Official House Oversight Committee - Inspector General hearing thread I

[marmar]

There seem to be three separate threads going on. Unity, DU! Unity! .... We on the left are always such a factionalized people. :)

[bdamomma]

1. yea, there are quite a few threads started on this topic.

[marmar]

2. What the hell does "deconflict" mean?

He's just making up shit.

[redqueen]

8. Who said that?

That made me laugh.


So did the definition I found here: http://www.nbc-links.com/terms.html

[marmar]

10. Howard Krongard....

The State Dept. Minister of Propa.... The State Dept. Inspector General

[redqueen]

11. Hahaha...

thanks :)

[marmar]

3. Good. Waxman just called Shays out on his leading question bullshit....

n/t

[rocktivity]

7. So exactly what is Waxman trying to accomplish here?

And does this have anything to do with the security clearances that Mukasey allowed last night?

:headbang:
rocknation

[Virginia Dare]

18. I wonder what the heck is going on too..

Bush had shut down the OPR investigation, Mukasey gets confirmed, and poof, they get their security clearances!..:shrug:

[rodeodance]

33. HERE IS A BRIEF AGENGA FOR TODAY:

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Assessing the State Department Inspector General
Table of Contents
Overview

Chairman Waxman's Opening Statement

Today at 10:00 a.m. the Committee will hold a hearing to assess the performance of State Department Inspector General Howard J. Krongard following a series of allegations that the Inspector General halted investigations, censored reports, and refused to cooperate with law enforcement agencies. This hearing will be webcast live.




Video of the hearing:

[rocktivity]

83. Well, either the most incriminating evidence has "been disappeared"

or the Bush monarchy has decided that Krongard has to "take the bullet" on this matter.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Virginia Dare]

84. Perhaps Gonzo did some housecleaning on his way out....

Buzzie and Cookie seem way too connected to get thrown under the bus.

on edit: could this have something to do as well with the court order to preserve all e-mails, and bushco's objections to it?

[rocktivity]

87. Maybe THAT'S that's the monkey wrench that has set the Rethugs scrambling

Unless those e-mails have been disappeared, too.

:headbang:
rocknation

[bdamomma]

4. kick and rec

[eShirl]

5. k&r

[marmar]

6. Elijah Cummings always gets down to business....

A nice contrast to Shays' histrionics.

[madokie]

9. I like the man

he will not take any shit from anyone either

[marmar]

12. "Drive-by Oversight" ..... I CANNOT STAND that Patrick McHenry prick....

n/t

[PRETZEL]

14. way better than the no oversight that has been the Republican Congress of the past

n/t

[rodeodance]

25. I really want the PLEASURE of kicking him where it hurts!!

[PRETZEL]

32. he ain't got em

:puke:

[rodeodance]

35. HA HA GOOD ONE------BULLIES GENERALLY DO NOT.

[libnnc]

13. Oh goody. Little Patrick McShithead

Any more on that murder suicide his friend was involved in?

[madokie]

15. I can see I'm in good company

[libnnc]

16. he needs a pie in the face

in a public forum

seriously.

[marmar]

17. How much oversight is too much? This McHenry freak is unbelievable....

How he got any position higher than custodian trainee is beyond me.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

19. Thank you! nt

[rodeodance]

20. AnOTHER thread here. :

Forum Name General Discussion
Topic subject If You have access to Cspan III you should watch it now
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2279391#2279391
2279391, If You have access to Cspan III you should watch it now
Posted by ThomWV on Wed Nov-14-07 09:53 AM

Waxman is holding a hearing on that is stunning. Illegal behavior by the IG at State. The man is on the stand and Waxman is eating him alive.

[rodeodance]

21. but alyce invited us all over here. SO HI

[marmar]

22. I love Diane Watson.....

She's that benevolent teacher who you were terrified to piss off.

[rodeodance]

23. there was LOTS of dissing Waxman by Shays at the beginning.

[marmar]

24. Yes.....He was quite the little jerk....McHenry is out-jerking him now.

n/t

[rodeodance]

26. mchenry, shays and Issa. and they are after waxman, not the IP

[marmar]

27. hearing in recess until 12:10 EST

[rodeodance]

28. Recess till 12:10 pm for House votes

[rodeodance]

29. See you all after the HOUSE VOTES

[rodeodance]

30. see this MINORITY report put out PRE meeting today.HERE

Forum Name General Discussion
Topic subject The repubs must really be scared about what Waxman is onto here..
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2279391#2279502
2279502, The repubs must really be scared about what Waxman is onto here..
Posted by Virginia Dare on Wed Nov-14-07 10:07 AM

they released their own report ahead of time, basically saying while the guy is an asshole, he did nothing wrong...:eyes: These repubs are so transparent, when they come out spinning, you know you've got them by the short ones.

