Katrina profiteers -- new no-bid contract for #1 Republican sea transport campaign donor

They should make a statistic in every political almanac that has to do with the record number of no-bid contracts an Administration can give in the least amount of time.  In just one month, a number of companies, almost all of them not local, are profiting off Katrina.  Chris Matthews, the host of the MSNBC show Hardball, broke it down for us on yesterday's show (MSNBC):

Eighty percent of the $1.5 billion that's been let out in contracts for recovery efforts down in the Gulf has gone to no-bid contracts.  It's a deal with one company, no competition; $60 million has gone to a Halliburton subsidiary represented in the lobbying world by Joseph Allbaugh, the former FEMA director for President Bush; $100 million has gone to Bechtel, which is still in a controversial situation for perhaps unsubstantiated charges in the Big Dig up in Boston.

$568 million has gone to a group called Ashbritt down in Pompano Beach, Florida.  That is represented by the firm formerly headed by Haley Barbour.

Haley Barbour, Joe Allbaugh, Big Dig, lots of connections here with politicians close to the Bush administration.

But now there is more.  According to the Washington Post, FEMA awarded Carnival Cruise Lines a no-bid, $236 million contract to use three ships of theirs for six months.  Republican Tom Coburn and Democrat Barack Obama responded in disgust to the deal:

"When the federal government would actually save millions of dollars by forgoing the status quo and actually sending evacuees on a luxurious six-month cruise it is time to rethink how we are conducting oversight. A short-term temporary solution has turned into a long-term, grossly overpriced sweetheart deal for a cruise line."

At a time when we ought to be saving money, why would FEMA give such a lucrative contract to Carnival Cruise Lines?  All you have to do is follow the money trail.  According to Open Secrets, the campaign financial disclosure web site, Carnival Corp was the number one sea transport contributor to the Republican Party during the 2004 election cycle -- giving the party $183,903.  So far for the 2006 election cycle, Carnival Corp has donated 78% of all its money to Republican candidates, amounting to $39,390.

We all care about how the government is spending our tax dollars.  I am a fiscal moderate who despises wasteful spending that adds to the deficit -- especially when it puts a burden onto the backs of tomorrow's generation.  But regardless of political ideology, all Americans ought to be ashamed of this.

Comments

[buma]

According to Buy Blue, Carnival is a GOP friend. Just coincidental, of course.
http://www.buyblue.org/directory/116

[Administrator: Todd]

You're right, that is a coincidence! How long did it take you to find that one? Though, I trust the campaign disclosure site where I got my facts from a little bit more.