up to deal with emergencies are American and Canadian NORAD agents, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Transportation Security Administration, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, NAV Canada, the White House, U.S. Departments of Defense and Homeland Security.

"This is not something we should be celebrating. This is something we as Americans should fear," states another NYPD officer.

"If states do not have the capability to respond on their own to a hurricane or earthquake, then perhaps they should increase their capabilities or change their leadership," said Det. Benny Cardoza.

"Using Hurricane Katrina as an excuse to increase federal authority in the affairs of individual states is a sorry excuse and one that should be shunned by citizens and local cops," states the decorated cop.

For additional information on this subject read:

Why is a U.S. Army brigade being assigned to "Homeland Security"

www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/09/24/army

[slutticus]

15. Next week on "24".....

[trumad]

16. God---it's like last season's 24 on Fox.

[cascadiance]

23. I wonder if there script writers were privy to this info when they wrote those episodes last year...

and basically were putting out one more "warning" of what was happening behind closed doors... Would be worth asking one of them!

[chrisa]

90. Life often imitates art.

[MadMaddie]

105. or art often imitates life!!

[cascadiance]

178. As Bush and Rove did when they likely "imitated" the plot of Babylon 5, which was 'their fave!"

According to show creator J. Michael Straczynski. It would seem that our move towards fascism perhaps was patterned after what President Clarke was doing in that series, with the "reality imitates art" theory...

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated/msg/c320273baf21a72c

Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated
From: [email protected] (Jms at B5)
Date: 26 Nov 2002 07:32:22 GMT
Local: Tues, Nov 26 2002 12:32 am
Subject: Things You Don't Expect to Hear
Reply to author | Forward | Print | View thread | Show original | Report this message | Find messages by this author
So I was talking to Doug Netter this afternoon, who had in turn spoken with
Bruce Boxleitner earlier in the day about the year 2 DVD. In the course of
that conversation, Bruce mentioned something that Doug in turn mentioned to me.

To wit:

Bruce had been at the White House about a month ago, in the company of wife
Melissa Gilbert, president of the Screen Actors Guild, for a discussion with
some of the functionaries there concerning acting roles moving north of the
Canadian border.

As they're talking, in a long conference room, in the middle of the meeting the
door oens and Karl Rove -- main strategist for the Republican Party and power
behind the White House throne -- comes in. He says (paraphrased from memory)
to Melissa, "I hope you'll forgive me, but I actually here to see Bruce."

He then tells Bruce, "I just wanted to tell you that I'm a big science fiction
fan, and that Babylon 5 is the best science fiction television series *ever*."

Then there's a pause, and he adds....

"And the President thinks so too."

Upon hearing this, I went to lie down for a spell, but I fully expect to be
back on my feet by Spring, latest.

jms

[Dangerously Amused]

18. Thou shalt not kill is for - other- people.

Jesus would be so proud.

:puke:

[IDemo]

101. So is "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife", but that's another story..

[n2doc]

19. Well, we shall see if he actually gets put on trial for this

My guess is that it gets swept under the rug, like so many other of the BFEE's crimes.

[valerief]

51. Right. Not enough evidence or some BS. nt

[daggahead]

20. Maybe this will be the thing that finally kicks the door open ...

... to investigating the Bush Crime Syndicate ...

[Chemisse]

99. God I hope so - we can't just let this putrid mess

simmer and rot out the foundation of our country.

[dorkulon]

174. Yeah, right. The problem is we just don't have enough evidence. nt

[AntiFascist]

21. K&R...

I hope authorities can finally do something about the self-identified 'Christian Mafia'.

[Botany]

25. I never liked him

Cold blooded bastard

[dgibby]

28. Wonder if this is some of the stuff Leon Panetta wants to sweep under the rug.

I also wonder if the PTB will claim state secrets.

[swilton]

43. What is PTB? Thanks

[Divine Discontent]

62. assuming, powers that be. n/t

[Frisbee]

63. Powers to be...

at least that is my best guess! :-)

[dgibby]

125. PTB= Powers That Be. n/t

[saigon68]

137. Probably

Well we'll see if the "Light of Day" shines.

I however, have my doubts

[IndianaGreen]

30. How is this different from C Street?

They all share the same belief that they are chosen by GAWD and are above the rules everyone else has to follow.

