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More News From Iraq’s Free-Fraud Zone

A U.S. contractor has pleaded guilty to spreading $2 million in bribes to win contracts with the U.S.-run Coalition Provisional Authority, which ruled Iraq in the wake of the U.S. invasion of that country.

Philip Bloom gave CPA contracting officers and other contractors “first-class plane tickets, real estate lots, weapons, new SUVs, cigars, Breitling watches, jewelry, alcohol, sexual favors from prostitutes kept at Bloom’s Baghdad villa and cash bribes,” court documents say. When he was given contracts, he failed to do the work, or did a poor job, officials say.

Elsewhere, a Pentagon contracting official used her post for personal gain, directing lucrative security contracts to a company she helped set up and run. (LA Times, LA Times)

Giuliani Shills for Reed

Yep, Rudy Giuliani is hitting Georgia to headline a fundraiser for Ralph Reed. You can see the invitation here. It’s an impressive leap for Giuliani, who once said he’s “pro-choice and pro-gay rights” and is also a former prosecutor; in one fell swoop, he’s reaching out to both the conservative and corrupt wing of the GOP. (AP, Hotline)

The Railway to Nowhere

A railline on the Gulf Coast was rebuilt after Katrina at a cost of $250 million, but Sens. Trent Lott (R-MS) and Thad Cochran (R-MS) have inserted a $700 million earmark – the largest earmark ever – to move the railway further inland. To many, it seems like a costly ploy to open up valuable real estate to developers and “turn Mississippi’s struggling Gulf Coast into Las Vegas South.” You’ll probably be hearing more about this one. (CSM)

Freddie Mac hit with $3.8 million fine by FEC

Freddie Mac’s chief lobbyist Michael Delk apparently thought he had a way to get around Freddie Mac’s inability to contribute to members of Congress – throw them big fundraisers and have corporations make your contributions for you. But Freddie Mac’s penchant for lavish fundraisers (most of them for Rep. Mike Oxley (R-OH)) was outed in the press, and now they’ve paid a record FEC fine to make the charges go away. (WaPo, Roll Call, WSJ, Public Citizen)

GOP Running on Mollohan’s Ethics Issues

Trying to turn Dems’ weapon against them (the “culture of corruption” charge), the National Republican Committee has been sending calls into Rep. Alan Mollohan’s (D-W.V.) district in addition to some other Dem representatives across the country, touting the investigation of Mollohan’s financial dealings. (The Fix)

Phone Jamming – No White House Link?

Republicans have claimed that the Justice Department investigated them all up and down and couldn’t find any reason to suspect the White House’s involvement in the New Hampshire phone jamming. So the Senate Majority Project has issued a FOIA asking for the results of the DoJ’s investigation. (SMP)

In Other Muck

The former head of the North Carolina Republican Party has been indicted for tax fraud….(AP)

The Congressional Record for Sale…(SHNS)

Senator rips Exxon CEO’s retirement package. . . (Reuters)

Capitol’s backup generators can’t do the job in an emergency. . . (The Hill)

Covered Yesterday

Some fun with the emails between Jack Abramoff and David Safavian…(link)

FL Treasurer Has Holiday with Campaign Cash…(link)

Doolittle Ex-Aide Still Paid via Campaign…(link)

The Real Mitchell Wade…(link)

Army Turns Its Back on Torture Whistleblower…(link)

FBI Wants Famous Muckraker’s Papers…(link)

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