Congressional Investigation Slams DHS Anti-Terror Centers: Wasted Taxpayer Funds, Created No Useful Intelligence & Violated Civil Liberties

from the have-we-done-anything-useful? dept

Since September 11th, the government has often had something of a blank check (and the equivalent lack of oversight) for anything labeled as being part of an anti-terror effort. As such, it should hardly come as a surprise that programs are wasteful, possibly fraudulent, bad for civil liberties and (oh yeah) completely useless (to actively harmful) in fighting terrorism. A Congressional investigation into the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) "fusion centers," which were supposed to be a key force in anti-terrorism efforts, presents an absolutely scathing condemnation of the effort.
The Subcommittee investigation found that DHS-assigned detailees to the fusion centers forwarded "intelligence" of uneven quality - oftentimes shoddy, rarely timely, sometimes endangering citizens' civil liberties and Privacy Act protections, occasionally taken from already-published public sources, and more often than not unrelated to terrorism. The Subcommittee investigation also found that DHS officials' public claims about fusion centers were not always accurate. For instance, DHS officials asserted that some fusion centers existed when they did not. At times, DHS officials overstated fusion centers' "success stories." At other times, DHS officials failed to disclose or acknowledge non-public evaluations highlighting a host of problems at fusion centers and in DHS' own operations.
Oh, and did we mention how wasteful they were? Apparently, taxpayer money simply "disappeared" into the program often being spent on totally unrelated things like flat screen TVs:
The Subcommittee investigation also reviewed how the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a component of DHS, distributed hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to support state and local fusion centers. DHS revealed that it was unable to provide an accurate tally of how much it had granted to states and cities to support fusion centers efforts, instead producing broad estimates of the total amount of federal dollars spent on fusion center activities from 2003 to 2011, estimates which ranged from $289 million to $1.4 billion. The Subcommittee investigation also found that DHS failed to adequately police how states and municipalities used the money intended for fusion centers. The investigation found that DHS did not know with any accuracy how much grant money it has spent on specific fusion centers, nor could it say how most of those grant funds were spent, nor has it examined the effectiveness of those grant dollars. The Subcommittee conducted a more detailed case study review of expenditures of DHS grant funds at five fusion centers, all of which lacked basic, "must-have" intelligence capabilities, according to assessments conducted by and for DHS. The Subcommittee investigation found that the state and local agencies used some of the federal grant money to purchase: dozens of flat-screen TVs; Sport Utility Vehicles they then gave away to other local agencies; and hidden "shirt button" cameras, cell phone tracking devices, and other surveillance equipment unrelated to the analytical mission of a fusion center.
Of course, this kind of thing isn't all that uncommon. I remember a story from nearly a decade ago about all the money designated for things like E911 services, instead being used to pay for boots and pens. We recently wrote about the failure of a NY City program to spy on Muslims to turn up a single lead, but this takes that kind of failure to a whole new level.

Of course, the scary part in all this isn't just the misuse of funds or the failure to produce anything relevant. It's that what was done almost certainly violated the public's rights. And apparently, such violations of civil liberties were a very common problem.
The inappropriate reporting appears to have been a regular problem. An April 2009 email from an alarmed senior I&A official stated: “[State and Local Fusion Center officials] are collecting open-source intelligence (OSINT) on U.S. persons (USPER), without proper vetting, and improperly reporting this information through homeland information reporting (HIR) channels,” wrote Barbara Alexander, then director of the Collection and Requirements Division, which oversaw HIR reporting. “The improper reporting of this information through HIR channels is likely a result of a lack of training on proper collection and reporting procedures . . . they are inadvertently causing problems.” In an interview with the Subcommittee, Ms. Alexander said she recalled being told the Reporting Branch was “flooded” with inappropriate reporting. “A lot of information was coming in inappropriately,” she remembered. “The information was not reportable.”

[....] Ms. Schlanger’s presentation, a copy of which DHS provided to the Subcommittee, indicated that areas in which DHS intelligence reporters had overstepped legal boundaries included: Reporting on First Amendment-protected activities lacking a nexus to violence or criminality; reporting on or improperly characterizing political, religious or ideological speech that is not explicitly violent or criminal; and attributing to an entire group the violent or criminal acts of one or a limited number of the group’s members.
The investigation goes on to quote numerous examples of "reports" prepared on information that DHS is not allowed to report on as it violates civil liberties.

