Kerry Demands Investigation into Fraud; Small Business Groups Cheer

[whometense]

Good morning Kerry fans!! Our hero's been busy...

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/1/prwebxml202605.php

In letters to Small Business Administration Administrator Hector Barreto and SBA Inspector General Harold Damelin, Senator John Kerry has called for an audit and investigation into fraud, abuse, and inflated federal small business contracting statistics. On Janaury 24, Kerry also proposed legislation aimed at contract bundling and small business contracting fraud.


(PRWEB) January 29, 2005 -- Kerry has accused the SBA of “fostering an atmosphere that encourages widespread fraud and abuse in small business contracting.”

Kerry’s demand for investigations at the SBA and new legislation to stem fraud in government small business contracting comes on the heels of a damaging report the SBA was forced to release last month. The SBA was forced to release portions of the report as a result of an ongoing lawsuit by the American Small Business League.

The SBA is refusing to release portions of the report that American Small Business League President Lloyd Chapman believes will show the SBA has been aware of blatant fraud in small business contracting for several years.

“Our investigations have found the SBA’s own Office of the Inspector General found widespread fraud in federal small business contracting programs as early as 1995,” said Chapman.

Some small business groups are blaming the lack of new legislation to address fraud and abuse in federal small business contracting programs on Representative Tom Davis, chairman of the powerful Government Reform Committee. Davis’s district in Virginia is home to many of the firm’s whose status as legitimate small businesses have been called into question by a series of government and independent investigations into fraud and abuse in federal small business contracting programs.

[whometense]

1. Lloyd Chapman's statement

here: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/prweb/20050129...

"I"m glad to see Senator Kerry take a stand for small business. A lot of people in government talk about helping small business but Congress has done nothing to address the fact that most small business contracts are being awarded to some of the largest companies in the U.S. and Europe. It looks like Senator Kerry is the only one that is willing to step up to the plate and demand that something be done to stop the widespread fraud and abuse that has been uncovered in a series of government and private investigations.

"The SBA"s own Office of the Inspector General found a pattern of blatant fraud in small business contracting as far back as 1995. Small business contracting fraud is a felony with a ten-year prison term. In refusing to take any action to address this problem the SBA is encouraging billions in fraud and abuse in small business contracting. Instead of taking decisive action to eliminate fraud the SBA has consistently tried to convince the public this is nothing more than miscoding and computer glitches.
"The Center for Public Integrity found the Defense Department alone had awarded $47 billion dollars in small business contracts to some of the largest firms in America. I think it"s time for the Justice Department (news - web sites) to step in and investigate the SBA"s handling of this issue. I just don"t trust the SBA anymore."

[angrydemocrat]

2. That's Our President Kerry

Hard at work and being a hard ass doing it! Kerry like many people is tired of the bullshit and will fight to get it stopped unlike many that are scared of their own damn shadows. He is just getting started. The best is yet to come. Watch out world President Kerry has stepped up to the plate and ready to knock one out of the park!

[Pirate Smile]

3. More news: Kerry asks probe by Coast Guard in deadly sinking

Kerry asks probe by Coast Guard in deadly sinking

By ERIC GERSHON
STAFF WRITER
U.S. Sen. John Kerry this week condemned as unacceptable the Coast Guard's response to the fatal December sinking of a scalloper off Nantucket and called for an investigation that specifically addresses "serious" equipment failures and "possible human errors."

In a letter to Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thomas Collins dated Wednesday, Kerry said the agency's response to the sinking of the Northern Edge 45 miles off Nantucket called into question the agency's long-standing mission of responding to emergencies at sea.

"We cannot yet know if any of these problems contributed to the tragedy of the Northern Edge, but they do highlight an aging infrastructure and raise questions about the Coast Guard's ability to respond effectively to emergencies of all kinds," including search and rescue missions and maritime security threats.

The New Bedford-based Northern Edge sank in 47-degree water shortly before 5 p.m. on Dec. 20. All but one member of the six-man crew perished, the greatest loss of life aboard a single vessel in New England waters in nearly 15 years.

http://www.capecodonline.com/cctimes/kerryasks28.htm

[whometense]

4. This is great!

He is planning to be major pain in *'s ass. Go JK!!!

Every time they turn around JK will be right there in their face, calling them on everything. I love it.

[blm]

5. Kerry's putting his agenda out there ANYWAY. Hah....Bush can't come close

to Kerry in good, solid, HONEST legislation aimed at making this country better and stronger.

We have to help him push these efforts into the mainstream media wherever we can.

[TayTay]

6. Oh, I see the pattern now

I think I see here the fruits of all those meetings with Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi last fall. We have to build a solid floor under the Democratic Party. Reid is doing his part by orchestrating the oversight ability of Dems in the Senate. (Tricky, since they are a minority. So far, Reid has been a godsend.) Kerry has to be careful in how he publicly challenges * for awhile. All his challenges have to be rock-solid. (Avoids the sour grapes label.) Reid is obviously aware that Kerry's forte is investigative work and that he has a superb staff that really knows how to dig in. So, he can hand off to Kerry what Kerry wants to do anyway. I see.

