Republikkkan Rip offs of American Taxpayers 35 billion and counting

The government watchdog that monitors Iraq reconstruction programs will conduct the most sweeping review of contractors since the war began, auditing four companies with combined contracts worth $3.3 billion. The audits come amid complaints of lax oversight of the $35 billion in taxpayer money spent so far to rebuild Iraq.
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Parsons Corp., a construction company with more than $2 billion in Iraq work. Previous SIGIR audits found problems with mismanagement and shoddy workmanship by the California-based company, including on a contract to build 151 health clinics. Parsons delivered 20 completed facilities after spending more than $200 million. Parsons spokeswoman Erin Kuhlman said the company did the best it could in a war zone and is cooperating with the latest probe. "In Iraq, things cost more than originally anticipated. Security costs added to a lot of that," Kuhlman said.

•Blackwater USA, a North Carolina-based security firm paid about $766 million to protect diplomats and contractors in Iraq. A 2005 audit for the State Department said the firm's time-keeping procedures were inadequate and Blackwater had improperly inflated its proposed profits on the contract. Blackwater spokeswoman Anne Tyrrell did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

•Aegis Defence Services, a London-based security firm with a nearly $300 million contract to protect Army workers and gather intelligence for other contractors. A 2005 audit found some lapses in record-keeping but said the problems were fixed before the audit was completed. Aegis spokeswoman Kristi Clemens said SIGIR had not yet contacted the company about the audit. "We welcome the audit," she said. "We think we've served the U.S. government very well."

•BearingPoint, a Virginia-based consulting firm hired by the U.S. Agency for International Development on a $240 million contract to help Iraq build a private-sector economy. BearingPoint spokesman Steve Lunceford said the company hasn't been contacted about the audit but would cooperate fully. "We're confident of our performance," he said.