[dgibby]

31. There IS no difference.

That's what makes all of them so dangerous to the rest of us. One of these days, we're going to wake up and realize we're living in a Fascist Theocratic Police State.

[AntiFascist]

91. Erik Prince is a member of the Council for National Policy...

which is another Dominionist-type organization, much like the Family, and with much the same dangerous ties to high-level government.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joseph-a-palermo/erik-prince-and-the-counc_b_66839.html?source=widget

[Enthusiast]

143. One and the same

Same end times theology and ruthlessness. Old Testament mentality. They are living it.

[myrna minx]

33. K&R n/t

[derby378]

34. I hope the Obama administration is feverishly taking notes...

Not just concerning Blackwater aka Xe, but also regarding Halliburton, KBR, and all these other war profiteers:

When war is privatized, this is what you get.

[Barrymores Ghost]

35. I think they should hand Prince over to the Iraqis.

Let those chaps figure out what to do with him.

[pjt7]

37. Please God & any honorable men & women

still alive in America, see this thru & get @ the facts of the situation. If innocent,let Prince walk, if guilty, take him out of our free society.

[Jane Austin]

39. Good idea.

And quick. Before he murders all the potential witnesses.

[defendandprotect]

74. With suspicion that others have been murdered, this takes a lot of courage -- !!!

[valerief]

48. Oo, good one! nt

[fascisthunter]

79. best post on the thread

[glitch]

112. Preferably Fallujans. nt

[Moostache]

40. If true, immediately extradite Prince to Iraq!!!

This is beyond disgusting. I want a special prosecutor NOW to investigate ALL manner of war crimes committed by our government and by anyone else in Iraq and Afghanistan now.

I am beside myself knowing that 15 years ago we had special prosecutors investigating real estate and sex scandals; but now, with evidence mounting that serious war crimes, profiteering and even murder for profits were occurring in our names and the mechanisms of justice are silent??????

It may be time to take to the streets and begin REAL protests soon!

[northzax]

128. special prosecutors are useless now

since the special prosecutor law was allowed to expire after the republicans abused it, it's a waste of time asking for one.

[bluesmail]

41. I hope this may be the beginning of the end for ALL murderous thugs.

That includes ALL CIA-Nazi-Iran-Contra-JFK Killing. So what if I'm a dreamer. I just hope it doesn't cause another 9-11, where they impose ALL their fascist laws. C'mon good D's. Don't give up. Fight for democracy.

[Amos Moses]

42. I wonder if anybody from Blackwater is now with Triple Canopy,

Barack Obama's chosen mercenary outfit in Iraq.

http://www.democracynow.org/2009/4/2/obamas_blackwater_jeremy_scahill_on_triple

[LuckyLib]

44. Why are we not suprised? And, Mr. Prince, if you do end up "standing trial" in Iraq

we certainly can't guarantee that they wouldn't torture you -- in fact, it would probably be guaranteed. Those chickens will be coming home to roost for Americans for a VERY long time.

[edc]

45. If Prince a member of the C Street boys,

a.k.a The Family, then he gets the famous King David Rape the Wife and Kill the Husband Indulgence because he is one of the new and improved chosen people. A man after God's own heart. Amen!

[valerief]

49. Now we better understand "if the President does it, it's not breaking the law." nt

[Senator]

46. Just Seems That It's Always Worse Than You Think

And is there some reason to believe that the same steroidal monsters were not http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0910-07.htm">wandering around New Orleans, looking for "black muslims?"

--

[valerief]

47. I wonder how many more "untimely" deaths will follow this news. nt

[McCamy Taylor]

50. So, did these guys talk, because they were worried about being killed?

[Mira]

52. K&R I am not shockable, any more. But this stinks to high heaven.

[and-justice-for-all]

53. About fucking time..nt

[pleah]

54. Nail him to the wall

then let him rot in prison.

[santamargarita]

55. Not surprised and I hope they put his crusading ass away for life

:puke:

[Raster]

94. Put the Black Prince away for life?

:rofl:

Never. He knows where the bodies are buried. Or at least some of them.

