Hearing of the Democratic Policy Committee - Contracting Abuses in Iraq

Statement

Hearing of the Democratic Policy Committee - Contracting Abuses in Iraq

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SEN. RICHARD DURBIN (D-IL): Thank you very much, Senator Dorgan.

And I thank you -- understand this is the 13th hearing that you've held on this issue at this point?

SEN. DOGAN: Yes, that's correct.

SEN. DURBIN: I can recall some of the early hearings when it was tough to bring anybody into a room to talk about this. And it took a lot of courage for these witnesses to come forward. We appreciate that very much -- and for those who appeared before.

It is it's a sad reality as we reflect on previous wars when people in the homefront felt they had an obligation to the soldiers and to the cause to stop these sorts of things from happening. And for the past, almost five-and-a-half years now, there hasn't been the same feeling.

Time and again, the testimony before us suggests an effort to sweep things under the table, cover them up, intimidate those who are the whistleblowers.

I was asking Senator Whitehouse here what's the statute of limitations on some of these actions? If we're lucky enough to get a new president who feels strongly about this, can they do anything about it? We think it might be five years and some of the things you've talked about may expire before the new administration has a chance to take them up. But we're going to take a look at that as well.

Interesting -- I noticed in some of your testimony that some of you, if not all of you, signed contracts with the companies you worked for -- KBR and others -- and some of those included confidentiality agreements in -- which I assume were put in place so you wouldn't be doing what you're doing today -- testifying publicly about what occurred.

Were there any other provisions in those contracts you're aware of -- arbitration provisions -- if there were any claims or things like that?

MS. WARREN: We were directed in Houston that we could not sue the company, that we had to use their arbitration procedure. But once I got back to the United States and tried to contact KBR, they never returned calls, never -- there was no contacting them.

SEN. DURBIN: This is not uncommon by our contractors in Iraq -- Blackwater does the same thing. And they've been sued now by the surviving families and parents of several of their contractors who were killed under very questionable circumstances and they've been told that those contractors had written off their rights as part of their contract to go to work for them. So it's an insidious situation which has led to this.

Let me ask you, in addition to the testimony about the waste that you've talked about here and some of the unsafe conditions, did you see equipment that was frankly shoddy equipment, poor equipment that was being given to our troops for their protection?

MR. CASSDAY: No, I myself, I didn't see any shoddy equipment given to the troops -- anything of that nature that would hamper their protection in any way.

SEN. DURBIN: Okay.

Any others see anything?

MR. HALLEY: My mission wasn't to support the U.S. troops, sir.

SEN. DURBIN: I see. (Inaudible) -- like that.

Can I ask you whether or not you have -- after you left the employ of KBR for example, did you have any contacts with their company whatsoever?

MS. WARREN: I tried. I called repeatedly and I never was -- the call was never returned.

SEN. DURBIN: And how long were you there in their employment?

MS. WARREN: For one year.

SEN. DURBIN: One year.

Mr. Cassaday?

MR. CASSADAY: I was in the employ for 10-and-a-half months and then I was recruited by a security company to go to work for them.

SEN. DURBIN: In Iraq?

MR. CASSADAY: Yes, sir, in Iraq. I walked down the street about three miles and went to work for another company.

SEN. DURBIN: I see. And how long did you stay in Iraq after that?

MR. CASSADAY: I stayed in Iraq until May 10 of 2006.

SEN. DURBIN: I see. And did you run into any similar circumstances with your new employment?

MR. CASSADAY: Yes, sir. It was actually just as bad, if not worse. But on the advice of counsel, I decline to answer that question.

SEN. DURBIN: Sorry. Thank you.

Mr. Halley?

MR. HALLEY: Yes, sir. After the incident where I was attacked, I had contacted the home office in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as my wife, and notified them that I'd been injured. My wife had called and pleaded with the company to help me and they said it was standard practice that they would not discuss it on the phone, however they would do their best to try to get her some answers. Later she received a phone call notifying her that someone may have touched me. And that they didn't know the status of me.

I did have a conversation with one of the -- CAPE's senior management and they were apologetic for the situation and assured me that remedies would be taken and that they would compensate me monetarily. However, I never heard anything more from that individual.

SEN. DURBIN: Last question. Ms. Warren, the looting that you talk about -- the --

MS. WARREN: Yes.

SEN. DURBIN: -- theft of items in Iraq --

MS. WARREN: Inside the palaces --

SEN. DURBIN: Inside the palace.

MS. WARREN: -- and I think the museums.

SEN. DURBIN: Were you aware of anyone for was arrested for that activity -- prosecuted?

MS. WARREN: There was no one arrested. The camp manager was promoted.

SEN. DURBIN: And he was involved in that?

MS. WARREN: She was involved.

SEN. DURBIN: She. I see.

MS. WARREN: She said she was busted by the military. They caught her, and the military actually asked my assistance in capturing her so they could arrest her.

SEN. DURBIN: But she was held accountable then?

MS. WARREN: No, she was not. She was not caught again and she was given a promotion and sent to Kuwait.

SEN. DURBIN: (Chuckles.) So instead of paying a price, she was given a promotion.

MS. WARREN: Yes.

SEN. DURBIN: I see. Thank you for your testimony.

Thanks, Senator.

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