Congressman: State Dept. official threatened investigators

[laststeamtrain]

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

Congressman: State Dept. official threatened investigators
Warren P. Strobel | McClatchy Newspapers

last updated: September 28, 2007 06:32:28 PM

WASHINGTON — Aides to State Department Inspector General Howard Krongard threatened two investigators with retaliation this week if they cooperate with a congressional probe into Krongard's office, the chairman of a House of Representatives panel and other U.S. officials said Friday.

The allegations are the latest in a growing uproar surrounding Krongard. Current and former officials in his office charge that he impeded investigations into alleged arms smuggling by employees of the private security firm Blackwater and into faulty construction of the new U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

Krongard has denied the charges and is due to appear before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee next month.

In a statement e-mailed to reporters Friday, his office said it was cooperating with investigators.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/iraq/story/20100.html

[gateley]

1. My God, are they ALL thugs? nt

[Mnemosyne]

3. They are "Thugs-R-Us", Inc. Sickening. Makes the

RICO laws look better all the time and Capone, Dillinger, et al, look like pre-schoolers.

It may end up our last resort.

[silverweb]

6. Yes.

n/t

[DURHAM D]

2. I can not figure out if all of the crooks

are independent, just in it for themselves and taking advantage of the situation to fatten their own bank accounts or if this is part of a highly organized WH effort. I mean, I know we have a crime family - I just don't know how institutionalized it is.

[The Wielding Truth]

4. State Department - That should tell you something. I'd say it's

big business in it's prime.

[dickbearton]

8. I usually take the view, the truth lies somewhere in between...

Some independent and some institutionalized. But with this
gang, Bush and Cheney and their minions, what we know of the
Criminal Tom Delay and the way he institutionalized bribery,
the way the Department of Justice has been perverted, Katrina,
and the rest; if it is not fully institutionalized, it will
soon be. Of course, there will always be some independent
crooks; but the Criminal Republican Party is rotten to the
core.

[tanyev]

14. Krongard has a connection to Blackwater through his brother Buzzy.

Cofer Black, now an executive at Blackwater, used to work with Buzzy at the CIA. Brother Buzzy's name also pops up in connection to the 9/11 put options. I vote for "institutionalized".

[Barrett808]

15. Weren't the mystery put options purchased through Buzzy's outfit?

Ah, yes:

http://cooperativeresearch.org/searchResults.jsp?searchtext=buzzy&events=on&entities=on&articles=on&topics=on&timelines=on&projects=on&titles=on&descriptions=on&dosearch=on&search=Go

[defendandprotect]

11. Well, in order for the dictators to move their agenda, they need to attract the criminally minded --

[chill_wind]

5. McClatchy newpaper is doing some serious reporting. Holy crap! They'll probably be threatened next.

Has this story made any of the Big Media yet?

this is a wholly corrupt administration to the core.......

(...)
The two investigators said they were threatened with retaliation — perhaps including losing their jobs — if they cooperated, Waxman said in a letter to Krongard.

According to the letter, Krongard's congressional liaison told one of the two, Special Agent Ronald A. Militana, "Howard can fire you. It would affect your ability to get another job."

In a telephone interview, Militana confirmed that he's filed a complaint with Waxman's panel and said the congressman's letter quoted him accurately. He declined to comment further.

Militana and the other investigator, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Rubendall, were among those pressing for an investigation into whether employees of Blackwater were illegally shipping automatic weapons and other military goods to Iraq without a license. Rubendall couldn't be reached for comment.

(...)

[rodeodance]

7. yes, they do good reporting.

[Judi Lynn]

9. Son Seeks Restraining Order on Official

Son Seeks Restraining Order on Official

By Glenn Kessler
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, September 27, 2007; Page A23

The son and daughter-in-law of State Department Inspector General Howard J. Krongard have asked a judge to issue a restraining order forcing him to stop sending "unprofessional and highly offensive" e-mails that suggested the family would be put "on the street" if they lost a lawsuit Krongard has filed against them, according to documents filed last week in a New Jersey court.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is investigating whether Krongard, a lawyer who was general counsel of Deloitte and Touche, thwarted politically embarrassing inquiries into contractor fraud and treated subordinates poorly.