[L. Coyote]

57. Deja DU: Blackwater USA Connections - Campaign Contributions for the Culture of Corruption.

Blackwater USA Connections - Campaign Contributions for the Culture of Corruption.
Oct-03-07 = http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1966261

The list of donations is very long, a real Who's Who in the Culture of Corruption.
Here is a sampling, plus quotes from a study follow.

PRINCE, ERIK MR - MCLEAN,VA 22102
Donations:
7/27/2007 - $20,000 - National Republican Congressional Cmte
8/5/2005 - $25,000 - National Republican Congressional Cmte
7/14/2004 - $25,000 - Republican National Cmte
$500 - National Conservative Campaign Fund
$5,000 - Green Party of Luzerne County
10/15/2003 - $2,000 - Bush, George W
11/16/2004 - $1,000 - DeLay, Tom
09/26/2005 - $2,100 - DeLay, Tom

http://www.opensecrets.org/ ....

PRINCE, ERIK - CODY,WY 82414 - THE PRINCE GROUP
10/30/2000 - $20,000 - Republican National Cmte
10/4/2000 - $68,000 - RNC/Repub National State Elections Cmte
1/30/2001 - $3,950 - RNC/Repub National State Elections Cmte
11/1/1994 - $1,000 - North, Oliver

===========================================================
The Internet makes searching political connections too easy.
Noone can hide their connections and affiliations like before.
http://www.opensecrets.org/ ....

Erik Prince's sister, Betsy DeVos, married Amway scion RICHARD DEVOS JR.
DEVOS RICHARD M
$500 - Feeney, Tom
$1000 - Harris, Katherine
$2000 - Miller, Candice S

Betsy DeVos, daughter-in-law of the Amway co-founder Richard DeVos, won special
status in 2000 as a so-called "Pioneer" after raising $100,000 for the Bush/Cheney campaign.
DEVOS, BETSY
$1,000 - New Century Project
$30,000 - Restoring the American Dream
$1,000 - Texas Republican Congressional Cmte

DEVOS, DANIEL - ADA,MI 49301 - AMWAY
5/23/1994 - $1,000 - North, Oliver
$7,000 - Bush, George W
11/14/2003 - $25,000 - Republican National Cmte
$8000 - Murtha, John P

================================================
Amway Industry = "Restoring the American Dream," a political action committee
that supports candidates opposed to the "fundamental coarsening of our culture" ...
http://www.cnbc.cmu.edu/~dst/MerchantsOfDeception/files/theamwayindustry.doc.pdf

In April 1997, the co-founder of Amway Corp. gave $1 million to the Republican Party, one
of the largest single donations on record from an individual. Federal Election Commission
records show that Richard DeVos, said to be worth $3.2 billion, and his wife, Helen, wrote
two $500,000 checks on April 2, 1997 from their personal accounts. DeVos is the former
finance chairman of the Republican National Committee.

.........

In 2000, Amway was the second largest contributor of “soft money” to the Republican
National Party with contributions totaling $1,138,500. Amway was second in donations
only to Reynolds Tobacco.

........

Describing the events at the 2000 Republican Convention in Philadelphia where George
W. Bush was nominated, the New York Times wrote, “For the party’s top underwriters,
there will be an array of gold-plated events in Philadelphia, including cocktails with Gen.
Colin L. Powell and an evening cruise on the Delaware River aboard the ‘Enterprise,’ the
yacht owned by Richard M. DeVos, the Amway founder, who is a Bush supporter.”

.........

For large speaking fees, former Presidents George Bush, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford
and former Vice Presidents Bob Dole and Dan Quayle have spoken at Amway-related
functions, as have former Republican heavyweights Newt Gingrich, Oliver North, and the
current SE Regional Chairman for Bush-Cheney '04, Ralph Reed, among others.

Amway co-founder Rich DeVos dined with a friend this summer, and sat across the table
from George W. Bush. “I’ve been a friend to the says. “I give the max," DeVos said proudly.
"People talk about buying access, but all I can
tell you is that politicians know the people who support them”

.........