This is so smart. It avoids the whole question of are you running in 08 or not. (Let the pundits debate that in lieu of having anything serious to talk about.) Let the Dems begin to seriously talk about corruption in the * Admin. Let them make a serious case, built upon facts and evidence that the *ies are corrupt. Build it case by case, hammer it home, day by day. This is the way to go. It will begin to sink in to the American people that the Rethugs are only out for themselves and want no oversight at all. They are feeding at the public trough, and somebody needs to point this out.

Oooowh, I love this. Kerry gets to do what he wants. He started out in public life with his outrage over governmental lying about the Vietnam War. This has always been his thing. Reid, understands this and says, go get 'em. Build the case. I will make sure that you get public time to present the evidence. That's why Kerry got so much time to Question Condi in committee. It's his thing. Oh, I love Harry Reid. He must have been some DA in Nevada. No wonder he brought down the mob. This is a smart tactician. He uses real strategy. Wow! I will have to watch and see how he handles some other Dem Senators. Obviously he has told Teddy K to go do his thing and renounce the war. This feeds into that growing feeling in America that the war is a mistake. I wonder who is going to go 'unleashed' next. Reid is a phenomenal manger. Wow!

So, the MTP interview is going to be interesting tomorrow. Russert is going to ask a million election and Party structure questions (the Press loves these things) and Kerry is going to try and steer the questions to the mistakes * has made. Should be an interesting contest to see who masters the agenda.

[elshiva]

7. Yep, Kerry and Reid are doing us proud, again.

My grandma said at dinner, "Bush just wants the Democrats to think they are nothing."
To which I responded, "But we aren't nothing!"
Thank God for the good Dem Senators that we've got. Also hoping and praying that Dean will become the Chair of the DNC. But, whoever becomes Chair, I'll support him in trying to get our party to stand up to Bush.

[whometense]

8. Did you see Chris Matthews interview

Russert on Hardball last night? It was the first time I've watched since the election, and it didn't seem like a single thing has changed.

Matthews referred to JK as the "best get in the business these days." You certainly got the feeling he was going to be watching Meet the Press tomorrow with great interest.

Russert said he was going to be asking questions with the goal of being able to answer the question "Who is Kerry now, and how is he going to present himself to the american people?" Deep, huh?

One other funny thing Russert mentioned the emails JK's been sending to his "donors." He dismissed it as a way of keeping his options open for 2008. I do get the feeling there is something about the emails that bugs them. Maybe at some point the light will go on and they'll realize he's bypassing their own particular media filter with those emails.

[TayTay]

9. Agreed. and the co-sponsorship thing is brilliant

I noticed that Reid specifically mentioned this at the Dem Agenda press conference. I believe that was Kery's idea, though it is the natural progression from the outreach to the 'netroots' that went on during the campaign. (And much of that was pioneered by Joe Trippi in the Dean campaign.)

The Russert interview should be a real tuf-of-war as to what is important going forward. Russert loves 'gotchas' and will undoubtedly spring a few on Kerry to get him to take some serious blame for the campaign last fall. Kerry will have to take some of those, it is appropriate in the first major tv interview. It will be interesting to see if Kerry is able to turn the talk forward. It's hard with Russert.

[whometense]

10. It IS hard with Russert.

And you are so right about the 'gotchas.' In fact, he pretty much said last night what he was going for.

I know it's way too much to hope for that he actually ask questions about issues. But here's hoping, anyway. Before they talked about the MTP interview Russert was giving his usual Iraq happy talk about how great it is they're having elections.

I hope I'll be watching on that wonderful, so-far-mythical day when they realize Kerry isn't making any news through them - and that everything important he has to say is going straight out to his people, unimpeded by their spin. Hah.

[bush_is_wacko]

11. Be afraid ****, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Gonzales! Yes, be VERY afraid!

Character asasinations be damned our REAL president is kicking !!!

BushCo

Kerry

[whometense]

12. Thanks!

This post was just what I needed to fire me up on a freeper-filled Monday.

[ginnyinWI]

13. my copy of this week's "The Nation" came in the mail today--

The cover has a big picture of a donkey's face, with smoke coming out of the ears and nostrils. The headline is "Bad-Ass Democrats" !
That about sums it up. The issue is spotlighting Durbin and Waxman, but the editorial commends all the Dems on the Hill for a very promising start. Here is the last paragraph of the editorial:

"The point, as Durbin and Waxman know, is not to obstruct but to oppose; the American people will recognise the difference. If Democrats get the hang of their opposition role, George Bush's Inaugural Day disappointments will be only the beginning of a frustrating second term."

Go Dems!
And especially, Go John Kerry!

[bush_is_wacko]

14. Now that's what I'm talking about!

I love to watch the lame responses with the same wording over and over again from the thugs! Yes, if Dem's stick to their objection and I hope a little more than objection on Gonzales and Rumsfeld the American public will start to see a clear picture. Our WH is keeping SECRETS from EVERYONE! Time to oust them!