In the end, as with so many "anti-terror" programs, what we have is a program that took in a ton of taxpayer funds, with almost no oversight as to what happened to those funds (leading to $1.4 billion disappearing), no intelligence of any use but undertook plenty of efforts that were clearly beyond the mandate of Homeland Security. And all of this is supposed to make us feel safer?
Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: abuse, civil liberties, congress, dhs, fusion centers, homeland security, terrorism, waste


Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • icon
    Tim K (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 5:50am

    Maybe next they can go slam the FBI for Wasting Taxpayer Funds, Creating No Useful Intelligence & Violating Civil Liberties for its fake terror plots.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Ninja (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 6:11am

      Re:

      Hopefully they won't stop at a single slam or a wrist slap. Hopefully the responsible will be properly punished (with jail when applicable). Hopefully.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Boogieman boo, 3 Oct 2012 @ 7:57am

      Re:

      This shit is run by fake Christians and fake politicians, they tell you to listen, but they don't really tell you their mission. They funded Al-Qaeda, and now they blame the Muslim religion even though Bin Laden was a CIA tactician.
      They gave him billions of dollars, and they funded his purpose, Fahrenheit 9/11, that's just scratchin' the surface.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 8:05am

        Re: Re:

        I was with you, but you lost all credibility when you failed to toss aliens in there.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
          identicon
          Boogieman boo, 3 Oct 2012 @ 8:12am

          Re: Re: Re:

          This ain't no alien conspiracy theory, this shit is real
          Written on the dollar underneath the Masonic seal.

          We funded Al-Qaeda.
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqn0bm4E9yw

          And now we are funding them again in Syria:
          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzQ2KZWfjgs

          What are you an asshole or something?

          Wake up douchebag.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 8:19am

            Re: Re: Re: Re:

            Boo !

            link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            Trails (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 8:38am

            Re: Re: Re: Re:

            Too wacky, cannot tell if real or satire.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 10:48am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

              song lyrics

              link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Boogieman boo, 3 Oct 2012 @ 2:45pm

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

              Watch the videos. If you take this seriously it makes it hard to get through the day. Its sad but true. We created Al-Qaeda. We sold Saddam the chemical weapons. We created the beast. Then we turn around and blame "radical" muslums but the hijackers were from pakistan. You all heard a little about the wire transfer from pakistan:
              http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/specials/attacked/transcripts/abctext_093001. htmlFollowing is the transcript of ABC's "This Week," hosted by Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts...

              DONALDSON: Well, united in the hunt for the terrorists, which continues this weekend on two fronts. Our chief investigative reporter, Brian Ross, has the latest on the FBI's investigation.

              Brian, what's new?

              ROSS: Well, good morning, Sam.

              The investigation is divided into two areas, what happened on September 11 and what might happen next. And that's getting by far the most attention.

              Of greatest concern, terror strikes that may be planned or already under way, including, ABC News has been told, intelligence information that American tourists overseas, particularly in Asia, could be targeted for kidnappings or assassinations.

              As to September 11, federal authorities have told ABC News they've now tracked more than $100,000 from banks in Pakistan to two banks in Florida to accounts held by suspected hijack ringleader Mohamed Atta.

              As well this morning, ``Time magazine is reporting that some of that money came in the days just before the attack and can be traced directly to people connected to Osama bin Laden.

              It's all part of what has been a successful FBI effort so far to close in on the hijackers' high command, the money men, the planners, and the mastermind, Sam.
              DONALDSON: Thank you, Brian. Brian Ross.

              Makes me sick. So yeah I F around a little, just to keep my own sanity.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

          • identicon
            Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 9:10am

            Re: Re: Re: Re:

            Oi! Show some respect. That's Mr. Asshole.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Machin Shin (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 9:22am

        Re: Re:

        Well, all credibility was tossed out the window with mention of Fahrenheit 9/11. Just the title of that damn film pisses me off and shows how stupid the creators are.

