NJ , Port Auth. owners to sue Bush admin for data on Port Newark deal

[ProSense]

New Jersey Sues Bush Administration For Data On Port Newark Deal

POSTED: 6:24 pm EST February 23, 2006

TRENTON, N.J. -- New Jersey on Thursday sued the Bush administration in an effort to block a company based in the United Arab Emirates from taking over operations at the Port Newark container terminal until the federal government investigates possible security risks.

Meanwhile, the owner of the busy shipping center, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said it also has security concerns about the takeover and plans to file a lawsuit Friday to terminate the firm's lease at the port.


Snip...

Port Authority Chairman Anthony Coscia said his agency would file a lawsuit Friday in New Jersey state Superior Court in Essex County.

"We as owners of that facility should be made comfortable that whoever operates that facility is capable of it," Coscia said.

Coscia said he wrote to Treasury Secretary John Snow asking for details about how the federal government determined it was safe to allow Dubai Ports World to buy a British company now doing business at the terminal

more...

http://www.wnbc.com/news/7377029/detail.html?rss=ny&psp=news

[blondeatlast]

1. If there's nothing smelly about the deal they'd be forthcoming.

Forget whether this deal is risky or not--I smell serious corruption in this.

Good for NJ; let's hope that other port states do the same and make a stink while they are at it.

Florida? Jebbie? You okay with this? (sarcasm)

[freedom2006]

2. Data on Port Deal

While New Jersey is seeking information about this dubious Dubai deal, they should also insist that the review process of CFIUS be reconsidered since, if I am not mistaken, this process does not include any input from any of the Security Agencies of the government i.e., CIA, FBI, NSA. Which leads to the obvious question, how can they be so confident that all of the security concerns are being met?

[ProSense]

3. Interesting question. Welcome to DU. n/t

[ProSense]

4. Sr. Dem. (Levin) on the Armed Services Committee slams Bush

7 31 pm

Senator challenges ports deal steps

2/23/2006 7:12 PM
By: Ted Bridis, Associated Press


WASHINGTON -- The senior Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee angrily accused the Bush administration Thursday of ignoring the law by refusing to extend an investigation of a United Arab Emirates company's takeover of significant U.S. port operations.

Clashing with a Treasury Department official on a mission to calm a political uproar, Sen. Carl Levin said the law has language specifically requiring a longer review than the one that an interagency committee conducted, if a business deal could affect national security.

"Is there not one agency in this government that believes this takeover could affect the national security of the United States?" the Michigan Democrat asked at a committee briefing. Chairman John Warner, R-Va., in a very unusual procedure on Capitol Hill, allowed reporters to question the administration witnesses.

The Treasury official, Deputy Secretary Robert Kimmitt, and officials from other agencies said a multiagency group spent three months reviewing the port deal and said that all concerns about security were satisfied.


more...

http://www.news14charlotte.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=114081

[ProSense]

5. But the Bush cabal tries to sell the public on this dubious deal. n/t

[ProSense]

6. Menendez speaks at Rider, calls deal ‘mind-boggling’

02/24/2006

Menendez speaks at Rider, calls deal ‘mind-boggling’

PETE DALY , Staff Writer

LAWRENCE -- The agreement to sell six U.S. ports to the United Arab Emirates is "mind-boggling," Sen. Bob Menendez said as he assailed the Bush administration in a speech yesterday.
Menendez, D-NJ, said the deal was done secretly without the knowledge of top Cabinet members and brings further risks to the nation’s seaports already lax on security.

"I find that to be mind-boggling that we will rely on a foreign government" to monitor ports and conduct background checks on dock workers, Menendez told an audience of about 100 at Rider University yesterday.

"It’s unprecedented in its secrecy and in its weak security standards."

President George W. Bush and other White House officials have defended the deal without giving concrete evidence that the plan to sell the management of the Ports of New York and New Jersey, the Port of Philadelphia, and others to Dubai Ports World poses no risk to national security.


more...


http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16191911&BRD=1697&PAG=461&dept_id=44551&rfi=6