A report produced by the Republican staff of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee concludes that while State Department Inspector General Howard J. Krongard has "an extraordinarily abusive management style," charges that Krongard thwarted investigations into Iraq and was motivated by political bias cannot be supported by the evidence collected.

The 117-page report by the minority staff, prepared for a hearing today into Krongard's leadership of the IG's office, is an unusually tough broadside against the tactics of Committee Chairman Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.). The report contends that Waxman jumped the gun by accusing Krongard in a Sept. 18 letter of a long list of failings before, Republicans charged, the committee had conducted a thorough investigation

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/13/AR2007111302121.html

[Breeze54]

31. Unity?

How about searching first?

This guy is definitely on the hotseat.

[marmar]

34. Searching? I did, and there were several threads, so I started one that everyone could join in.

N'est pas?

[rodeodance]

36. I WAS ON ONE THAT DID NOT HAVE AN OFFICIAL HEADING BUT HERE I AM NOW

[marmar]

37. Almost restart time.

n/t

[rodeodance]

38. THEY ARE BACK

[rodeodance]

39. SHAYS SAYING SOMEONE NOT SWORN IN BUT WAXMAN SAYS IT DOES

NOT MATTER. ALL NEED TO TELL THE TRUTH

[rodeodance]

WHAT IS sHAYS?--HE IS UPSET THAT THE OTHERS? NOT SWOWN IN?

[rodeodance]

40. WHAT IS sHAYS?--HE IS UPSET THAT THE OTHERS? NOT SWOWN IN?

[rodeodance]

41. QUESTION: did some not show up?--the agenda on cspan only had this

IP on the list

[rodeodance]

42. shays sure is making him out to be the GOOD guy

[rodeodance]

43. He just recused himself from ANYthing to do with Blackwater as his brother

is in business with him

[rodeodance]

44. I dem is raking him over the coals-----seems the congress thinks he may have

know that his brother was involved financialy with blackwater

[L. Coyote]

45. Witness: The Honorable Howard J. Krongard, Inspector General, U.S. Department of State

seems to not be well informed about his own brother. Had he been reading DU, he would have known this.

[rodeodance]

46. it seems to me he does not want us to know his involvment with his brothers

financial interests in blackwater

[rodeodance]

47. I do not think Waxman believes him either.

[rodeodance]

48. UCK. virginia foxx. Repug ahoy

[rodeodance]

49. she asked if he knew Karl Rove. he says no.

[rodeodance]

52. He is really JERKING his co-workers!! gov workers SUCK (paraphase)

[rodeodance]

54. and tubby Foxx lead him on to this!

[malaise]

51. I'm not afraid

of this Virginia Fox

[seemslikeadream]

50. Is he Buzzy's brother??

9/11 Buzzy?

[rodeodance]

53. just buzzy. i do not recall his last name.

[seemslikeadream]

58. A.B. “Buzzy” Krongard

'Buzzy' is also the end of the trail of the 9/11 put options

http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/context.jsp?item=a090601shorts



Suspicious trading occurs on American and United, the two airlines used in the 9/11 attacks. “Between 6 and 7 September, The Chicago Board Options Exchange saw purchases of 4,744 put option contracts (a speculation that the stock will go down) in UAL versus 396 call options—where a speculator bets on a price rising. Holders of the put options would have netted a profit of $5 million once the carrier's share price dived after September 11. On 10 September, more trading in Chicago saw the purchase of 4,516 put options in American Airlines, the other airline involved in the hijackings. This compares with a mere 748 call options in American purchased that day. Investigators cannot help but notice that no other airlines saw such trading in their put options.” One analyst says: “I saw put-call numbers higher than I've ever seen in 10 years of following the markets, particularly the options markets.” (Associated Press, 9/18/01, San Francisco Chronicle, 9/19/01) “To the embarrassment of investigators, it has also emerged that the firm used to buy many of the ‘put’ options … on United Airlines stock was headed until 1998 by ‘Buzzy’ Krongard, now executive director of the CIA.” Krongard was chairman of Alex Brown Inc., which was bought by Deutsche Bank. “His last post before resigning to take his senior role in the CIA was to head Bankers Trust—Alex Brown's private client business, dealing with the accounts and investments of wealthy customers around the world.” (Independent, 10/14/01)

“Buzzy” Krongard managed firm that handled “PUT” options on United Airlin
FTW - October 9, 2001 – Although uniformly ignored by the mainstream U.S. media, there is abundant and clear evidence that a number of transactions in financial markets indicated specific (criminal) foreknowledge of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. In the case of at least one of these trades -- which has left a $2.5 million prize unclaimed -- the firm used to place the “put options” on United Airlines stock was, until 1998, managed by the man who is now in the number three Executive Director position at the Central Intelligence Agency.