        If your trying to make a cleaver reference to something maybe you should actually understand what the hell your doing. Fahrenheit 451 the title actually makes sense, 451 degrees is flash point of paper and was relevant to subject of the book. Now how about someone tell me what the hell 911 degrees has to do with anything?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          JMT (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 2:22pm

          Re: Re: Re:

          The title was a satire of the book's title with reference to the 9/11 attacks. It has nothing to do with 911 degrees, nor is that even mentioned anywhere. Really, you just failed to understand this one.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        rubberpants, 3 Oct 2012 @ 9:23am

        Re: Re:

        4/10

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      gorehound (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 8:57am

      Re:

      Nothing will get done in the End.These A-Holes know how to use Fearmongering quite well.And the Sheeple will do nothing.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Chuck Norris' Enemy (deceased) (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 11:13am

        Re: Re:

        Oh, the sheeple will do something...re-elect 'em even though their approval rating is around 15%. If we are electing fools that the populace thinks only 15% of their work is good, what do we expect from the people they hire to run their government?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    :Lobo Santo (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 7:31am

    Full Stomach && Cake!

    Not surprised.

    It's easy for a regime to exonerate itself by pointing backwards and saying "this thing we did (with money we forcibly took from you, our citizens) was wrong, and should be corrected."

    That's like saying "I'm sorry I hit you in the stomach 30 times yesterday before stealing your wallet."

    While retrospect and apology are nice, they shouldn't have been doing such a stupid thing for years (and billion$) to begin with!!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      MrWilson, 3 Oct 2012 @ 7:47am

      Re: Full Stomach && Cake!

      And they should be actively putting measures in place to prevent this in the future and make it clear to anyone who would perpetrate similar programs that they will be held accountable for their actions.

      /daydreaming

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Jeff (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 8:04am

        Re: Re: Full Stomach && Cake!

        We already have active measures in place - it's a simple but very nuanced document - the U.S. Constitution. They just continue to ignore it.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 7:36am

    "Oh, and did we mention how wasteful they were? Apparently, taxpayer money simply "disappeared" into the program often being spent on totally unrelated things like flat screen TVs"

    They need to be watching all those terrorists in high-def when they come to US. Plus, they are great for watching sports in the 99.999999999% of the time when there's no terrorist arriving.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    TasMot (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 7:53am

    Correction

    Last paragraph should say $1.4 BILLION not million.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 9:27am

      Re: Correction

      Well, to be fair, 1.4 million did disappear, but I think he meant to say billion too.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    TasMot (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 7:55am

    What I HATE

    about this is that nothing will be done. We (the suffering taxpayers) will just keep right on footing the bill to hand out HD TVs and the next billion of disappearing money.

    WTF????

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 7:55am

    The government has become the terrorist

    The government, in its effort to stop terrorists, has become a terrorist.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 10:27am

      Re: The government has become the terrorist

      don't be ridiculous
      the US government hasn't changed
      it was always terrorist.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Mark Harrill (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 7:58am

    Not to be picky, but..

    In that last paragraph you state: (leading to $1.4 million disappearing)

    Earlier in the article its $1.4 billion. Billion is a much bigger deal

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Paul Renault (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 8:02am

    Wow! Congress is actually taking the side of the citizens!?!

    Man! If I didn't know any better, I'd think that there's an election on, or something.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 8:02am

    While I am not surprised by the report, let me say this:

    While it claims to be a Majority and Minority bi-partisan report, it seems like only minority members's staff were on the investigating team. That lead minority member is SENATOR TOM COBURN, M.D. (their capitals, not mine), a Republican from Okalahoma.

    You don't think there is even a small tick of political timing in this one?

    Come on Mike. Don't fall for the hype.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      weneedhelp (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 8:37am

      Re:

      Who cares about timing, the fact is its a useless wasteful program. Most of this stuff was conceived under republican rule and continued under the democrats. Stop all that repub/dem political crap and realize what a farce the 2 party system is. They are both the same assholes that don't give a fuck about you and I. All they care about is the almighty dollar and sell out the public at every chance.

      End rant.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Sneeje (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 9:32am

        Re: Re:

        Well, I've actually spent time in a couple of these fusion centers. I can't speak to the waste, which I imagine is certainly occurring, but let's not act like there is no value whatsoever from these centers.

        In my experience, I saw agents from multiple agencies working closely together and applying some fairly strict policy to govern protection of the data and unintended targets.

        Perhaps the bad outweighs the good, but that's not what I observed.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Ruben, 3 Oct 2012 @ 10:29am

          Re: Re: Re:

          How foolish of me, the value in groping every airline passenger is obvious, right? And the tens of millions spent on the nude body scanners that no one can question the efficacy of? Aren't a large percentage of those sitting in a warehouse somewhere, never to be deployed?

          link to this | view in chronology ]

          • icon
            Sneeje (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 12:13pm

            Re: Re: Re: Re:

            Read the article please, this is not talking about the TSA, it is talking about fusion centers, which are sites dedicated to the sharing of information and joint investigation activities among agencies.