===================
Official Thread # 1 Waxman Hearing on Blackwater: Eric Prince
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1957867


Email Shows State Officials Doing Blackwater Damage Control
By Spencer Ackerman - October 1, 2007
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004338.php

In addition to Blackwater's Erik Prince, the House oversight committee will hear testimony from top State Department officials -- including the Iraq coordinator, David Satterfield -- about Blackwater's contracts with State. Material found by the committee's Democratic staff suggests that State officials helped create an environment where Blackwater guards could use deadly force with minimum reprisal.


====================
MORE: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&as_q=Prince+blackwater+RNC+&as_epq=L.+Coyote+&as_oq=&as_eq=&num=100&lr=&as_filetype=&ft=i&as_sitesearch=democraticunderground.com

[BreweryYardRat]

59. Man, I hope we can find enough evidence to give that bastard the needle.

The fewer damned fanatics (of any religion) there are, the better.

[peacetalksforall]

60. I am startng to visualize a straight top to bottom parallel heirarchy that I didn't visualize

before.

We saw
Cheney-Bush
Rumsfeld
Powell/Rice
Tenet
Ashcroft
Libby/Addington/Rove
etc
etc

Side by side with it

we had
The Family
The spidering religious sects
The wealthy enforcers
The think tank/lobbyists who worked out what everyone wanted

And the perfect parallel to Rumsfeld and Rice was Blackwater and the scions behind it.

I use to say sub-government meaning up and down.

But the sub-government was and is side-by-side in parallel, then up and down..

Who could have thought that this country would have an outside offence/defence and protection/policing plus an independent intelligence force reporting to the Secretary of State!!!! and working for DOD/CIA/NIA/NSC etc.

If they were dealing in guns, it means a side deal with Cheney and Rumsfeld and their operatives.

It wouldn't surprise me if money Blackwater didn't make went back to the sects to provide our votes were stolen, people died in New Orleans, the treasures of The Cradle of Civilization were taken.

It is so easy to see now. You can't possibly ask our kids to do what these people were doing and get away with it when the kids loyalty was to their parents and what they were taught about this country. Most of them didn't sign up out of hate for Moslems.

The sub-government in this country had to have their own Marines.

It's so obvious to me.

Things are not going on all over a messed up map of authority. There is authority, but we haven't been able to imagine it. We know the tidbits, but it's coming together now. The religious right who promised to deliver votes and/or the stolen election part of it - are the ones operating the profit and death part of it also.

They are there to keep Bush, Rice, Cheney clean and free.

Messing with reality make a lot possible.

Prince, you've never been a prince, you've been a traitor to decency.

So, where is that lethal man?

[stevedeshazer]

64. Holy Guacamole!

:slapsforehead:

[Demeter]

65. And So It Begins

This will take down the BFEE/CIA cabal finally, finishing off where the BCCI scandal started. Because NOBODY likes Erik Prince.

[AsahinaKimi]

66. Christian crusader

a Christian crusader tasked with eliminating Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe,

Please someone invent a time machine so we can send this guy back to the CRUSADES where he belongs.

[NOW tense]

78. Wouldn't you agree that, that view was rampant

in Bush's administration? He himself called this a crusade.

[Enthusiast]

147. He characteristically

bobbed his head when he said it. You know, to give it that special Bush emphasis.

[Amonester]

132. or in Adolf's army (near the top of the pack)...

'cuz, "eliminating" more than a billion (innocent) human beings, kids, elders, women, babies, and men would sure qualify as a Genocide (too...)

[seafan]

68. Proof of the danger of mixing extremist rightwing religious fanatics with assault weaponry

Blackwater Founder Erik Prince Implicated in Murder, August 4, 2009


Previous Blackwater discussion in this thread from 2007:

Revolving Door to Blackwater Causes Alarm at CIA, September 12, 2006

..wouldn't be surprised in the least if Blackwater was performing *the interrogations*., December 9, 2007

Informants Say Blackwater Guards Tried to Unload Arms (Smuggle Weapons Used in Massacre out of Iraq), May 6, 2009

2007: 'CIA outsourced waterboarding/enhanced interrogation to private contractors', July 18, 2009

[Frisbee]

69. If the evidense is there...

Let him stand trial in Iraq. If an Iraqi citizen murdered an American citizen in the US, we wouldn't send them back to Iraq to stand trial, they'd be subject to the laws of the land where the crime was committed. Why should this prick or his partners in crime be any different. Send them back and let them suffer the consequences, whatever they may be.

