Eastoff

Halliburton got billions in no-bid contracts. This energy program has a competitive selection process, and awards a lot less per company. Speaking of unilateral decisions, I propose that you change Eastoff's name to Easthoff, because that's how I pronounce it. No need to ask him.

 

It's too good to be true, because there is no comparison to what Republicans did.

1) Halliburton got billions straight up. The current energy program only makes loan guarantees. All companies would have to go belly-up for taxpayers to pay anything. Your article is sleight-of-hand.

2) The connection between Cheney and Halliburton was obvious. He had been one of their top people. As soon as he left to become U.S. Vice President, he gave Halliburton no-bid contracts worth billions. What your article alleges about Obama is nothing. It says that one of the energy companies getting a loan guarantee was BrightSource. Later, its Chairman became U.S. Commerce Secretary. But that was AFTER the decision, so he didn't make it. Cheney became the contract decision-maker BEFORE the government decision to give his former employer billions.

 

Cheney had loyalty to his friends at Halliburton, who owned plenty of stock. They profited from his decision. Plus there was the prospect of working there again someday.

Whether the Commerce Secretary owned stock doesn't matter. He never made the decision to give BrightSource a contract. He wasn't even a government employee yet.