Until 1997 A.B. “Buzzy” Krongard had been Chairman of the investment bank A.B. Brown. A.B. Brown was acquired by Banker’s Trust in 1997. Krongard then became, as part of the merger, Vice Chairman of Banker’s Trust-AB Brown, one of 20 major U.S. banks named by Senator Carl Levin this year as being connected to money laundering. Krongard’s last position at Banker’s Trust (BT) was to oversee “private client relations.” In this capacity he had direct hands-on relations with some of the wealthiest people in the world in a kind of specialized banking operation that has been identified by the U.S. Senate and other investigators as being closely connected to the laundering of drug money.

Krongard joined the CIA in 1998 as counsel to CIA Director George Tenet. He was promoted to CIA Executive Director by President Bush in March of this year. BT was acquired by Deutsche Bank in 1999. The combined firm is the single largest bank in Europe. And, as we shall see, Deutsche Bank played several key roles in events connected to the September 11 attacks.
THE SCOPE OF KNOWN INSIDER TRADING

Before looking further into these relationships it is necessary to look at the insider trading information that is being ignored by Reuters, The New York Times and other mass media. It is well documented that the CIA has long monitored such trades – in real time – as potential warnings of terrorist attacks and other economic moves contrary to U.S. interests. Previous stories in FTW have specifically highlighted the use of Promis software to monitor such trades.
more
http://www.hereinreality.com/insidertrading.html


Former CIA director appointed to board as outside US director - Krongard
Posted by seemslikeadream on Tue Mar-22-05 03:45 PM

Baltimore, MD (March 18, 2005) – DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP (DLA Piper), one of the world’s leading law firms, today announced the appointment of A.B. “Buzzy” Krongard as an outside U.S. director to its Global Board of Directors which has been organized to oversee and coordinate the worldwide operations of the firm. The board will be led by Senator George J. Mitchell who will serve as Chairman and continue his role as a partner within the firm.

Krongard is the former Executive Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of investment banking firm Alex. Brown, Incorporated. He currently is the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of PHH Corporation, a leading outsource provider of mortgage and vehicle fleet management services.

“We’ve assembled a board of directors that reflects the global reach of the firm and the depth of our core practice areas,” said Senator Mitchell. “As a group and individually, we are firmly committed to guiding this firm during a period of tremendous global growth.”

In January 2005, DLA and Piper Rudnick merged to form a legal services organization with more than 2,800 lawyers in 49 offices in 18 countries around the world. The firm has concentrated its global practices into seven areas of focus which include Corporate and Finance; Litigation; Real Estate; Regulatory & Legislative; Commercial; Human Resources; and Technology, Media and Communications (TMC) practices.

more
http://www.lawfuel.com/index.php?page=press_releases&handler=focus&pressreleaseid=2822&category=&return=list-publications&sortby=timestamp&screen=1



Let Bin Laden stay free, says CIA man AB “Buzzy” Krongard
Posted by seemslikeadream on Thu May-24-07 08:51 PM



January 09, 2005
Tony Allen-Mills

...

If the world’s most wanted terrorist is captured or killed, a power struggle among his Al-Qaeda subordinates may trigger a wave of terror attacks, said AB “Buzzy” Krongard, who stepped down six weeks ago as the CIA’s third most senior executive.

“You can make the argument that we’re better off with him (at large),” Krongard said. “Because if something happens to Bin Laden, you might find a lot of people vying for his position and demonstrating how macho they are by unleashing a stream of terror.”

Krongard, a former investment banker who joined the CIA in 1998, said Bin Laden’s role among Islamic militants was changing. “He’s turning into more of a charismatic leader than a terrorist mastermind,” he said. “Some of his lieutenants are the ones to worry about.” Krongard, 68, said he viewed Bin Laden “not as a chief executive but more like a venture capitalist”.

...

Several US officials have privately admitted that it may be better to keep Bin Laden pinned down on the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan rather than make him a martyr or put him on trial. But Krongard is the most senior figure to acknowledge publicly that his capture might prove counter-productive.