[Politicalboi]

75. Same with Bush/Cheney cabal

They committed mass murder over there so let the Iraqi's give them a "fair" trial.

[Divine Discontent]

70. Erik Prince of Darkness

Despite his claims, he is not working on behalf of the Lord, that is so illogical with what business he's in, it's laughable... we ALL know that.

His is of a darker aura...........
and his master ain't goodness!

[Raster]

109. The Black Prince. Racist, sexist, homophobic, uber-nationalistic.

Worth hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of millions.

[TommyPaine]

134. A "Christian Crusader"? Prince of Darkness doing the Prince of Peace's work?

Gotta love the deranged mind of a sociopath like this. Guess he never heard about that thing called the Sermon on the Mount.

[CHIMO]

71. Thank You Jeremy

He has been on top of Blackwater for awhile. A graduate of Democracy Now.

http://www.democracynow.org/search

Just enter "Scahill" for a listing of his investigations.

[fascisthunter]

72. yes, yes, yes, yes, yes....

[bertman]

73. The man's an American hero, doncha see? Navy SEAL, Christian ambassador, staunch

Republican, successful businessman, defender of America's embassies, provider of jobs for veterans. I'll bet the CIA uses him on a daily basis.

They'll never lay a hand on this s.o.b. He's in the ranks of the BigTime Republicans and he's rich as four feet up a bull's ass. Untouchable.

P.S. I love the way they hide the identity of Doe #2 by saying he worked as a former member of Blackwater's management team for four years and he's been threatened by Prince's management team. I'm sure they'll never figure out who this person is.

Recommend and kick.

[Beartracks]

81. Don't forget the third guy, too!

"The identity of John Doe #3, who worked as a close aide to Mr. Prince for 3 years and 2 months with a window overlooking the duck pond outside the company's headquarters, and who claims members of Prince's management team recently threatened to cut off his ponytail and choke his Pomeranian with it, is being kept secret for fear of his safety. ..." :eyes:

[glitch]

113. Geesh, talk about giving away an identity.

I bet not a lot of close aides to Mr. Prince for 3 years and 2 months have a window overlooking a duck pond and A PONY TAIL and a POMERANIAN. WTF?

edit to add: unless you were joking in which case :rofl:

(haven't read the article yet, just about to)

[Beartracks]

182. Yep, joking! ;) But sometimes I wonder about those "secret" descriptions. n/t

[glitch]

183. You got me! I agree with you about some descriptions. nt

[heliarc]

133. I would hazard a guess...

That the CIA has great reservations about using Blackwater for anything...

They are more inclined to use companies like Triple Canopy or Titan... companies with a lower profile and smarter recruits.

Blackwater is big, and brutal and they have the lame contracts to escort State Department bureaucrats. I would guess that the CIA thinks that's the most boring thing in the world.

This is not as monolithic as you think. The CIA is an abomination of high crimes, but they are not necessarily friendly to all factions of the Bush Cabal. There are reasons that the Defense department under Rumsfeld created a whole new intelligence apparatus. There is real hatred between the Bureaus and their mutant Bush Administration counterparts. That's the way I see it at least.

[defendandprotect]

76. Rumors that they were going to move to Dubai with Halliburton . . . ????

Also this tax evasion case Waxman was investigating . . .

Think Progress " Blackwater accused of tax evasion.
... is abandon their plan to move to southern California and move to Dubai instead... Apply this to Blackwater - did the employees work for the US company, ...
thinkprogress.org/2007/10/22/blackwater-accused-of-tax-evasion - 72k - Cached



And here's one of the comments left at that website . . . !!!!

No Corporation that uses off shore headquarters to evade taxes should get any type of government work or contracts.

New Rules:
-Wrap your corporation in the flag to ensure government support.

-Move headquarters offshore while proclaiming your patriotism.

-Outsource mfg. & labor to improve your profit margin.

-Never agree to testify under oath.

-When testifying, lie your ass off anyway.

-Kill anyone who disagrees with you.

Join Blackwater. See the World. Go to exotic places and meet new people. Then kill them.

