WHEN DID FRAUD STOP BEING A BIG DEAL?

Halliburton is stealing, and it ain't stealing these

The conversation turned to war profiteering tonight, and the usual suspects had this to say:

ZomoKKK: why shouldnt haliburton ...the best company for the job...rebuild them oil wells???
MrArchieBunker: Clinton gave Hallibuton no bid contracts.................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
MrArchieBunker: Halliburton worked for Clinton in Bosnia, big deal

There was even more, no less sickening, and no more cogent. I do not understand conservatives sometimes. Perjury used to be a big deal, when a Democratic president was suspected of lying. Now that it's Republican officials under the gun, it's no big deal. But when did these avatars of fiscal conservatism decide that defrauding the American taxpayer was irrelevant, as long as it is the Veep's former company? Just look at all the current examples of Halliburton misdeeds:

New Fuel To Halliburton Fraud Fire: But the Houston-based conglomerate once headed by Vice President Dick Cheney is neck-deep in allegations of waste and fraud involving millions of taxpayer dollars, reports CBS News Correspondent Sharyl Attkisson.

The U.S. Army is threatening to partially withhold payments to Halliburton for the logistical support the company provides for troops in Iraq. The reason: allegations of millions of dollars in over-charges for food, shelter and services.

"There was no regard for spending limits," says former employee Marie DeYoung.

Some of the most compelling accusations come from people like DeYoung, who worked for Halliburton subsidiary KBR.

She recently told Congress that while troops rough it in tents, hundreds of preferred Halliburton KBR employees reside in five-star hotels like the Kempinski in Kuwait with fruit baskets and pressed laundry delivered daily.

"It costs $110 to house one KBR employee per day at the Kempinski, while it costs the Army $1.39 per day to bunk a soldier in a leased tent," DeYoung said.

"The military requested that Halliburton move into tents, but Halliburton refused."

Documents obtained by CBS News show an auditor repeatedly flagged improper fees for soldiers' laundry. At one site, taxpayers reportedly paid $100 for each 15-pound load of wash - $1 million a month in overcharges.

Halliburton insists it doesn't waste money, it saves it. But overcharging is the subject of one federal investigation and there are separate probes for alleged bribery and kickbacks.

Several of those allegations have resulted on the Pentagon citing Halliburton subsidiaries for fraud. Or how about this story?

Halliburton exec on fraud charges: A former employee of a Halliburton subsidiary has been indicted on charges of defrauding the US military of more than $3.5m for fuel in Iraq.

Jeff Alex Mazon, 36, an ex-procurement manager for Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR), is due to appear in a federal court in Atlanta on 10 counts of fraud.

Kuwaiti businessman Ali Hijazi has also been indicted on the same charges.

Halliburton, once run by Vice-President Dick Cheney, is under renewed pressure over its work for the Pentagon in Iraq.

An audit report investigating $108m-worth of questionable fuel delivery costs in Iraq was released on Monday by Congressional Democrats critical of Halliburton's work in Iraq.

Mr Mazon, of Georgia, and Mr Hijazi are accused of defrauding the US government of more than $3.5m by devising a scheme to overcharge the military for fuel.

It is alleged Mr Mazon, while working in Kuwait between December 2002 and June 2003, inflated a bid by Mr Hijazi's LaNouvelle General Trading and Contract Company for a subcontract to store fuel and other operations.

He also inflated a rival Kuwaiti company's competing bid, but made sure LaNouvelle's bid was the lower of the two, the indictment alleged.

Critical report

They are both charged with four counts of fraud against the US and six counts of wire fraud.

Mr Hijazi, who is not a US citizen, has not been arrested, the Justice Department said.

Halliburton said, in a comment on the indictments, that its own internal auditors suspected wrongdoing more than a year ago and immediately reported it to the US government.

"They key issue here is self-disclosure and self-reporting," said spokeswoman Wendy Hall by email, Reuters news agency reported.

A Defense Contract Audit Agency report, released on Monday, criticised KBR for failing to provide clear records of its costs.

It was examining more than $108m (£56m) of a contract extension which was worth $875m.

The Pentagon said on Tuesday military auditors still had "major" unresolved issues with Halliburton, Reuters reported.

It is just unbelievable the lengths so-called conservatives will go to hide from reality. This is a company that is engaging in active fraud on an ongoing basis, and yet these spineless cons merely yawn. Hey, fellas, it's your money too, you know. When are you going to grow some fucking balls and take the leash off? There was a time when these morons were salivating at every bogus revelation Ken Starr fed them. Ohhh, Rose Law Firm! Oooo, FBI files! Ahhh, land deal fraud! And none of that bullshit turned out to be real. No one was charged, no one was even really accused of anything. But these empty-headed zombies munched on that garbage like fresh brains tartar. You would think when we see actual, documented fraud, it would spark at least a glimmer of interest in those dull cow eyes. I bet if that felonious exec had been blowing Karl Rove while he stole your money, you'd care. Nah, you'd just be strapping on your kneepads and getting in line.

JC