Bad Deeds for 3-28-07

The politicization of the General Services Administration – General Services Administration (GSA) chief Lurita Doan was called on the carpet before the House Government Oversight committee today to explain what she was doing when she convened a national teleconference of GSA managers for a briefing from White House political staffers on how they could best use federal government resources to help Republican candidates in 2008 — a presentation, by the way, that included a list of the Top 20 targeted Democrats for 2008. Video

FBI agent told to keep quiet over attorney firings – An FBI agent was warned to keep quiet about the dismissal of a U.S. attorney after he told a newspaper her firing would hurt the agency’s ongoing investigations and speculated politics was involved

White House Tried to Stifle Climate Research – Bush administration officials throughout the government have engaged in White House-directed efforts to stifle, delay or dampen the release of climate change research that casts the White House or its policies in a bad light. Researchers for the non-profit watchdog Government Accountability Project reviewed thousands of e-mails, memos and other documents obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests and from government whistle-blowers and conducted dozens of interviews with public affairs staff, scientists, reporters and others. The group says it has identified hundreds of instances where White House-appointed officials interfered with government scientists’ efforts to convey their research findings to the public, at the behest of top administration officials.

Faulty contract costs the Veterans Administration millions – The Department of Veterans Affairs backdated a key document and violated other rules as it pushed through a $100 million computer security contract that resulted in inflated prices and duplicate payments. In the end, the contract turned into “an open checkbook” for various VA expenses, and the agency today can’t detail the whereabouts of some $35 million in equipment purchased under the contract.

Pentagon conducting research into adverse effects of anthrax vaccine while maintaining it is safe – The Pentagon resumed its controversial mandatory anthrax vaccinations program for selected troops last week despite the fact that its own doctors are quietly conducting research into adverse effects of the vaccine

Regards,

Jim