October 22nd, 2007 at 11:58 am

[Amonester]

130. Another new rule not listed:

Build crematory ovens to "eliminate" more than a BILLION Muslims and the Islamic faith from the globe.

More Than A Billion Innocent Humans was/is this dark prince and his thugs' ultimate fantasy!! :puke: (insert an infinite amount of :pukes: here) :puke:

[PassingFair]

77. Bless the WhistleBlowers!

We must protect them and
reward their courage.

[momdogz]

80. OMG

[BrklynLiberal]

82. I would love to see him in chains in one of his own pritvately run prisons....

[Vidar]

83. K&R

[BobRossi]

84. Betsy DeVos's brother. nt

[femrap]

85. Oh....to see the day when

Black is dressed in orange.

[diane in sf]

86. nail the bastard, then lock him up and throw away the key. It'll serve as a warning

to his fellow psychopaths. Since they have no conscience you must use fear of severe punishment to curb their natural tendencies.

[Zorra]

87. Good grief. "Conservatism" is a disease. So many of these people are sick.

Every single day I read about more deranged, perverted conservative RW wackos.

It's gone way beyond any possibility of coincidence.

[chrisa]

89. Time to sack that guy.

And if they don't give him up or try to help him run, send the National Guard after them.

Black Water is a terrorist organization that would willingly attack American citizens for money. They have no place in our society.

[ima_sinnic]

157. they have attacked American citizens for money--during Katrina

remember when Blackwater was sent into New Orleans when everybody else was kept out, including journalists and even the Red Cross?

I would bet everything I have that they used "looters" as target practice. Eyewitnesses reported "security guards" dressed all in black with masks to conceal their identity and carrying machine guns. Bushco used mercenaries against U.S. citizens! We have never gotten true and authentic numbers of victims of Katrina. As with everything else under republicons, much was covered up about Katrina.

[SharonRB]

92. Holy shit!

It's sad that I'm not surprised. I'm glad these guys are coming forward, but I wish they had done it a long time ago.

[vanboggie]

93. Yep, that'd be a faux Christian from West Michigan

Out doing the Lord's work - like deciding when people will die. They're such mega-hypocrites. :puke:

[Raster]

95. The Black Prince was an student intern at the Bush I White House.

He found it too liberal. No shit.

[vanboggie]

103. Easy to believe

These are the type of people we must live amongst here in the West MI area. It's worse than the Bible Belt in the South. These are faux Christians to the max who think God has annointed them and blessed them with mega-billions so they can use power and cash to shove their perverted Christian Reformed religion(fake Christianity) down the world's throat. They also like to use their power to game the system to continue pulling in their billions. It's pathetic. They're the Rethug elite as detailed in a post above - snakes.

Have I mentioned their type makes me want to :puke: ?

[Enthusiast]

148. It is Christian Fascism,

pure and simple.

[vanboggie]

166. Well said n/t

[nikto]

96. But...but......but...he's a Good Christian Man Who Loves Jesus!!!!

All is forgiven.

"C" street-Style.}( }( }(

[L0oniX]

100. Typical total asscarrot hypocrite from Holland Michigan.

[seafan]

102. Scahill just on KO. Great interview. Prince's father bankrolled Gary Bauer and Dobson's group

...Focus on the Family. Just hearing that all over again makes me ill.



Illegal weapons smuggling, murder of Iraqi civilians, predation against Muslims, murder of witnesses to criminal activity by Blackwater.


Fine Christians, indeed.


I hope this is not necessary. :sarcasm:

[FiveGoodMen]

106. Regardless of what Jesus said or wanted

THIS is what Christianity is.

[Enthusiast]

149. It has morphed into this. nt

[NoSheep]

104. Naturally.

[merh]

110. Colonel Ted Westhusing & Specialist Ciara Durkin

The cost cannot be measured only in lost opportunities, lives and money. There will be a long hangover of shame. Its essence was summed up by Col. Ted Westhusing, an Army scholar of military ethics who was an innocent witness to corruption, not a participant, when he died at age 44 of a gunshot wound to the head while working for Gen. David Petraeus training Iraqi security forces in Baghdad in 2005. He was at the time the highest-ranking officer to die in Iraq.

