W. Pincus:New Pentagon Counterintell Agency Reviewed For Corruption Ties

[kpete]

Pentagon Agency's Contracts Reviewed

By Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 3, 2006; Page A04

Federal investigators are looking into contracts awarded by the Pentagon's newest and fastest-growing intelligence agency, the Counterintelligence Field Activity, which has spent more than $1 billion, mostly for outsourced services, since its establishment in late 2002, according to administration and congressional sources.

The review is an outgrowth of the continuing investigation that resulted in charges against Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.), who resigned from Congress in November and is scheduled to be sentenced today after pleading guilty to tax evasion and conspiracy to take $2.4 million in bribes.

In pre-sentencing documents filed this week, prosecutors said that in fiscal 2003 legislation, Cunningham set aside, or earmarked, $6.3 million for work to be done "to benefit" CIFA shortly after the agency was created. The contract went to MZM Inc., a company run by Mitchell J. Wade, who recently pleaded guilty to conspiring to bribe Cunningham.

Also this week, prosecutors released a letter dated Feb. 24, 2004, from Cunningham to CIFA Director David A. Burtt II, in which the former member of the House defense appropriations subcommittee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence thanked the CIFA staff for supporting another multimillion-dollar program that involved MZM.

more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/02/AR2006030201705.html

[tonkatoy57]

1. Here it is in a nutshell

"...Counterintelligence Field Activity, which has spent more than $1 billion, mostly for outsourced services..."

This is a fantastic talking point. Nothing, nothing at all in being done to improve intelligence and public safety. It's all about shifting government resources to private companies that have relationships with the administration or Republican lawmakers.

I don't know about you, but if I were running for the House or Senate this is a theme that I would hammer for all it's worth. It touches on three important and resonant ideas; national defense, government waste, and cronyism.