Bush Admin Slow to Respond on KBR Sex Assault Questions

January 02, 2008 2:31 PM

Justin Rood Reports:

Bushadminslow_mn A powerful senator says he is still waiting for the Bush administration to respond to inquiries he made last month following reports that American women working in Iraq had been allegedly raped or sexually assaulted by coworkers or a U.S. government official.

ABC News reported last month that at least two female employees of the government contracting giant KBR had reported being raped or sexually assaulted; two years later, the report said, the alleged victims could not learn details of their cases or why they had not been prosecuted.

"We're pressing hard for answers," said a spokesman for Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. Nelson wrote Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last month requesting details on how many Americans in Iraq had reported being sexually assaulted or abused, how they were investigated, and if any had been recommended for prosecution.

He has not received a reply, a spokesman confirmed today. Nor has Nelson received replies from Secretary of Defense Robert Gates or Attorney General Michael Mukasey, to whom he also wrote asking for information and assistance, according to the lawmaker's spokesman.

In one case reported by ABC News, the State Department's Diplomatic Security referred its findings to the Justice Department for prosecution but reported that Justice declined to bring charges. The Justice Department would not discuss the case with ABC News, declined an invitation to appear before a House hearing last month on the issue and has not responded to requests for information on the matter from other lawmakers.

Nelson, who chairs a key State Department oversight panel, had given Rice a deadline of Friday, Dec. 21 to respond. Asked about missing that deadline, a State Department spokesman told ABC News, "If the senator has asked questions, I’m quite sure we will provide answers. But it’s not something I could discuss with you."

Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?

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January 2, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (40)

User Comments

What do you expect from this bunch of morons in this administration..Dumbo is cutting weeds in Crawford, Condi is shopping, Gates is picking his nose.

Posted by: Joe MUrphy | Jan 2, 2008 2:53:26 PM

Maybe they just don't care?

Posted by: Anthony | Jan 2, 2008 3:40:58 PM

For the past 7 years, I have yet to hear a straight answer, if one at all, from this Bush gang, whose arrogance and incompetency, yes, surpasses even that of the Harding and Hoover administrations. And that's scraping the bottle of the barrel.

Posted by: mongo100 | Jan 2, 2008 3:44:43 PM

Kick all these bums out of our government, bush, chaney and Condasleeza Rice. THEY LACK credibility, & character.

Posted by: Squierghia74 | Jan 2, 2008 3:53:29 PM

I expect Gloria Allred to be all over this.

Posted by: susan | Jan 2, 2008 3:59:44 PM

.
DickNBush always work in Katrina-mode, unless fast action is needed on something REALLY important, like a drop in oil price or a decline in the income of billionaires.

.

Posted by: ALEX H. | Jan 2, 2008 4:00:49 PM

wow, now there's a real surprise. Our illustrious government dragging its feet when it comes to looking into misconduct in one of its 'companies.' what ever will happen next?

Posted by: BigT | Jan 2, 2008 4:03:28 PM

HE IS KING OF USA

Posted by: iamking | Jan 2, 2008 4:39:38 PM

If she was only an Iraqi, Bush and Cheney would be waterboarding everyone involved to get someone charged.

Posted by: Xarmy | Jan 2, 2008 5:00:32 PM

The GOP Corporate Meat Puppet Profiteers don’t have time for justice when there are billions to be made. That’s some business plan; obliterate a country and then profit from the rebuilding. Meanwhile, back at the ranch; this administration has completely ignored all domestic issues. Vote them out America! ALL OF THEM!

Posted by: Citizen1960 | Jan 2, 2008 5:21:12 PM

This "faux" Bush administration WILL answer for their crimes. This isn't the gullible public his father helped to brainwash throughout the 60's.

Posted by: Truth | Jan 2, 2008 5:31:31 PM

The GOP Corporate Lap Dog Profiteers don’t have time for justice when there are billions to be made. That’s some business plan; obliterate a country and then profit from the rebuilding. Meanwhile, back at the ranch; this administration has completely ignored all domestic issues. Vote them out America! ALL OF THEM!

Posted by: Citizen1960 | Jan 2, 2008 5:43:34 PM

....I see the Houses still looking for something to do after they outlawed light bulbs in 12 years. WORST INCOMPETENT, DO-NOTHING CONGRESS AND SENATE EVER!!

Posted by: cheesedrippings69 | Jan 2, 2008 5:52:40 PM

Does anyone really expect anything more from this administration. They have lied and cheated their way through 7 years in office....