Colonel Westhusing’s death was ruled a suicide, though some believe he was murdered by contractors fearing a whistle-blower, according to T. Christian Miller, the Los Angeles Times reporter who documents the case in his book “Blood Money.” Either way, the angry four-page letter the officer left behind for General Petraeus and his other commander, Gen. Joseph Fil, is as much an epitaph for America’s engagement in Iraq as a suicide note.

“I cannot support a msn that leads to corruption, human rights abuse and liars,” Colonel Westhusing wrote, abbreviating the word mission. “I am sullied.”

http://www.coloradovfa.com/Suicide%20is%20not%20painless.htm

http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=2440

http://www.google.com/#hl=en&q=westhusing&aq=f&oq=&aqi=&fp=flbC24gbdiA

============================

Specialist Ciara Durkin

(CBS/AP) Exactly how Ciara Durkin died remains a mystery. The Army National Guard soldier from Massachusetts was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in Afghanistan last week, and now her family is demanding answers from the military.

Initially the Pentagon reported that Durkin, part of a finance unit deployed to Afghanistan in November 2006, had been killed in action, but then revised its statement to read she had died of injuries "suffered from a non-combat related incident" at Bagram Airfield. The statement had no specifics and said the circumstances are under investigation.

Durkin had a desk job doing payroll in an office about three miles inside the secure Bagram Air Base. About 90 minutes after she left work last Friday, her family says she was found dead near a chapel on the base with a single gunshot wound to the head.

The 30-year-old soldier, who was born in Ireland and came to the U.S. as a little girl, felt safer deployed in Afghanistan over Iraq, her family told CBS News correspondent Kelly Wallace. Yet she was found dead within a highly secure base, with few answers.

"The family has been informed that she was in the compound, and she was shot in the head," Durkin's sister, Fiona Canavan, told the Boston Globe. "She was in a secure area of the compound, which, even though the investigation is not complete, leads the family to believe it was what is called friendly fire," she said.

Adding to the mystery is something the Army Specialist told her family: if something happened to her in Afghanistan, they should look into it. She was concerned about things she was seeing over there, one of her eight brothers and sisters said in an interview.

Canavan told the Quincy, Mass. Patriot Ledger on Wednesday that when her sister was home three weeks ago, she told her about something she had come across that raised some concern with her: "She was in the finance unit and she said, 'I discovered some things I don’t like and I made some enemies because of it.'"

Canavan revealed that Durkin said if anything happened to her, to make sure it was investigated.

"At the time we thought it was said more as a joke," Canavan told the paper.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/04/world/main3328739.shtml?source=mostpop_story

[claven]

168. Sorry, I have to call BS

I knew COL Westhusing, worked with him in the months preceding his suicide. His death was a needless tragedy, but it was not part of some grand conspiracy. He had been wrestling with his personal deamons for months prior. We were all shocked, but not surprised.

[Nostradammit]

180. Where did you work with him?

[Dystopian]

111. KandR for Justice

The Iraqi people will never recover...too much to bear.
Murder. Murder upon murder.
May he suffer for the rest of his life in jail.

One man's suffering for murder doesn't help the people of Iraq...
But I want him to spend the rest of his miserable 'life' in a cell.

peace~

[aquart]

115. I've wondered for years who BushCo used

to eliminate all those pesky reporters and politicians and complainers who noticed bad things about them.

Erik Prince is such an effortless answer to that question.

[bigworld]

116. I've always had a suspicion that Blackwater = "Al Qaeda in Iraq"

and simply fomented destruction and terror to keep themselves employed. I hope I am wrong.

[robinlynne]

117. wow. jsut wow.

[omega minimo]

119. what you said!!!!

[omega minimo]

118. Rec #206 for Jeremy Scahill, all his brave, important work and for the miracle of truth emerging

and hopefully overcoming evil or at least chipping away at its armor plated hide.

:yourock:

[aquart]

120. Scahill's a Puffin fellow! I love the Puffin Foundation.

Coopniks.

[Lint Head]

121. Blackwater Helicopter in Action

Imagine this over your home. Who will they kill next? Did Blackwater also privatize torture?


The leopard changed it's spots to "Xe" but they're still nothing more that fascist corporate killers.
Erik Prince should be thrown into jail next to Cheney and Karl Rove just before he is sent to death row.