A letter to Krongard last week from the committee's chairman, Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), accused Krongard of creating a "dysfunctional office environment in which you routinely berate and belittle personnel, show contempt for the abilities of career government professionals and cause the staff to fear coming to work." The letter said high personnel turnover has left the office with many senior-level vacancies and only seven of 27 investigator positions filled.

Krongard filed suit last year against his son, Kenneth W. Krongard, and his daughter-in-law, Kristin, over a home loan that he said they had defaulted on. They paid back the full loan -- then totaling about $320,000 -- within weeks of his suit being filed.

More:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/26/AR2007092602285.html?nav=rss_print/asection

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Krongard.

Howard J. "Cookie" Krongard was sworn in May 2, 2005, as Inspector General for the U.S. Department of State and the Broadcasting Board of Governors.<1> Krongard has been accused of "repeatedly interfer with investigations into fraud and abuse in Iraq and Afghanistan, including security defects at the new United States Embassy in Baghdad."<2>

Krongard's brother, A.B. "Buzzy" Krongard, was formerly the executive director at the Central Intelligence Agency "(its number three position--he was replaced with the infamous Dusty Foggo)." Buzzy Krongard "worked alongside Cofer Black, now Blackwater's vice chairman, who was director of the CIA's Counterterrorist Center until 2002. After his tenure at the CIA, Cofer Black worked at the State Department as its Ambassador-at-Large — a roving ambassador — for counterterrorism, before going to work at Blackwater in February 2005."<3>

Accusations
In his 14-page letter,<4> on September 18, 2007, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, wrote: "One consistent element in these allegations is that you believe your foremost mission is to support the Bush administration, especially with respect to Iraq and Afghanistan, rather than act as an independent and objective check on waste, fraud and abuse on behalf of U.S. taxpayers." Waxman "invited" Krongard to "respond to the accusations at a committee hearing" on October 16. 2007.<2>

Waxman "has the goods on Krongard. Seven current and former employees of the IG's office have offered damning testimony about Krongard's frequent, partisan, and improper interference into investigations. These include the former Assistant IG for Investigations, John DeDona, and his Deputy, Ralph McNamara, both of whom resigned after Krongard 'halted or impeded investigations undertaken by their office.' They've also given Waxman plenty of documentation, including some extremely embarrassing inter-office emails among investigators who resented Krongard's abuse of his office.

"The Committee got this damning testimony after Krongard had testified to the Committee on July 26, <2007,><5> trying to justify his own actions and particularly his own investigation into the construction of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad."<6>

"One facet of Mr. Waxman's inquiry reportedly involves Blackwater USA, the security company that was banned by the Iraqi government from working in the country after a shooting on that left eight Iraqis dead." Waxman told Krongard that "he had been accused of impeding an investigation of a security company suspected of 'illegally smuggling weapons into Iraq.' The Associated Press reported<7> that the unnamed company was Blackwater."<2>

More:
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Howard_J._Krongard

[laststeamtrain]

10. Wow. This guy's a wrong one. Thanks for the info. n/t

[Judi Lynn]

12. In a civilized administration working for the people of the country, this guy would stand out like a

sore thumb! Within _Bush's band of thugs, he's right at home!

[Judi Lynn]

13. Lawmaker takes aim at State Department auditor

Lawmaker takes aim at State Department auditor
Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:36pm EDT
By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. congressional oversight committee accused the State Department's inspector general on Friday of threatening to fire several of his staff if they cooperated with an investigation into his conduct.

In a letter to Inspector General Howard Krongard, Rep. Henry Waxman accused Krongard for the second time in 10 days of interfering with a probe by the House of Representatives oversight committee the California Democrat chairs.

The panel is looking into whether Krongard, who acts as an independent internal investigator for the State Department, failed to examine claims of government waste, fraud and abuse in Iraq and elsewhere so as not to embarrass the Bush administration.

