GAO blocks contract to Blackwater to train Afghan police

By GottaLaff



Here's an idea. Block Blackwater, period:

Federal auditors on Monday put a stop to Army plans to award a $1 billion training program for Afghan police officers to the company formerly known as Blackwater, concluding that other companies were unfairly excluded from bidding on the job.

DynCorp International Inc. protested because they weren't allowed to submit bids when training management went from State to the Army. Hey, somebody had to protest, and it's about time somebody was acknowledged.

Anybody. For any reason. At this point, the more blockage the better until these guys are blocked out of e-Xe-stence.

Now the bidding will begin again, and Blackwater will get another shot. Too bad.

But Carl Levin, who happens to be chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is speaking out. Kudos to him:

Levin cited a history of allegedly abusive behavior by the contractor's employees, including misappropriation of government weapons and hiring of workers with criminal records that included assault and drug offenses. He also accused managers of the private security company of lying to win lucrative jobs in Afghanistan.

And yet they're still allowed to be part of the bidding process.

"If this contract is re-bid and Blackwater is among the bidders, I hope that the Defense Department will take a close look at the company to determine if it is a suitable contracting partner for the U.S. government," [Levin] said.

Let's hope that starts the ball rolling on why we have anything dealings with these thugs. State Department, are you listening? Hillary?

Bueller?

Typical: Republicans block surgeon general nominee during flu pandemic

By GottaLaff

The Party of No strikes again. Honestly, the Rushpublics would block mental health facilities for suicidal Katrina victims if they could.

Oh wait.

Speaking of viruses, here's the latest on the GOP:

A GOP block on all Health and Human Services nominees has left the department without a surgeon general during a period of a global flu pandemic, prompting the HHS secretary to call for Senate action.

Regina Benjamin, the surgeon general nominee, “is ready to be voted on in the Senate, and we would just strongly urge the United States Senate” to act, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said during an MSNBC interview Friday in which she discused the department's response to the spread of the H1N1 virus. [...]

Benjamin was unanimously approved by the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Oct. 7, but Senate Republicans are holding up all HHS nominees over a so-called gag order on insurance companies that have been critical of Democratic efforts to reform health care.

Way to reassure America, GOP.

VIDEOS: Conservative Group Launches Website Focused on Kagan, Wood, and Sotomayor

By GottaLaff

Remember when George Bush was in the White House, and the Rushpublics said something about giving the president the benefit of the doubt on his nominees because he's, you know, the president?

The Judicial Confirmation Network, a conservative group that encourages the confirmation of judges who interpret the Constitution -- as opposed to "activist" judges -- has launched a new website, www.Obama'sFrontrunners.com.

Nothing like politicizing the process. Hypocrisy: It's not just for breakfast any more!

A "very ticked-off" Harry Reid Uses Franken as Threat

By GottaLaff

A follow-up of sorts to my previous post, just below. Reid should do the same for Dawn Johnsen's nomination:

A "very ticked-off" Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) predicted that the nominee for the Interior Department's number two post "will be approved despite the lockstep opposition" of Senate Republicans, reports Politico.

Said Reid: "We will confirm David Hayes. If I have to wait until Al Franken comes, we will confirm David Hayes."

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar was equally ticked off after a vote on the Hayes nomination failed, according to NBC News.

Said Salazar: "This was a tired vote of bitter obstructionism. It may be uncomfortable for some to watch us have to clean up mess after mess -- from corruption to lawbreaking -- that is the previous administration's legacy at Interior, but to cast a vote against such a qualified and fine person is the height of cynicism."

Conservatives Set To Block Dawn Johnsen’s Nomination

By GottaLaff

In a couple of recent posts, I've brought up Dawn Johnsen as someone who should get confirmed without any further delay. Didn't we just know that the Rushpublics would do their level best to block her? Why would they do that? This is why. It's not about her position on abortion, it's about her (perfectly appropriate) approach to justice and our legal system, meaning: They're terrified.