Krongard also acknowledged that the CIA was still having trouble planting spies in Islamic militant ranks. “There are hundreds and hundreds of (Al-Qaeda) cells — it’s like a living, moving bit of protoplasm,” he said.

more
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-1431539,00.html



“Buzzy” Krongard managed firm that handled “PUT” options on United Airlin
Posted by seemslikeadream on Tue May-23-06 10:36 AM

“Buzzy” Krongard managed firm that handled “PUT” options on United Airlines

FTW - October 9, 2001 – Although uniformly ignored by the mainstream U.S. media, there is abundant and clear evidence that a number of transactions in financial markets indicated specific (criminal) foreknowledge of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. In the case of at least one of these trades -- which has left a $2.5 million prize unclaimed -- the firm used to place the “put options” on United Airlines stock was, until 1998, managed by the man who is now in the number three Executive Director position at the Central Intelligence Agency.

Until 1997 A.B. “Buzzy” Krongard had been Chairman of the investment bank A.B. Brown. A.B. Brown was acquired by Banker’s Trust in 1997. Krongard then became, as part of the merger, Vice Chairman of Banker’s Trust-AB Brown, one of 20 major U.S. banks named by Senator Carl Levin this year as being connected to money laundering. Krongard’s last position at Banker’s Trust (BT) was to oversee “private client relations.” In this capacity he had direct hands-on relations with some of the wealthiest people in the world in a kind of specialized banking operation that has been identified by the U.S. Senate and other investigators as being closely connected to the laundering of drug money.

Krongard joined the CIA in 1998 as counsel to CIA Director George Tenet. He was promoted to CIA Executive Director by President Bush in March of this year. BT was acquired by Deutsche Bank in 1999. The combined firm is the single largest bank in Europe. And, as we shall see, Deutsche Bank played several key roles in events connected to the September 11 attacks.
THE SCOPE OF KNOWN INSIDER TRADING

Before looking further into these relationships it is necessary to look at the insider trading information that is being ignored by Reuters, The New York Times and other mass media. It is well documented that the CIA has long monitored such trades – in real time – as potential warnings of terrorist attacks and other economic moves contrary to U.S. interests. Previous stories in FTW have specifically highlighted the use of Promis software to monitor such trades.
more

http://www.hereinreality.com/insidertrading.html

Suspicious trading occurs on American and United, the two airlines used in the 9/11 attacks. “Between 6 and 7 September, The Chicago Board Options Exchange saw purchases of 4,744 put option contracts (a speculation that the stock will go down) in UAL versus 396 call options—where a speculator bets on a price rising. Holders of the put options would have netted a profit of $5 million once the carrier's share price dived after September 11. On 10 September, more trading in Chicago saw the purchase of 4,516 put options in American Airlines, the other airline involved in the hijackings. This compares with a mere 748 call options in American purchased that day. Investigators cannot help but notice that no other airlines saw such trading in their put options.” One analyst says: “I saw put-call numbers higher than I've ever seen in 10 years of following the markets, particularly the options markets.” (Associated Press, 9/18/01, San Francisco Chronicle, 9/19/01) “To the embarrassment of investigators, it has also emerged that the firm used to buy many of the ‘put’ options … on United Airlines stock was headed until 1998 by ‘Buzzy’ Krongard, now executive director of the CIA.” Krongard was chairman of Alex Brown Inc., which was bought by Deutsche Bank. “His last post before resigning to take his senior role in the CIA was to head Bankers Trust—Alex Brown's private client business, dealing with the accounts and investments of wealthy customers around the world.” (Independent, 10/14/01)
http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/context.jsp?item=a090601shorts

Buzzy Says It Would Be Bad To Catch OBL
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0%2C%2C2089-1431539%2C00.html

Former CIA director appointed to board as outside US director - Krongard
Baltimore, MD (March 18, 2005) – DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP (DLA Piper), one of the world’s leading law firms, today announced the appointment of A.B. “Buzzy” Krongard as an outside U.S. director to its Global Board of Directors which has been organized to oversee and coordinate the worldwide operations of the firm. The board will be led by Senator George J. Mitchell who will serve as Chairman and continue his role as a partner within the firm.

Krongard is the former Executive Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of investment banking firm Alex. Brown, Incorporated. He currently is the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of PHH Corporation, a leading outsource provider of mortgage and vehicle fleet management services.

“We’ve assembled a board of directors that reflects the global reach of the firm and the depth of our core practice areas,” said Senator Mitchell. “As a group and individually, we are firmly committed to guiding this firm during a period of tremendous global growth.”

In January 2005, DLA and Piper Rudnick merged to form a legal services organization with more than 2,800 lawyers in 49 offices in 18 countries around the world. The firm has concentrated its global practices into seven areas of focus which include Corporate and Finance; Litigation; Real Estate; Regulatory & Legislative; Commercial; Human Resources; and Technology, Media and Communications (TMC) practices.

more
http://www.lawfuel.com/index.php?page=press_releases&ha ...

