Audit: U.S. Overpaid Blackwater (tens of millions of dollars)

[sabra]

Source: ABC News

Millions Went to Controversial Firm, Despite Understaffing

June 16, 2009—

The U.S. government overpaid tens of millions of dollars to the scandal-ridden security contractor once known as Blackwater, according to a new government audit.

The firm, now known as "Xe," understaffed its security teams assigned to protect the U.S. ambassador in Iraq and other U.S. officials in country. In total, the State Department could have dinged the company $55 million for work it didn't properly perform, auditors concluded.

Those fees should have been assessed for Blackwater's failure to meet staffing requirements laid out in its contract, the auditors said in their report. In addition, Blackwater also overcharged over $125,000 for travel, by booking tickets "in excess of coach fare."

In total, the firm has billed more than $1 billion in work to the State Department, much of it through contracts awarded without competition.

In a written statement, Xe spokeswoman Anne Tyrell disagreed with the auditor's conclusions. "The government contracting officer determined that Blackwater was compliant with the terms and conditions of the contract at the time for which they were reviewing and therefore did not apply any deductions or penalties," she said. "Blackwater only billed for services provided."

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Blackwater/story?id=7851018&page=1

[opihimoimoi]

1. The Lying SOB's should return the money

[robinlynne]

2. with interest.

[Wizard777]

4. Except that with the reincorporation Black water no longer exists to pay them back.

That corporate personage is dead. It was a murder for profit. But the corporate personage is dead. If they really are persons. Why isn't the death of a cooperation investigated for Homicide?

[opihimoimoi]

5. How unPatriotic and despicable...Americans under Bush got raped and snookered once more

This is appalling

[Mari333]

3. We are still using them

and using our tax dollars to pay mercenaries.
I doubt they will ever get in trouble for it.

[Politicalboi]

6. More money laundering

From the Bush Assministration. I bet it's even more that what they report. Like pallets of money that went missing in Iraq.

[Raster]

7. Guess it pays to know the right war criminals, eh?

"In total, the firm has billed more than $1 billion in work to the State Department, much of it through contracts awarded without competition."

[Dappleganger]

8. Now THERE'S your big government, GOP...

pull it out of the shadows and OWN THAT SUCKAH!

[SpiralHawk]

9. "Smirk" - Republicon Homelander War Profiteers

"We got ours - smirk -- too bad about you Americans - Smrik - pull yourselves up by your own 'special' no-bid contracts - Smirk"

- Republicon Homelander War Profiteers

[Rex]

10. Corporate tyranny is still tyranny.

This shit has to stop.

[sarcasmo]

11. Erik Prince should be in Prison.

[Wednesdays]

12. K&R

:kick: