Investigators Monitor Katrina Contracts

AP, Iwon.com ^ | Sep 13, 2005 | Lara Jakes Jordan

[ekwd]

WASHINGTON (AP) - A team of investigators is being sent to the Hurricane Katrina-ravished Gulf Coast to follow the money - namely, billions of dollars in relief aid the federal government is pouring into the region without normal contracting safeguards.

The 30 Homeland Security Department investigators and auditors are part of what officials call an unprecedented effort to ensure federal funds are properly distributed in a rescue, relief and rebuilding process expected to exceed $100 billion.

[ekwd]

Okay, FEMA cut that red tape but let the accountants and lawyers check it first. Yeah, okay. It is to laugh.

[TommyDale]

It might be payback time for the corrupt politicians in Louisiana.

[sure_fine]

$100 Billion would build a nice Super Duper Dome

[Roccus]

Like the chairman of the state Democratic Party? The company whose board he chairs has already gotten a $300,000,000.00 contract from Blanco.

[ekwd]

Perhaps, later. First, it will be the FEMA is to slow and caught up in red tape. Then it will be "Look at all the money they wasted."

[TommyDale]

"Like the chairman of the state Democratic Party?"

Precisely. And maybe the Lt. Governor, brother of the Senator Landrieu.

[CBart95]

Its good to have you following this subject well. The opposition in their myopia see this as the "raisin in the cake" they are baking for coming elections where fingerpointing will emsrge as a new Olympic Games competitive sport.

[Les_Miserables]

And who will watch the "watchers"? NOLA "city fathers" wrote the book on graft and bribery. Nothing of note happens in NO without benefiting this group. Look for most (if not all) of this money to filter through their fingers. (very sticky fingers). Nagin is already saying State and Federal will not control how NO is rebuilt...Read that as "we will control your money" ..thank you very much...come party!

[sgtbono2002]

Somebody needs to go back and see what they did with their first Homeland security money a year ago. They sure didnt buy shelter supplies with it.

[Roccus]

Plans have been underway for more than a week. The movers and shakers in NO have been meeting in Baton Rouge and Dallas to decide how they will spend the money coming in, who will benefit from this largess and how NO will be rebuilt to their liking. Cajungirl has some links to the who, what and where.