Waxman Wants to Hear from Buzzy Krongard

[cal04]

By Spencer Ackerman
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004732.php

Sure enough, Rep. Henry Waxman wrote yesterday to Buzzy Krongard to sort out whether or not his brother, State Department Inspector General Howard "Cookie" Krongard, truthfully testified to Waxman's committee that Buzzy never told him about joining the advisory board of State Department contractor Blackwater.

Waxman didn't subpoena Krongard, but asked if he'd consent to a "transcribed interview" by November 30. He also wants a couple pieces of documentation. From Waxman's letter

COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHTAND GOVERNMENT REFORM
(http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20071116104518.pdf)

1. All documents reflecting communications to or from (a) Erik Prince, (b) Blackwater USA or any parent companies, subsidiaries, or affiliated companies thereof (collectively, "Blackwater"); or (c) any officers, employees, or other persons affiliated with Blackwater.

2. All documents, including phone records, relating to communications with Howard J. Krongard regard Erik Prince or Blackwater.

3. All other documents relating to Blackwater or your relationship with Blackwater.

[Enrique]

1. Cookie lied

[DCKit]

2. Henry's methodical dismantling of BuschCo is SOOOO entertaining.

How many other incestuous BushCo/Corporate teams are out there?
IGs in every agency are scrambling to cover their asses.

Any bets on how long it going to take before they release a statement
of "Bill Clinton set the precedent, it's his fault."

[malaise]

3. Go Henry

K & R

[G_Leo_Criley]

4. give 'em hell Henry! K & R

Waxman and his staff won't quit!

glc

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5. Did Cookie lie to Congress?

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/16/did-cookie-lie-to-congress/

House Oversight Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) will hold a hearing after Thanksgiving recess to examine whether State Department Inspector General Howard “Cookie” Krongard provided truthful testimony at a hearing last week, in light of new revelations that his brother serves on the advisory board of Blackwater USA. Waxman recently spoke to Krongard’s brother, Buzzy:

Buzzy Krongard stated that Howard Krongard called him specifically to ask about any relationship he had with Blackwater “in preparation for his testimony” to the Committee. Buzzy Krongard stated: “He asked me whether I had any financial interest or any ties to Blackwater, and so I told him ‘I’m going on their Board.”‘

According to Buzzy Krongard, “He responded by saying, ‘Why would you do that?’ and ‘Are you sure that’s a good idea?”‘ Buzzy Krongard then said, “I told him that was my decision, not his, and that we just differed on that.”

In contrast, Howard Krongard testified on November 14, “I do not believe it is true that he is a member of the advisory board.” More here.


Blackwater Buzz
http://www.americanprogressaction.org/progressreport/2007/11/pr20071115

Brother Contradicts Testimony of the State Department Inspector General
http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1634

MEMORANDUM
November 16,2007
http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20071116150459.pdf

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6. A Guide to Firing Cookie Krongard

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004735.php

It's late Friday afternoon, and yet, Howard "Cookie" Krongard still appears to be in office as the State Department inspector general. (His voice is still on his office voicemail, at least.) His spokeswoman says he has no intention of resigning, even as the likelihood of a congressional perjury investigation increases. So if he won't resign, who can fire Krongard?

In the final analysis, it would be up to President George W. Bush. Only a handful of federal inspectors-general can be fired by their agency chiefs, and State's is not among them. That's a good-government measure: after all, it's probably not conducive to integrity in governance if top officials can dismiss their internal watchdogs. (Only top U.S. allies can do that.) Savor the irony: by not firing a supposedly-independent public servant, President Bush is helping the cause of transforming the U.S. into a banana republic.

There are, however, procedures to be followed for cashiering Cookie. The first is to refer a complaint to the Inspector Generals' inspector -- Kenneth Kaiser of the FBI, who runs the integrity committee of the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency. His committee is presumably the one State Department spokesman Sean McCormack meant when he said yesterday that State has "asked the overseer board of inspectors general to look into the work of the State Department Inspector General Office." However, when I called the State Department to confirm that, and to find out when the referral occurred, a charming State flack told me that it was after 5 p.m. on Friday and he had "a million things to do." I left a message with Kaiser's spokeswoman, and I'll bring you more as soon as I have more to report.

However, in the event that Kaiser thinks Cookie's gone a bit stale, Kaiser's boss might be more sympathetic. That would be famed Bush crony Clay Johnson III, who vetted such Bush administration luminaries as Mike Brown and David Safavian. If Krongard wants to fight on to the bitter end, he might have a friend in a very convenient place.