Insurance companies are corporate killers also. They can kill you by denying you health care.
Who needs a gun any more?

[troubledamerican]

123. Does anybody smell a Karl Rove plot twist?

àla Dan Rather?

Scenario: Set up Erik Prince on flimsy charges which will be later undermined. Set up the accuser on criminal charges in a separate incident.

Acquittal of Erik Prince + conviction of whistleblower = Erik Prince gets official "persecuted" status & all future prosecutors will think twice about charging him -- giving him carte blanche to continue murdering freely.

[young_at_heart]

124. I've never understood the connection between Bush and Eric Prince

I know about the campaign contributions but obviously there is much more.

[pitchforksandtorches]

126. He hates us for our freedoms!

[mzmolly]

127. Surprise, surprise, surprise!

[ClayZ]

129. Yay!

K and R

[Loudmxr]

135. I always believed they killed Pat Tilman.

[Loudmxr]

136. Oh yeah-Let's ask Rush. They had to talk about something down there in DR.

[Liberty Belle]

138. Hmm...When Blackwater was trying to get a camp here, a car bomb was planted under a planner's car.

He was the lead County planner overseeing Blackwater's proposal to build a training camp in Potrero, near San Diego. The guy quit the next day, no forwarding address. i tried to interview him the night his car got blown up and he looked like a deer in the headlights, obviously scared.

The bomb, a pipe bomb, detonated without hurting anyone fortunately. Blackwater supporters tried to spread rumors blaming "wacko environmentalists" for the violence.

I always wondered if Blackwater could have been behind it though I thought it more likely that some deranged supporter of theirs was responsible. No arrests were ever made.

Perhaps the FBI should take a look at that case, which seemed to have been hushed up very fast.

[d_b]

140. holy shit if true

also, hang the fuck if true.

[proud patriot]

141. there is something seriously wrong with that prince dude

x(

[No Elephants]

146. Will anything ever come of this story? Seems as though only small crimes get punished anymore.

Between immunity to this one and that one, and looking forward, it sometimes seems like the criminals are the ones really in charge.

[Mopar151]

150. There could be a positive

Think what a sucessful prosecution of Prince, et al could do for our standing in the Islamic world. Might serve to rein in some of the rest, too - I wanna see KBR's CEO in the prisoner's dock for electrocuting soldiers - preferably with a jury pool from military families.

[dipsydoodle]

152. Sounds like he took his lead from

Jon Voight in the last season of 24 I guess. :shrug:

[pjt7]

153. FOX news has not reported this

surprise, surprise, surprise.

[pjt7]

154. One of the only way's these guy's will be BUSTED

is if they are not allowed to hide under the good name of our armed forces. Which they have been using for cover, since they got their first taxpayer dollar.

Erik Prince & Blackwater went ROUGUE & need to be called out. The vast majority of our armed forces, stuck to the laws of warfare & shouldn't be lumped in with these greedy, mercenaries.

[YOY]

156. Something tells me these kind of allegations would have been buried if McCain was elected.

n.t.

[AllyCat]

159. And this horrible man and his gang of thugs put our soldiers at risk

with their unethical and immoral actions.

[big poppa]

162. blackwater

Like a spy thriller gone mad.

[rhett o rick]

163. Why hasn't he been arrested? nm

[Piewhacket]

164. Criminal enterprise.

[WheelWalker]

165. Kick for justice

:kick:

[Doctor_J]

170. Scahill is on Hartmann right now

http://player.play.it/player/player.html?v=4.1.25&id=86&onestat=kptk-am

[OwnedByFerrets]

171. Listening now...these guys are so scary...

I would be scared shitless to be Scahill. I certainly wouldnt be flying in small planes.

[Chef Eric]

175. In the words of Nelson Muntz... Ha-Ha!

<http://nelsonhaha.com/>

[JNelson6563]

177. Dead men walkin'

How many days do you give these guys to live? I'd wager not many.

Julie

[Vext]

179. Odd, this story hasn't reached the MSM

Not at the LA times or SFGate. I even searched. I wonder if that is where the LA police chief is going.

[Canuckistanian]

181. I hope this causes a "domino effect" of whistleblowing

And I especially want to know who these "unfit men" were and what they did.