Well, well, well, guess which unsurprising move by the Rushpublics is about to cut the Democrats off at the knees:

Roll Call reports that conservatives look poised to successfully block the nomination of Dawn Johnsen to head the White House Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) declared that his hands were tied without the assistance of a few Republican votes:

“Right now we’re finding out when to do that,” Reid said, responding to a question about the status of Indiana University law professor Dawn Johnsen’s nomination to the Justice post. “We need a couple Republican votes until we can get to 60.”

Three words: Senator Al Franken.

It’s unclear why 60 votes are needed to confirm Johnsen, considering her predecessor, Jay Bybee — who went on to authorize illegal torture — won easy confirmation in 2001 through a simple voice vote. Bybee’s successor, Jack Goldsmith, was also approved by a voice vote. Steven Bradbury served for three years as an acting OLC head, and so did not have to come up for a vote. Having a full — and filibuster-proof — Senate vote on Johnsen would be an unusual break with recent precedent. [...]

Johnsen is eminently qualified to head the OLC. She has been an outspoken critic of Bush’s torture and eavesdropping programs, argues persuasively for accountability for wrongdoing, and has written passionately in support of checks and balances and against executive branch power grabs. She is a strong progressive candidate who could restore the tainted OLC to a place of legal professionalism and pride. And, like the majority of Americans, Johnsen thinks abortions should be safe and legal in most cases.

Specter and Nelson can find little in Johnsen’s sterling record to substantively critique, and Reid shouldn’t let them stand in the way. Indeed, their opposition to her breaks their track record for supporting previous OLC heads like Bybee. Remember, when Bush nominated Bybee for a federal judgeship, Specter, Nelson, Cornyn, and Reid all voted to confirm him.

It's time for Paddy and me to invite Specter and Nelson to join Lindsey Graham in the woodshed. I'll supply the spiders.

H/t: Dr. President

VIDEO: Conservatives Blocking More Key Obama Nominees

By GottaLaff

The Party of No strikes again. Have they realized yet, who got elected, by how much, and how popular he is? And when will they stop putting self-interest ahead of their country?

Conservatives in Congress and in the media are attempting to block or delay a growing number of critical nominees for what amount to ideological witch hunts and self-interested horse-trading. [...]

In the last week alone, at least four separate nominees who thought they were on track to be approved will have to wait at least a few more weeks:

Department of Defense: Sens. Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) announced today that “they are blocking President Barack Obama’s nomination of Ashton Carter as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics.” The senators want assurances that Carter will not “change the criteria” on which the Pentagon considers a refueling tanker contract that could benefit defense contractors in their state.

Department of Veterans Affairs: Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) asked the Senate Veterans Affairs committee to delay voting on the “nomination of Tammy Duckworth [Laffy Note: See video], an injured Iraq war helicopter pilot, to be an assistant secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs.” Contacted by ThinkProgress, Burr’s Press Secretary, David Ward said that Burr is waiting for the answers to several questions he’s put to the White House and Duckworth, but would not disclose what those questions were.

White House Office of Legal Council: Dawn Johnsen’s nomination [Laffy Note: See this post] as head of the OLC has been delayed in part because Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) has ideological differences with her. As the Legal Times explained, “citing Johnsen’s criticisms of Bush national security policies, [Cornyn] accused her of lacking ‘the seriousness and necessary resolve’ to fight terrorism,” while “other Republicans have targeted her work as legal director for NARAL Pro-Choice America from 1988 to 1993.”

Department of State: Right wing commentators are working to block the appointment of Harold Koh to the State Deptment’s top legal adviser, smearing him as a “threat to democracy” for his being an international law expert. As the Century Foundation notes, “The fervent opponents of Harold Koh turn out to be enthusiastic defenders of John Yoo.”

Additionally, Chris Hill’s nomination as ambassador to Iraq is still being held up by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) at the behest of the right wing.

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See how patriotic they are? No wonder they're falling apart.