Follow the Money: Bush, 9/11, and Deep Threat

by Fran Shor
Published on Wednesday, May 22, 2002 by CommonDreams.org

The CIA and Other Deep Pockets

In the immediate aftermath of 9/11 a number of news stories appeared concerning investments in “put” options in United and American Airlines. Put options are shares that are bets on falling market prices for specific stocks. In the week before September 11 put options in United and American Airlines went through a furious and unprecedented spasm of investment. In addition put options for Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch, two of the biggest occupants of the World Trade Center, also saw abnormal activity. Most of the investments in these put options originated in Germany through the Deutsche Bank. Deutshce Bank had earlier acquired Banker’s Trust, a investment banking firm whose Vice Chairman in charge of “private client relations” in the late 1990’s was A. B. “Buzzy” Krongard. In March of 2001, Krongard was appointed Executive Director of the CIA.

Certainly, the CIA has a history of laundering money and dealings with shady investment characters. What becomes particularly relevant in the lead-up to 9/11 is the August CIA briefing of Bush concerning the potential threat of attacks by bin Laden using hijacked planes on certain sites, such as the Pentagon and World Trade Center, and the fact that the CIA had bugging equipment on bin Laden messages and international banking operations. Although no one has apparently claimed the money from the put options, questions remain about Krongard and the CIA’s involvement.
http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0522-07.htm


NEW CIA UNIVERSITY
REVEALS AGENCY PRIORITIES
July 3, 2002,-- 17:00 PDT (FTW) -- The CIA is now operating a university somewhere in northern Virginia. According to an entry in a June 24 newsletter published by an association of former intelligence officers, some of the courses taught at the university are "economic trends, international banking, the world oil market, and how the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organization, etc. and other non-governmental organizations work."

For four years FTW has been teaching that the CIA's primary role, it's raison d'etre, was to serve the interests of Wall Street and the major banks. In our recent three-country lecture tour, our documentation of the close links between CIA and Wall Street has taken many by surprise. Thirty years ago Professor Peter Dale Scott of Berkeley disclosed that six out of the first seven deputy directors of intelligence (CIA's number two position) had gone directly from Wall Street into service at the Agency. Since Sept. 11, FTW's disclosure that the CIA's current executive director, A.B. "Buzzy" Krongard, is a former investment banker has caused deeper rumbles. The firm he once headed, AlexBrown/Deutschebank, has been connected to insider trading on United Air Lines stock just before the Sept. 11 attacks. The NYSE's current executive vice president for enforcement, David Doherty, is a retired CIA general counsel.
more



procedure used at Deutschebank/AB Brown assured anonymity

"European reporters found that most of the suspicious pre-attack trades passed through Deutschebank and especially via CIA Executive Director A.B. Krongard’s former Alex Brown investment division by means of a procedure called portage, which assures the anonymity of individuals making the transactions. But Congress has not publicly revealed whether they will call Krongard and other Alex Brown traders to testify in open hearings, or whether they will subpoena the pre-attack documents in question."
more
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0207/S00119.htm

A Deutsche Bank executive was convicted of money laundering shortly before 9/11, and the bank laundered heroin money linked to the CIA.

And Shattuck actually resigned on September 12(!) from his three-year $30 million contract as head of AB Brown.


SMOKING GUN BURIED DURING CALIFORNIA RECALL VOTE!

On October 7 while the eyes of America were fixed on the California Recall vote the Securities and Exchange Commission quietly announced it was closing its investigation of suspicious stock trades connected to 911. The SEC's reason for closing the investigation can best be summed up as "What insider trading?".

...

* Morgan Stanley Dean Witter & Co., which occupied 22 floors of the World Trade Center, saw 2,157 of its October $45.00 put options bought in the three trading days before Black Tuesday; this compares to an average of 27 contracts per day before September 6.

* Merrill Lynch & Co., with headquarters near the Twin Towers, saw 12,215 October $45.00 put options bought in the four trading days before the attacks; the previous average volume in these options had been 252 contracts per day.

The CIA routinely monitors stock trades looking for exactly these kinds of suspicious transactions. The fact that these trades failed to sound any alarms is in itself suspicious as the bank which was the trading hub has a man inside the Agency. That man is CIA Executive Director “Buzzy” Krongard and the bank is Deutsche bank.

http://ez-websites.com/grudge /


But Krongard exhibited the requisite secretiveness when asked
to explain his interest in intelligence and how he came to land
a job in Tenet's inner circle. If you go back to the CIA's origins
during World War II in the Office of Strategic Services, he
explained, "the whole OSS was really nothing but Wall Street
bankers and lawyers."
http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16570-2001Ma ...

