This is crap. How is it that all of these politicians, to include key politicians currently on the wartime commission, knew exactly what happened in Kabul with this contract, and are now showing shock and dismay about it–two years later! This little tidbit of info, made the hearings that were on CSPAN the other day seem like a joke now.
That is great you guys are trying to get down to the bottom of it now, but where was your outrage when this was first going on? Are you saying that it took pictures of a frat-style party, to awaken your inner responsibilities as leaders? And what committee is going to put these politicians on a stand, and ask them why they didn’t do anything about this in 2007? Especially Shays. (I am still shaking my head on that one, as I remember watching Shays go off on Samuel during the hearing)
Here at FJ, we have put blame on AGNA and State, but when Congress knew about this as well and did nothing about it at the time, then they are just as bad in my book. The buck stops in DC, and this is certainly a prime example of poor leadership.
Also check out the story below this interview. Samuel Brinkley, VP of Wackenhut and in charge of this contract, could be in some trouble. He swore up and down during the hearings that he just found out about this stuff in August of this year, and according to Gorman, he knew about it in July of 2008. Interesting.
Semper Fi John and Marie Anne, and good job! –Matt
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Interview with ArmorGroup Whistleblower John Gorman
John Gorman — Marine, Patriot, Whistleblower
By Marie Anne St. Jean
John Gorman, retired U.S. Marine, was hired by ArmorGroup (AGNA) in 2007 to support security at the American Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. Numerous reports of AGNA activities are available elsewhere in the media, as well as my own articles here and here. John has previously provided a written press release as well as televised interviews with major networks, as seen here. With this interview, I’m allowing John Gorman to tell his story, what he believes needs to be said.
John, you and I go back several years. I remember how excited you were when hired by ArmorGroup to be the Camp Commandant in Kabul, to have this opportunity to once again serve your country. We never really hang up our uniforms, do we?
When you first reported AGNA’s shortfalls in 2007, what was your expected outcome? What do you think should have happened that didn’t?
I expected that they would want the operation to go smoothly and provide the necessary support to make that happen. In fact, at one point when it became obvious to State that ArmorGroup had underbid the contract, the Regional Security Officer (RSO) assumed that since this was AGNA’s first State Department contract, that it would be handled as a loss leader in order to set a good impression for future contracts. AGNA obviously didn’t see it that way – it wasn’t part of their business formula.
You met with AGNA management on numerous occasions and voiced your concerns, which were largely overshadowed by talk of profit margins. You went further to the RSO – a State Department employee – who took both an oral and written statement on June 12, 2007, resulting in ArmorGroup terminating your employment and ushering you out of the country immediately thereafter. You wrote a detailed account in a letter to Senators Lieberman and Dodd and Congressmen Shays and Courtney on July 18, 2007 after your return to the U.S., followed by meetings with staffers from the offices of Senators Lieberman, Biden and Waxman during November.
Why was nothing done? Where was the breakdown? Who do you think is ultimately responsible for the scenes we’ve seen unfold in recent weeks?
I’d say the breakdown is systemic. 1) Bureaucracies aren’t known for their efficiency or effectiveness. 2) Once our elected officials (notice I don’t refer to them as representatives) get situated in office they are happy to have their constituents go away and leave them alone, unless of course we come with bags of money. Harry Reed may have been the one to say it but his sentiments are true for many more …they “can smell us coming.”………….
Read the rest of the interview here.
Check out Marie Anne’s Twitter page here.
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Sworn testimony by ArmorGroup executive challenged
(AP) 09/18/2009
WASHINGTON — Attorneys for a whistleblower suing the contractor hired to protect the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan say a top company executive was aware since July 2008 of alleged illegal and immoral conduct by guards.
The claim made Friday contradicts the sworn testimony of Samuel Brinkley, a vice president for Wackenhut Services, the owner of ArmorGroup North America. Brinkley told the Commission on Wartime Contracting that he and other corporate officials didn’t know until late August of problems that reportedly included lurid parties and ArmorGroup employees frequenting brothels in Kabul.
But in a letter to the commission, the attorneys say their client, James Gordon, told Brinkley during a meeting in July 2008 of alleged guard misconduct. Brinkley did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Story here.