Meth, Porn on the taxpayer's nickel, "free" tickets and other graft: how would the off-shore drilling watchdogs ever find time to regulate?

By Pablo Fanque

National Affairs Editor

The Inspector General released a report today that details major abuses, graft, and corruption at the agency that "oversees" off-shore oil drilling.    The Minerals Management Service abuses are shocking but hardly surprising.  As we've seen in dozens of other cozy relationships between government employees and vendors, the lines rapidly become blurred as the employees *cough* regulators nestle snugly in the pockets of the dirtbags they were hired to control.   Interestingly the IG, Mary Kendall notes that "we discovered that the individuals involved in the fraternizing and gift exchange both government and industry have often known one another since childhood."

Curiously, the MMS is located in Denver--about as far as you can possibly be from the sites you are charged with overseeing. 

None of this is new.   The previous Inspector General--Earl Devaney--in 2008 reported a "culture of ethical failure" and numerous conflicts of interest at the minerals agency.

You can read the entire story of the new Inspector General's report here, on WKRG.com.

"Staff members at an agency that oversees offshore drilling accepted tickets to sports events, lunches and other gifts from oil and gas companies and used government computers to view pornography, according to an Interior Department report alleging a culture of cronyism between regulators and the industry.

"In at least one case, an inspector for the Minerals Management Service admitted using crystal methamphetamine and said he might have been under the influence of the drug the next day at work, according to the report by the acting inspector general of the Interior Department.

"The report cites a variety of violations of federal regulations and ethics rules at the agency's Louisiana office. Previous inspector general investigations have focused on inappropriate behavior by the royalty-collection staff in the agency's Denver office."
---o0o---

Ted Stevens escapes the hangman's noose and the hunters become the hunted

illustration by jack brummet

By Pablo Fanque
All This Is That National Affairs Editor

The Justice Department moved today to drop all charges against former Senator and current douchebag Ted Stevens of Alaska, who just barely lost his seat last year after being convicted on seven felony counts of ethics violations.

Stevens faced serious prison time over the charges. But the judge, Emmet Sullivan, has been reluctant to stick him in the hoosegow, because of the earlier accusations of prosecutorial misconduct.

In an utterly depressing and incredible new development (about which rumors have bounced around for months), Justice Department lawyers told a federal court that they had discovered yet another instance of prosecutorial misconduct (it must have been egregious!) in the case and asked that the convictions be voided. Attorney General Eric F. Holder Jr. said that "in the interests of justice," there would be no new trial.

And, now, the hunters become the hunted (there may be a little justice after all). It appears that at least some of the prosecutors who tried Stevens on ethics charges would now face ethics charges themselves and be sent to a "don't drop your soap" federal prison.
---o00---

Obama's first F***-up/Bill Richardson weasels on the Commerce cabinet position

By Pablo Fanque, National Affairs Editor, All This Is That News Network

Obama may still have his hands clean, but now, a second pay to play stink has settled around his new administration. The beloved New Mexico Governor, Bill Richardson announced yesterday that he was withdrawing his nomination to be President-elect Barack Obama's Commerce Secretary. He said (approximately), "thanks, but no thanks. . .I think this grand jury investigation into some of my political donors who won a sweet $$$ state contract will hamstring the administration."

The company in question, CDR Financial Products [does that sound like another Ponzi scheme, or what?] was paid a total of $1.48 million in 2004 and 2005 for its work on a transportation program. CDR and its CEO, David Rubin, have contributed at least $110,000 to three political committees formed by Richardson, according to an Associated Press review of campaign finance records. Looking at this crassly, one and a half million dollars is not a bad return on a $100,000 "investment."

Richardson's bugging out is the first real disruption of Obama's Cabinet juggernaut, and the second "pay-to-play" investigation that has landed on Obama's team. The first was the messy case of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich attempting to sell Obama's vacated seat.

A federal grand jury is at this moment investigating how a California company that contributed to Richardson's Presidential bid won a transportation contract worth more than $1 million.

Richardson--in a statement issued by the Obama transition office--said the investigation could take weeks or months. And, as they do every time, he expressed confidence the probe will show he and his administration acted properly.

"The ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process," Richardson's statement said. "Given the gravity of the economic situation the nation is facing, I could not in good conscience ask the president-elect and his administration to delay for one day the important work that needs to be done." Cough cough.

Governor Richardson did say that he would remain in place as governor. At least until the investigation turns up something really hairy.

Unfortunately, Bill Richardson is one of the good guys. He is an excellent governor. He did great work internationally in the Clinton administration, and in my booklet, was fully qualified to have become President (probably more qualified than the guy who never quite became his boss), and, certainly, Secretary of Commerce. He probably should have been the nominee for Secretary of State. But he got caught with his testicles in the vice. Or maybe he hasn't; it doesn't matter, really--just the whiff of impropriety is enough to sink a fledgling cabinet member. It's the old Caesar's Wife dictum playing itself out once again.

Naturally, Soon-To-Be-President Obama accepted his resignation "with deep regret" and said "Bill Richardson is an outstanding public servant and would have brought to the job of Commerce Secretary and our economic team great insights accumulated through an extraordinary career in federal and state office. It is a measure of his willingness to put the nation first that he has removed himself as a candidate for the Cabinet to avoid any delay in filling this important economic post at this critical time. Although we must move quickly to fill the void left by Governor Richardson's decision, I look forward to his future service to our country and in my administration."

And you know what really sucks? Bill wouldn't have even needed to shave his beard!

---o0o---

Another One Bites The Dust: Demo Governor Blagojevich of Illinois arrested for trying to sell Obama's Senate Seat

By Pablo Fanque,
National Affairs Editor, All This Is That

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was arrested on corruption charges on Tuesday, including trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by fellow Democrat President-elect Barack Obama, federal prosecutors said.

While Obama has long distanced himself from the governor -- who has been under investigation on other issues for months -- many people are hoping he he has ALWAYS kept his distance.

The case reminds us once again of the political sewer from which Barack Obama emerged--Chicago machine politics--without necessarily being a part of those politics, but most likely, a reluctant observer and, at times, expedient friend.

"The corruption laid out in these charges is staggering," U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, the federal prosecutor, said in a statement. And that is an understatement. The amount of money Blagojevich (and his wife whom you hear so clearly giving instructions in audio tapes) were trying to shake down is stunning.

Possibly even spookier is his unmitigated audacity and the quite open demands he unapologetically imposes on supplicants. This makes the $90,000 found in fellow Democrat's Rep. William Jefferson's freezer last summer look like revenue from a Kool-Aid stand.

According to the complaint, Patricia Blagojevich was the voice in the background spewing an ugly suggestion to "just fire" some newspaper editors if the Tribune Co. hoped for state assistance to sell Wrigley Field, the storied home of the Chicago Cubs."

"Hold up that (expletive) Cubs (expletive)," she says as her husband is talking on the telephone. "(Expletive) them."

This shoddy episode has given great hope to right wing bloggers and talk show hosts, who seem convinced the Obama smoking gun tape will surface any day. And the story has struck fear in the hearts of more than a few leftists, all of whom are crossing their fingers.
---o0o---

Another Rough Day At The White House: AG Robert Gonzales falls on his sword. . .

Maybe not today, but this week, Attorney General Gonzales will resign,. Six Republican Senators have now stepped up and said it's time to go; it's over now. The only question is if there is any face saving to be done--how, and by whom? I think there is no face to be saved on this one. Unlike the Harriet Meiers fiasco, The President has remained steadfast. However this time, the vultures are circling. . .and closing in.
---o0o---