[defendandprotect]

85. And we're wondering how govt is so corrupted --- !!!! I'm sure this will play on MSM tonight --- ??

Love Waxman ---

And, Shays is really antsy on his seat --- something is making the Repugs very nervous --
and Shays is sitting on it ---

[seemslikeadream]

64. jessus it is!!!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2280319

[rodeodance]

55. here goes Foxx again-saying very little accountability from gov.workers

[rodeodance]

56. 'We put this man on the block and others go free" says Foxx

[rodeodance]

57. good, waxman cut her off.

[Oilwellian]

59. Let's not forget this scumbag is the brother of Buzzy Krongard

His name is brought up in conjunction with investigations into suspected 9/11-related insider trading because of timely Wall Street trades allegedly made through the investment bank he used to head.<1> He is the link between Blackwater Security Consulting, Erik Prince and the CIA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.B._%22Buzzy%22_Krongard

Any testimony from this scum saying he had no idea of his brother's relationship with Blackwater is a flat out LIE.

[L. Coyote]

65. Alvin Bernard "Buzzy" Krongard was the Executive Director of the Central Intelligence Agency

A.B. "Buzzy" Krongard, full name Alvin Bernard Krongard,<1> was the Executive Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He was appointed by George J. Tenet on March 16, 2001.

The Executive Director is the third ranking position within the CIA and the incumbent functions essentially as the Chief Operating Officer of the Agency. For three years prior, Krongard had served as Counselor to the DCI.

A longtime consultant to DCIs, Krongard joined the Agency full time in February 1998, following a 29-year business career. ..........

“Buzzy” Krongard resigned from the CIA shortly after the arrival of DCI Porter Goss in September 2004. While at the CIA, he was the connection between Erik Prince of Blackwater Security Consulting and the CIA. Through his influence, Blackwater was able to receive its first black contract.

[rodeodance]

66. thanks.

[rodeodance]

60. Waxman's Opening statement HERE:

http://oversight.house.gov/story.asp?ID=1622
Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Assessing the State Department Inspector General
Chairman Waxman's Opening Statement
Table of Contents
Overview

Chairman Waxman's Opening Statement

This year our Committee has given a special focus to two areas: finding waste, fraud, and abuse and examining how to make government effective again.

Today’s hearing on the performance of Howard Krongard, the State Department’s Inspector General, bridges both of those fundamental issues.

The origins of this hearing begin with the Committee’s oversight of the State Department’s actions in Iraq. As we examined the construction of the new Baghdad Embassy, the oversight of Blackwater, and corruption in the Iraqi government, seven current and former officials in the Inspector General’s office expressed concerns about Mr. Krongard’s own oversight of the State Department. These officials — and others who spoke with the Committee during our investigation — raised fundamental questions about Mr. Krongard’s judgment, actions, and effectiveness.

They described their serious concern about his inadequate oversight of the construction of the Baghdad Embassy, his failure to assist a Justice Department investigation of Blackwater for arms smuggling, his refusal to pursue charges of procurement fraud implicating DynCorp, his intervention in the investigation of Kenneth Tomlinson, and his lack of independence in auditing the State Department’s financial statements. The Committee was told that due to Mr. Krongard’s abusive management style, the Office of the Inspector General is “bleeding people right and left.”

What these officials told the Committee is summarized in a staff report I am releasing today, and without objection it will be made part of the record.

One of Mr. Krongard’s key responsibilities is providing oversight for the State Department’s construction of the new Baghdad Embassy. In a previous hearing, we learned that the project will cost $144 million more than projected, is far behind schedule, and has potentially life-threatening construction deficiencies.

There are also allegations that the building’s contractor, First Kuwaiti, was involved in labor trafficking. When Mr. Krongard heard that his staff might investigate this issue, he sent them an e-mail that said, as one official described it, “cease and desist all work, I’m taking care of this.”

Mr. Krongard conducted his own personal and unprecedented investigation of the potential scandal. According to Mr. Krongard, he interviewed six employees who had been handpicked by First Kuwaiti. He questioned them without a translator present and took virtually no notes. Mr. Krongard then concluded that there was no evidence that First Kuwaiti had committed human rights violations.

The reaction of Mr. Krongard’s senior staff to his investigation is remarkable. Mr. Krongard’s deputy said the effort was “unorthodox,” “didn’t comply with any standards,” and was “the furthest thing from an investigation.” Another official warned that Mr. Krongard’s investigation ran the risk of inadvertently ruining a future prosecution.

The former head of Mr. Krongard’s audit division told us that the “report would never pass muster in my organization and in any IG investigation that I have ever worked in.” She also said, “it’s an embarrassment to the community.” A special agent was even more blunt, calling Mr. Krongard’s report “an affront … to our profession.”