            And also don't mistake the intent of my post--I agree very strongly with many in this community around privacy protections. But as I said, I observed (very small sample set) good and respectful work being done, not what is described here.

            link to this | view in chronology ]

            • identicon
              Michael, 4 Oct 2012 @ 5:49am

              Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

              It's hardly a surprise that you'd paint a rosy picture for these fusion centers considering your involvement. Your posts read like damage control.

              So I put it to you, name one thing accomplished by a fusion center that A) couldn't be accomplished by a law enforcement agency, and B) actually made us safer. You can't do it and I'll tell you why: because fusion centers were created to monitor ordinary Americans, not to look for imaginary boogeymen.

              link to this | view in chronology ]

              • icon
                Sneeje (profile), 4 Oct 2012 @ 7:31am

                Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                I can, actually. I observed multiple interdictions of individuals later convicted of fraud, drug-related charges, and money laundering.

                This was achieved in a much shorter time period than normal by having co-located agents using data all available through the same shared tools.

                I'm not sure why you are attacking me, though. I believe that those running these centers need to be held accountable for the issues that have come out of this report. Shame on them.

                All I'm saying is that having an extremely narrow view and refusing to acknowledge any positive outcomes or elements of these centers is being blinded by ideology at best and ignorant at worst.

                link to this | view in chronology ]

                • identicon
                  Michael, 4 Oct 2012 @ 2:04pm

                  Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                  "I can, actually. I observed multiple interdictions of individuals later convicted of fraud, drug-related charges, and money laundering."

                  Correct me if I'm mistaken but those fusion centers were created for tracking down terrorists, not fraud, drugs and money laundering. But even in the event that they weren't, it doesn't change the fact that they're violating Americans' rights. So either way they're going above and beyond the law.

                  link to this | view in chronology ]

                  • icon
                    Sneeje (profile), 5 Oct 2012 @ 5:51am

                    Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re:

                    Not all of them were created specifically for terrorism, but the majority were and the funding certainly came out of the aftermath of 9/11.

                    But look, I'm not disagreeing. The report is clear--the fusion centers are either being run so poorly that they fail in their mission or they inherently create those weaknesses.

                    I can't say which, I'm just saying that the work I've seen and the agents I've worked with have been effective, respectful of citizens' rights, and not something that could easily occur in a different environment.

                    link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          sgt_doom (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 10:53am

          Re: Re: Re:

          They only make sense if they're investigating JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citigroup, and those who own those financial entities.

          http://fcic-static.law.stanford.edu/cdn_media/fcic-reports/fcic_final_report_full.pdf

          link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      E. Zachary Knight (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 9:55am

      Re:

      Nothing wrong with the timing. Senator Coburn has been on a seek and identify, if not destroy, wasteful spending kick for the last couple of years. About the only good thing he has been up to. This is just another round of it. He earlier in the year identified a whole bunch of wasteful research grants the US government has been giving out that he feels could be cut.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Sneeje (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 10:04am

        Re: Re:

        This is very good.

        I just hope the fusion center concept isn't completely abandoned (see my post above). But maybe it has to be completely bootstrapped--I realize sometimes things have to be completely broken down before they can be fixed.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 9:03pm

        Re: Re:

        Zach, you are politically naive if you don't think this is a timed release. Clearly, with less than 60 days until election time, the Republicans will be releasing any and all reports that suggest Obama is a bad guy, in an attempt to bolster their party's candidate.

        The report may or may not be factual. It's time release makes me think it is less factual, and more about playing gotcha and trying to score political points. I am sure that this report would have been just as good on November 15th, why rush it out now?

        Perhaps there needs to be a new law that restricts inquiry reports from behind released in the 90 or 120 days leading up to an election, to avoid this sort of partisan play.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • icon
          E. Zachary Knight (profile), 4 Oct 2012 @ 10:49am

          Re: Re: Re:

          This is like the 6th one he has released in the last year. Nothing naive about that.

          Perhaps there needs to be a new law that restricts inquiry reports from behind released in the 90 or 120 days leading up to an election, to avoid this sort of partisan play.

          Yes. Let's suppress congressional research until it is convenient for the incumbent president rather than releasing them when they are done and ready to be acted upon.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 8:03am

    "And all of this is supposed to make us feel safer?"