"You interfered in ongoing investigations in order to protect the State Department and the White House from political embarrassment," said Waxman in his letter. "The committee will not tolerate any intimidation of potential witnesses."

In a statement released on Friday, the inspector general's office said its staff would cooperate with the committee but did not address any of the allegations made by Waxman.

More:
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2818774020070928

[cal04]

16. State Dept. Agents Say Jobs Were Threatened

Source: Washington Post

Investigators in IG Office Were Told Not to Cooperate With Probe of Their Boss, House Panel Alleges

Two career investigators in the office of State Department Inspector General Howard J. Krongard have charged that they were threatened with firing if they cooperated with a congressional probe of Krongard and his office.

Told by Terry P. Heide, Krongard's congressional liaison, that he should not agree to a request for a "voluntary" interview by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Special Agent Ron Militana said he was then advised that reprisals could be taken against him. "Howard can fire you," he said Heide told him. "It would affect your ability to get another job."

Militana said in a telephone interview yesterday that he took that comment and others as direct threats. He and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Brian Rubendall, another career investigator who was also present at the Sept. 25 meeting with Heide and an IG lawyer, are among at least four IG investigators who have sought protection under the Whistleblower Protection Act. They also include the assistant inspector general for investigations and his deputy, who recently resigned after charging Krongard with impeding their work.

In recent weeks, the agents relayed their concerns about Krongard to Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Calif.), chairman of the oversight panel. Waxman has said he is investigating allegations that Krongard has repeatedly thwarted investigations into alleged contracting fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan, including construction of the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and weapons smuggling allegations against Blackwater USA, a private security firm working under government contract in Iraq. The committee has scheduled a hearing on Oct. 16.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/28/AR2007092801003.html

[Stargazer99]

17. It is time for the American people to put an end to this

manipulation of our country and its common people. I resent my government manipulating me and using my trust for their own gutless ends.

[noel adamson]

18. It's pretty clear that it is not 'our' government Stargazer99

and it's way past time to stand up and make it our government.

[Amonester]

22. Time Is Running Out

One Brave In The Home

One Who Never Sell Out To The Greedy Bastards

http://www.dennis4president.com/

[emilyg]

19. K&R

[guruoo]

20. k&r

[lovuian]

21. how much proof does it takes

theres been fox in the henhouse
cookies stolen from the cookie jar

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. Sounds like a threat to me.

[Oilwellian]

24. Well well well

This is the first I've heard that Krongard is Buzzy Krongard's brother. Wasn't he the one involved in the put options that were placed on United Airlines just weeks before 911? The plot thickens.

[Jonathan Pollard]

25. Kucinich said he would investigate suspicious 9/11 financial activity

Earlier this year I remember Kucinich saying he would start an investigation of suspicious 9/11 financial activity. He did not specify whether the investigation would deal with the put options or the Pakistani ISI connection to the financing of the hijackers.

A good movie about the connection of the ISI to hijacker financing can be seen here:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3979568779414136481

[still_one]

26. This is why I detest the Democratic leadership in Congress

What excuse will they give now why they should not impeach?

[tekisui]

27. It's not on the table.

That's the exuse and only answer Pelosi ever gives.

Sickening, really. It may be damn well too late by the time our leaders actually try to stop these thugs.

[still_one]

28. The only hope we have right now is with Kucinich, who is considering

a right of privledge to bring up impeachment for a vote

[rodeodance]

29. Condi is his top boss!!

[rodeodance]

30. here: Looks like it is a We said, I side............

...Heide, the IG congressional liaison, confirmed in an interview that she had called the meeting with Militana and Rubendall, along with John M. Smith of the IG's legal counsel's office. But "the conversation was not as reported," she said. Waxman "selected certain statements out of context to make a particular case that does not exist. I categorically deny that I was telling them they would be retaliated against."

She said that the agents apparently "did not mention all the parts where I told them they were to tell the truth, they were to fully cooperate, that the Office of the IG and the IG himself was fully cooperating."

No one from the committee had contacted her before the