Given the strong condemnations from the professional staff in the Inspector General’s office, this incident alone would justify today’s hearing. Unfortunately, it is not an isolated incident. In fact, I don’t believe it is even the most serious allegation raised against Mr. Krongard.

In the course of our investigation, Mr. Krongard’s investigators told us he placed First Kuwaiti off-limits to investigation. They said he refused to pursue credible complaints about fraud, waste, and abuse in the Embassy project and rejected proposals to audit the construction process during construction so that problems could be addressed as they happened.

When the Justice Department wanted to investigate these matters, it asked Mr. Krongard for cooperation. He refused repeatedly. In one instance, Mr. Krongard e-mailed his staff: “stand down on this and not assist.”

In one mind-boggling sequence, Mr. Krongard — against the advice of his most senior staff — insisted on meeting “a person of interest” in an investigation involving the Embassy without assistance of counsel or investigators. Three days after meeting with Mr. Krongard, the potential suspect cancelled a scheduled meeting with audit officials and left the United States.

Shortly after that, Mr. Krongard insisted on meeting with another potential suspect during a trip to Iraq. This time his senior staff not only advised him to cancel the meeting, but asked the Justice Department to instruct Mr. Krongard not to conduct haphazard witness interviews. Despite the additional warning from the Justice Department, Mr. Krongard met with the individual.

When Mr. Krongard returned to Washington, he wanted to debrief his investigators on his meeting. The agents were worried that the information might taint them and ruin any credible investigation. They specifically asked Mr. Krongard not to share his impressions with them, but he ignored their request and sent one of the agents an e-mail summarizing his conversation with the potential suspect.

None of these actions makes any sense. When the Justice Department asked for cooperation, Mr. Krongard refused. When they warned him that his freelance investigation could jeopardize potential prosecutions, he ignored that. When his own staff tried to advise him on proper investigative procedures, he ignored them. If the reports the Committee has received from the Justice Department and the Inspector General’s senior staff are accurate, Mr. Krongard has acted with reckless incompetence.

And the questions about Mr. Krongard’s performance aren’t limited to the Baghdad Embassy. The Justice Department sought Mr. Krongard’s cooperation as it investigated reports that a large private security contractor was smuggling weapons into Iraq. Instead of cooperating, Mr. Krongard apparently created a series of obstacles to the inquiry.

One of Mr. Krongard’s aides told our Committee that “there was absolutely no justifiable investigative, management … or any kind of reason for us to stop that investigation.”

The Justice Department shares that view, and told the Committee:

At this juncture, we cannot determine all of the ramifications of the IG’s conduct, but some of his actions have certainly impacted the investigation. For reasons that remain unclear, the line IG agents … have been forced to funnel requests within their own agency through a congressional and public relations official. This is not the usual practice. The Inspector General also issued a statement, without advance coordination with Department attorneys, confirming the existence of this investigation, which is inconsistent with our law enforcement interests.

The Justice Department has advised us that Mr. Krongard’s actions resulted in “a cumbersome and time-consuming investigative process” and “added multiple layers to our investigative efforts.” As of last Friday, the Justice Department still had not received the State Department materials it requested.

As Mr. Krongard revealed through some ill-advised comments, the company implicated in the weapons smuggling is Blackwater. We have now learned that Mr. Krongard’s brother, Buzzy Krongard, serves on Blackwater’s advisory board. We have also learned that Mr. Krongard concealed this apparent conflict of interest from his own deputy, even as he remained actively involved in monitoring the Justice Department’s criminal investigation.

In the course of today’s hearing we will also examine allegations about Mr. Krongard’s actions regarding investigations into DynCorp and its subcontractors; his decision to allow the State Department to replace unfavorable financial audits with favorable ones; his contact with Kenneth Tomlinson to alert him to a possible investigation of wrongdoing; and his management approach to the Inspector General’s office.
It is a staggering list of allegations from Mr. Krongard’s own staff. In Committee interviews and depositions, the Deputy Inspector General, the Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, the Assistant Inspector General for Audits, their deputies, and the Counsel to the Inspector General — along with many others — all criticized Mr. Krongard or his performance.

And a long list of top officials — including an Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, a Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, a Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Audits, the head of the Office for Information Technology, and a Counsel to the Inspector General — have resigned since Mr. Krongard became Inspector General in 2005.

As one current senior official told us, joining Mr. Krongard’s office was the “worst mistake of my life.”

I know the Ranking Member takes a different view on this matter. Today’s hearing —and Mr. Krongard’s testimony — will help us sort through the facts.

