At War and Piece, Laura Rozen finds more indicators that MZM’s contracts with the White House were for three professional staffers on the Robb-Silberman WMD commission.
First, the MZM contracts list their “place of performance” as Arlington, VA — where the commission’s offices were — not Washington, D.C., where the White House is known to be. Second, Rozen found similar arrangements between the White House and other intelligence contractors, including Booz-Allen Hamilton and SAIC. Laura and I have both confirmed various staffers worked for SAIC.
Those companies have increased their intelligence business in recent years, thanks to U.S. spy agencies struggling to spend even greater budgets on new hires and new technology.
If Laura’s right, she makes me wonder: is that arrangement usual? I don’t recall the 9/11 Commission contracting out for staff.
Further, is it appropriate? Should the nation’s private intelligence contractors — which stood to gain the most from the report’s recommendations to expand powers and operations — be working for the commission?
