Eli Lake has a doozy of a story:
The episode —confirmed by The Daily Beast in interviews with administration officials and the chairman of a congressional oversight committee —is the latest in a string of incidents that have given Republicans sudden fodder for questions about whether the Obama administration is politically interfering in routine government matters that affect donors or fundraisers. Already, the FBI and a House committee are investigating a federal loan guarantee to a now failed solar firm called Solyndra that is tied to a large Obama fundraiser.
Now the Pentagon has been raising concerns about a new wireless project by a satellite broadband company in Virginia called LightSquared, whose majority owner is an investment fund run by Democratic donor Philip Falcone.
According to officials familiar with the situation, Shelton’s prepared testimony was leaked in advance to the company. And the White House asked the general to alter the testimony to add two points: that the general supported the White House policy to add more broadband for commercial use; and that the Pentagon would try to resolve the questions around LightSquared with testing in just 90 days. Shelton chafed at the intervention, which seemed to soften the Pentagon’s position and might be viewed as helping the company as it tries to get the project launched, officials said.
“There was an attempt to influence the text of the testimony and to engage LightSquared in the process in order to bias his testimony,” Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) said in an interview. “The only people who were involved in the process in preparation for the hearing included the Department of Defense, the White House, and the Office Management and Budget.”
Better report The Daily Beast to the AttachWatch website!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseATTAAAAAAAAAAACK WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATCH!!!!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat is amazing that other government agencies, like NOAA and NASA have come out AGAINST this program. No reporting of that, yet these are the agencies we have to bow and genuflect to on the topic of global warming. Yet, apparently when it comes to GPS, they're morons.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHas anyone done a thorough analysis on post-GM takeover dealership closings vs. the owner's political donations?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBarack Hussein Nixon
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm in no way defending Richard Nixon - the guy was an embarrassment to humanity - but isn't this a little sleazier?
Nixon broke the law to meet a particular political end. This is that, with a profit motive kicker. And, it's a profit motive that might come at the very real expense of national defense and consumer safety considering the very real implications with respect to civilian GPS.
You take this, along with Solyndra, and we're talking about something a bit more than a a black-bag job in an office buildings. We're literally talking billions of taxpayer dollars to enrich donors.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is a bunch sleazier. Wasn't Nixon's problem the cover-up? I didn't think it was ever proven that he knew about the "black bag job".
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBarack Hussein Gotti fits better.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt seems my hypothetical question of "What if Jackie Robinson was a horrible baseball player?" is going to be answered over and over and over.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNow would be a perfect time for one or more of the GOP candidates to mount a concerted national campaign against this sort of insider dealing between the federal government and big donors. Too bad both Mitt Romney and Rick Perry seem unlikely and even unsuited to do this.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMost of the $800 billion stimulus was payoffs to Obama interest groups and that was right out in the open. How surprised should we be by a billion here and there behind the scenes?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis one (Lightsquared), if true, is VERY bad (for Obama). Lives are on the line here, folks.
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Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf this keeps up the Obama administration might begin to look either corrupt or incompetent.
Go figure.................
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThey're giving it their darndest, aren't they. At this rate Nixon is gonna look like a choir boy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe attempt to manipulate the testimony of a general officer to facilitate crony capitalism and related political ends is well beyond the pale, should it be verified. The fanciful notion that the technical issues with the reallocation of spectrum to those commercial ends could be resolved with a brief 90 day testing program is offensive. If the performance of the GPS system is compromised as a result, the range of consequences include life-threatening events plus a lot of other nasties.
Obama is perhaps lucky there is not enough time remaining to effect his ouster before the election. If the above actions are confirmed, this is clearly to be added to the bill of particulars against him to inform the voters that they can do better.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI've got to say, Eli Lake is top-notch. One of the very best journalists out there.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIs this your first visit to Chicago?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAfter this clear evidence of his support for capitalism, Obama has got my vote.
We need to clone Darrell Issa and commence with the mass fair trials and hangings.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAt some point even the obama bu++boys in the media are going to have to start reporting on the corruption that infests this white house. Maybe they won't do it conciously, but you'd think with all these J school graduates, some semblance of professionalism would manifest itself.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou might think that, but you would be wrong. Most J-school graduates keep their diplomas right where they are most appropriate: in the toilet, floating around with their latest scoop.
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