Nelson's (D-Ne) $7.5 million earmark drawing fire

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald

BY JOSEPH MORTON
WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

WASHINGTON — Sen. Ben Nelson's efforts to funnel more federal money to an Omaha defense contractor are drawing fire from an opponent of the earmarks used in Congress to steer funds to specific projects.


Ben Nelson

Nelson, D-Neb., has inserted a $7.5 million earmark for 21st Century Systems Inc. into legislation being considered by the Senate this week.

The company, which calls itself 21CSI, creates military computer software that analyzes information from various sources and recommends action. The new money would be used to design and develop such software.

If the latest earmark were fully funded, total federal earmark money for 21CSI would rise to at least $47 million. Nelson would be able to take credit for about $30 million of that total.


Read more: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10078868

[rodeodance]

1. this is the Dem who voted with REpugs NOT to allow time off for troops!!

[TheDebbieDee]

3. He also voted to RESTORE the funding of cheney's

assistants and aides. BASTARD!

[TwilightGardener]

4. No, I think he voted with the Dems on it. But he voted against the

proposal in committee to suspend funds for Cheney's office for not complying with exec classified material rules, or whatever it was about. Nelson was quoted as saying "the VP can do EXACTLY what he wants, we don't have a thing to say about it", or some such bullshit. He's just fucking smarmy.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Wasn't there already a news story (front page OWH) about this a couple months ago?

Jesus criminy, you'd think he'd lay off this shit already, now that everybody's looking at earmarks--it just looks bad, with the campaign donations and all. Lee Terry is a GOPer, so I expect a whiff of corruption from him, but Nelson is just embarrassing (especially after the Dick Cheney blow job this week). At least Hagel had the sense to knock it off with the earmarks to these contractors, but then that was probably just to clear his record for a Prez run. Never thought I'd cheer Tom Coburn on, but I hope he shoots Nelson's earmark down...just for spite.

[0rganism]

5. 7.5 *million* $ with an M? This fuss is about a 7.5 *million* $ "earmark"?

Good grief, that's practically chump change compared to other stuff on a defense appropriations bill.

By that standard alone, we should have hundreds of articles on a quarterly basis about the Halliburton contracts.

This amounts to agitprop for the GOP, and Sen. Coburn in particular.

[Warren Stupidity]

13. earmarks are corrupt bullshit. Nelsen's asshat behavior

should have consequences and shitcanning his earmark, none of which ought to exist anyway even if they are for $0.50, would be a good start to enforcing party discipline.

[0rganism]

22. I agree, but let's have a sense of proportion about shitcanning earmarks

There are earmarks, and then there are huge freaking EARMARKS.

I really doubt Sen. Coburn is applying his keen fiscal eye to Sen. Nelson's pet projects from some deep heartfelt devotion to wise and sparing use of taxpayer moneys. It's just grandstanding on his part.

[Gman]

6. He's bringing $7.5 million in work to Nebraska

and that's not a bad thing.

BTW, $7.5 million is a small drop in the deep cesspool of this administration.

[terisan]

7. Corporate Welfare paid for by the rest of us. Matches Cheney's No Bid Contracts for Halliburton.

[sandnsea]

8. Halliburton returned $6.3 million in overcharges

It supposedly owes $212 million more. They made $20 billion in 2004, on Iraq alone.

http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=12259

These recent attacks on Democrats are intentional distortions. It does take money for certain aspects of the government to function.

[IndianaGreen]

9. The workers won't get a payraise, and the company won't hire new people

they may in fact subcontract some of the work, like some of the defense contractors.

The bulk of the money will go into corporate coffers.

[salin]

10. let the company earn the contract through the bidding process.

[Warren Stupidity]

15. Another problem: the bidding process is a corrupt joke.

The inside-the-beltway crowd write the bids so that only their clients can satisfy them.

The entire mess in washington needs to be abolished and reconstituted.

[salin]

20. I agree -

but first things first - stop the earmarks for corporations. A works project in district - if it can be determined to meet a specific need - perhaps, but gifts to corporations have to end.

[Maribelle]

12. I would think the good state of Nebraska could used 7.5 million for a lot of things.

Do you really think for a second the 7.5 million will be spent on the goods and resources provided by the state???

May 17, 2007
Bob Fishman has been announced as the new President of 21st Century Systems, Inc.® (21CSI) and will begin his duties in Arlington, Virginia on May 21, 2007

http://www.21csi.com/news.php


Of 21CSIs 10 offices, only two are located in Nebraska

http://www.21csi.com/locations.php

[Warren Stupidity]

14. Earmarks are corrupt bullshit.

And that is a bad thing.

[BELZABUBBA]

17. 7.5 this time, 47million total and he's not done asking for money

let 21csi develop it's software with it's own money
throw this bum out!

btw i dont think it's the amount that bothers people it's
the fact that public dollars are going to a private company

[pimpbot]

21. Bzzzzzzzzzt Wrong.

The company might be headquartered in Nebraska, but I'm betting most of that $$$ will goto workers in the Washington DC area. See the contract locations for 21st.

[Maribelle]

11. Why is Bennie trying to make the Democratic members of the Senate look like fools?

This article makes 21CSI look like underaged frat boys at beer-thirty.

And why on earth do we take an excellent task for military experts and turn it over to inept civilians?

[Hotler]

16. Why you ask,

because of free money. When you privatize you subsidize the cost and privatize the profits.

[originalpckelly]

18. This sounds like corruption, it sounds like Duke Cunningham.

Someone needs to investigate the Dino Senator from Neb.

Here are the contracts for the past six years:
http://www.fedspending.org/fpds/fpds.php?company_name=21st+Century+Systems&sortby=r&detail=0&datype=T&reptype=r&database=fpds&fiscal_year=&submit=GO

[originalpckelly]

19. Holy moly, the address for 21CSI traces back to a house in Virginia in google earth/maps:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=12152+WINDSOR+HALL+WAY,+Herndon,+VA&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=30.544155,59.765625&ie=UTF8&ll=39.00958,-77.366581&spn=0.007303,0.014591&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1

The address in the database is:
12152 WINDSOR HALL WAY
HERNDON, VA 20170

That's no office, it's a fucking house!

[Alexander]

23. And it's on the DC Madam's list.

[flaminbats]

24. pro et contra..for and against

but isn't it great politics to support more spending and lower taxes? especially in Nebraska ;)