I think we all understand the pre-eminent role the State Department now has in Iraq. The Department has to be operating on all cylinders if we have any hope of achieving real and lasting political reconciliation in Iraq. Countless lives and billions of dollars are at stake. There’s no margin for error.

That underscores why Mr. Krongard’s office is so essential, why it needs to meet the highest standards, and why this hearing is so important.

[bobthedrummer]

61. Yep, we are certainly talking criminal investigations...

[bobthedrummer]

62. ROVE

[rodeodance]

63. ummshays actually sounded good for a moment but then blamed it ont

the brother at the end.

[rodeodance]

67. good, a Dem is asking relevant questions (not patting him on the back like the Repugs were doing)

[marmar]

68. I'm just tuning back in....what's Bruce Braley talking about?

n/t

[bobthedrummer]

69. These conversations aren't recalled- maybe he doesn't use communications gear, huh?

[bobthedrummer]

70. "inadvertent"-another link to ROVE, then attempts to cover that up!

now talking about an e-mail attachment

citing witnesses of document shredding

now spinning...

[MiniMe]

71. Looks like Howard may be in a bit of hot water

How long before he resigns?

[L. Coyote]

72. VOTING BREAK. Read TPM about all this if you need to catch up = VIDEOS

http://tpmmuckraker.com/

They are a hard working bunch over there. Thanks, Josh, et.al.

[CorpGovActivist]

73. Waxman Committee Backgrounder on Krongard

Krongard links, sorted by date

This shows just how methodical Waxman's staffers have been.

- Dave

[Oilwellian]

75. And they're standing in the wings of the hearing

ready to keep the committee on the right track of questioning. :D

[marmar]

74. Another break.....

They've probably got to run out and load up on cigarettes now that the Capitol vendors are having that $3-a-pack clearance sale to comply with the new law.

[bobthedrummer]

76. Back from break-Repuke Issa

[seemslikeadream]

78. Do ya believe this bob, Cookie and Buzzy?

:hi:

[L. Coyote]

77. THEY ARE BACK

[rodeodance]

79. GO HERE FOR THREAD 2:

Forum Name General Discussion
Topic subject cspan3: Official House Oversight Committee - Inspector General hearing thread # 2
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2280755#2280755
2280755, cspan3: Official House Oversight Committee - Inspector General hearing thread # 2
Posted by rodeodance on Wed Nov-14-07 12:37 PM



Forum Name General Discussion
Topic subject Official House Oversight Committee - Inspector General hearing thread I
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2279503#2279503
2279503, Official House Oversight Committee - Inspector General hearing thread I
Posted by marmar on Wed Nov-14-07 10:07 AM

There seem to be three separate threads going on. Unity, DU! Unity! .... We on the left are always such a factionalized people. :)

[bobthedrummer]

80. Issa to Waxman "Where's your beef?"

:nuke:

[L. Coyote]

81. Rep. Issa is the Bushco waterboy again. Send him another bribe??

This is the LIAR who sent out the false info on Carol Lam about her record on immigration prosecutions. Those purposeful lies were part of the USA firings cover-up conspiracy. Was he a willing co-conspirator or just the waterboy doing what he was told to do?

[marmar]

82. Thread II going now.....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2280755

[defendandprotect]

86. An investigation by Krongard . . . ??? !!!! ??? !!!! Wow . . .

The reaction of Mr. Krongard’s senior staff to his investigation is remarkable. Mr. Krongard’s deputy said the effort was “unorthodox,” “didn’t comply with any standards,” and was “the furthest thing from an investigation.” Another official warned that Mr. Krongard’s investigation ran the risk of inadvertently ruining a future prosecution.

The former head of Mr. Krongard’s audit division told us that the “report would never pass muster in my organization and in any IG investigation that I have ever worked in.” She also said, “it’s an embarrassment to the community.” A special agent was even more blunt, calling Mr. Krongard’s report “an affront … to our profession.”

Given the strong condemnations from the professional staff in the Inspector General’s office, this incident alone would justify today’s hearing. Unfortunately, it is not an isolated incident. In fact, I don’t believe it is even the most serious allegation raised against Mr. Krongard.

In the course of our investigation, Mr. Krongard’s investigators told us he placed First Kuwaiti off-limits to investigation. They said he refused to pursue credible complaints about fraud, waste, and abuse in the Embassy project and rejected proposals to audit the construction process during construction so that problems could be addressed as they happened.

When the Justice Department wanted to investigate these matters, it asked Mr. Krongard for cooperation. He refused repeatedly. In one instance, Mr. Krongard e-mailed his staff: “stand down on this and not assist.”

[L. Coyote]

88. VIDEOS: House Oversight Hearing with State Department Inspector General Howard Krongard

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2281267