    Feel safer, yes. Be safer, not so much.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      Machin Shin (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 9:56am

      Re:

      I'm not so sure it is really supposed to do either of those. If so they are failing on every level. I do not feel safer. In fact I am finding myself more and more living in a state of fear.

      Is it a fear of terrorist jumping out and killing me? No, not at all. In fact I do not fear "terrorists" at all. What does scare the shit out of me is the direction our government is headed in. They are destroying more than any "terrorist" group could ever hope to.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 8:37am

    i doubt if there are many people that are surprised by this. i would suspect that the surprise is that the rest of the so-called 'keeping us safe' agencies, including the TSA are still doing what they like, unabated, wasting a fortune in tax payers money and eliminating next to nothing as far as terrorist threats are concerned, other than the ones they make up themselves!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 9:53am

    When politicians react in a hurry they end up wasting money, especially when the effort is misdirected; attacks by foreign terrorists require efforts to catch home grown terrorists??? Also when agencies are set up for a specific purpose, expect them to do everything possible to prove that they are needed.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Dirkmaster (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 10:30am

    Thank god!

    All this DHS crap was the creation of that evil George Bush. Its not surprising that it's all corrupt and pointless. Thank god we have a president in there now who's ended all those pointless and evil anti-terror efforts....

    Oh, wait.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Fanic, 3 Oct 2012 @ 10:38am

    The real question

    Ok, so they finally bulled there collective heads from there collective asses and realized what going on... good.....great job to them.

    What are they going to do about it?
    ...
    ....
    .....
    ......

    Nothing.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    sgt_doom (profile), 3 Oct 2012 @ 10:51am

    Just part of the overall financial fraud .....

    Things that make you go hhhmmmmmmmmmm…..?

    He said he wanted to expose something at work

    In his $5 million mansion, Robert McKeon, head of private equity firm, Veritas Capital, commits suicide by strangling himself.

    Strangling himself ???????

    Awhile later, the news reports or claims that Albert Peterson, a wealthy defense contractor, formerly with Northrop Grumman, and presently employed as a Senior Subcontracts Administrator with BAE Systems Information Technology, murdered his wife and children, then turned his gun on himself, committing suicide.

    A terrible tragedy, and the news reports further claimed Mr. Peterson was supposed to have committed those horrific acts because he was afraid President Obama would be reelected!

    Because he was afraid President Obama would be reelected ?????????????

    One enterprising journalist actually did report that the now-deceased Mrs. Peterson had mentioned to a co-worker at defense contractor, Blackbird Technologies, where she worked, that her husband was troubled by something he had learned at BAE which he was seriously concerned about. Albert Peterson had been involved with a BAE unit which a few years previously had been owned by Veritas Capital, then later sold to BAE.

    It should be noted that Robert McKeon’s Veritas Capital had made some extremely fortuitous investments in the defense industry shortly prior to 9/11/01. Some months prior to 9/11, Veritas Capital had also purchased Raytheon Aerospace, a subsidiary of Raytheon.

    Aboard several of those four ill-fated airliners on 9/11/01 were developers of remote piloting hardware/software from Veritas Capital’s Raytheon Aerospace, and several similar subcontractors (from BAE, I believe).

    Sounds more like a brutal cleanup crew was active --- cleansing a possible leak of a probably innocent man and his family, and the private equity principal of a highly profitable operation eleven years earlier.

    (While it may be the only actual coincidence here, it should also be noted that several years ago --- or the last time we checked --- the majority shareholders in Northrop Grumman were James Baker and the Bush family.)

    Things that make you go hhhmmmmmmmmmm…..?

    [With a criminal congress populated with the likes of Darryl Issa, with his arrest record, insurance fraud and arson background, and John Boehner, who washed out of Navy boot camp, then falsely claimed military service during Vietnam when he first ran for the House, we are assured of no real investigation ever taking place.]

    Financial Fraud Roll Call:

    $2.3 trillion unaccounted for from DoD (announced on 9/10/01 by Pentagon’s comptroller)

    $8.7 billion (plus ?) missing during Iraqi war operations

    $16.7 billion (plus ?) missing during Afghanistani war operations

    Over $1 billion unaccounted for from “Fusion Center” budget: domestic intelligence collection operation instituted by DHS in conjunction with private sector

    http://fcic-static.law.stanford.edu/cdn_media/fcic-reports/fcic_final_report_full.pdf

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2012 @ 2:14pm

    DHS was wrong under Bush, it's wrong under Obama.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.