Another day, another conflict of interest in Washington DC. Iraq is proving to be an opportunity for Washington insiders to rape and pillage the US Treasury.

How else would you describe today's news?

Perini Corporation Selected by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Construction Projects in U.S. Central Command's Area of Operations

Perini Corporation (AMEX:PCR) announces the award of a one year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Transatlantic Programs Center, for design-build, general construction, and short term operation and maintenance services in various locations throughout U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility. This area encompasses 25 countries located throughout the Horn of Africa, South and Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Northern Red Sea regions.

The contract, worth up to 0,000,000, is one of three contract awards made by the Corps of Engineers for new construction, restorations, renovation and repair, design-build, and O&M services to respond to the contingency needs that might arise within the U.S. Central Command area.

From a cached version of Hoover's Online from March 2003:

Perennial performer Perini is known for its hospitality -- particularly when it comes to building hotel/casinos. Projects include Connecticut's Mohegan Sun casino. The builder also works on entertainment facilities and sports complexes, health care facilities, prisons, and schools. Its civil division builds and maintains highways, subways, and airports, primarily in major East Coast cities. Perini also offers construction management and design/build services. Investor groups led by chairman Ronald Tutor (owner of California contractor Tutor-Saliba) and investor Richard Blum (husband of US Sen. Dianne Feinstein) control 75% of Perini. The company has evolved from construction businesses that began in 1894.

According to the L.A. Times (Oct. 10, 2002 Debate on Iraq: 2 parties, 2 paths, 1 concern by Johanna Neuman), Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-C.A.) had received 24,169 phone calls from constituents expressing opposition to an attack on Iraq, and 597 in support. She then went ahead and voted for the resolution that handed war powers to the White House.

After casting her vote in defiance of her constituents wishes, Feinstein wrote an op-ed on her vote.

On October 11, I cast one of my most difficult votes as a U.S. senator when, in an effort to compel Iraq's disarmament of weapons of mass destruction, I voted to authorize the president to use force against Iraq. I did not come to this decision easily: I strongly oppose a pre-emptive, unilateral strike against another sovereign state.

How about just turning the keys of the US Treasury over to all of the corporate interests in Washington and quit pretending that politicians in DC have Americans' interests at heart. At least it would be honest.

posted by Susie at 12:47 AM