Posted by: Rick M | Jan 2, 2008 5:59:37 PM

Why is there even the slightest element of surprise in this story? Were we expecting this administration to act like a real government?

We have as the leader of the free world a man who started a war on completely false pretenses. He claims to be guided by God, his "higher father." Bush cannot string two coherent paragraphs together on his best day and still cannot pronounce "nuclear."

This man giggles and smirks at the most inappropriate times. One has to wonder whether he is merely lacking in intellectual curiosity or truly stupid. His sole personal accomplishment seems to involve riding a bicycle. Everything else in his life came by way of his daddy and his granddaddy.

Posted by: Paul H | Jan 2, 2008 6:15:07 PM

Ok, at the risk of being the devil's advocate on this, I don't know why the Justice Department would not respond to Senator Nelson (D-FL) on this, and I don't see any reason why KBR would not go after these guys who (allegedly)committed these rapes. What would KBR have to gain by not passing this on to HR and it's legal division? Most large corporations would do just that. I do know that it's a Justice Department issue and not anything to do with the Secretary of State (Condolesa Rice). Neither does it really have anything to do with the Defense Department (Gates, etc.) My guess is the Administration is standing down waiting for this woman's lawyers, KBR, the accused's lawyers, and the Justice Department to work it through. I DO know that Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL.) is a consumate grandstander. Watch him everytime a hurricane goes through his state. He's right out there getting air time. He should be involved to the extent that he is part of the committee for oversight of the State Department (which has a minor role), but that is it! As far as the Administration and KBR sweeping this under the rug, I can see no end game in that. My guess is we'll hear more about this when the accuser's lawyers and the accuseds' lawyers come to an agreement under the auspices of the Justice Department. As for Bill Nelson, well, he's a politician that always seems to have an agenda from what I've seen of him. Now this is the way I logically see it assuming there is no truth to the conspiracy point of view. Sorry if I was too wordy.

Posted by: LongT | Jan 2, 2008 6:17:42 PM

The accuser's lawyers, the accuseds' lawyers, and possibly KBR's lawyers are hashing it out. It's inappropriate for the State Department, the Administration, or even the Justice Department to comment. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) is grandstanding again.

Posted by: LongT | Jan 2, 2008 6:35:35 PM

Since when does a White House Administration act as the FBI or a judge or police over matters such as this? Why are the Dems always picking a fight? I am a naturalized citizen of the U.S. and English is my second language, and I see the error in this democrat's argument. Has anyone common sense? Or should I say, "U.S. is all litigation and bureaucracy and no common sense?" THIS MAKES NO SENSE AND THE PEOPLE FALLING FOR THIS IS EQUALLY SENSLESS. Obviously, this democrat thinks some liberals are stupid. But I must say that some really are.

Posted by: Will | Jan 2, 2008 6:53:38 PM

If there were any powerful Senators the Bush administration wouldn't do half the crap they do.

Posted by: Nathan | Jan 2, 2008 7:09:53 PM

Will, both parties make it a total living picking at each other. It's what they do. Both are bad.

Posted by: Sandra | Jan 2, 2008 7:26:18 PM

Are there any lawyers out there that would care to comment on this? i.e. would the Administration have any valid reason to sweep this under the rug as the title of this article implies? Or is it more likely the Administration is appropriately making no comments until the legalities are worked out? Sounds like the later is more logical to me.

Posted by: LongT | Jan 2, 2008 8:05:00 PM

So what this is not within the Bush adminstrations responsibilities. Sen Nelson knows this and was simply wasting more tax payers dollars, in a smear campaign against Republicans. Only the easily lead democratic drones would get worked up over this BS.

Posted by: Joe | Jan 2, 2008 8:05:27 PM

Bush haters please try and get past your apparent blind hatred of the man. It's OK not to like him - even personally. Everything is not a conspiracy. He is not king. Our government is not set up that way. The president cannot act independently. Analyse what is happening and consider alternative explanations.

Posted by: LongT | Jan 2, 2008 8:10:34 PM

where is this story in the media??????????
Why are women's issues always ignored and never researched?

Posted by: kristin | Jan 2, 2008 8:23:57 PM

Maybe the rapist perpetrators in KBR are so high up in the organization that they are friends of Bush and Cheney, so therefore they must be protected.

Posted by: TonyS | Jan 2, 2008 8:33:45 PM

It's those law and order Republicans again... I'm sure that they will take care of this.
C'mon, it's only been two years!

Posted by: George, Houston | Jan 2, 2008 8:43:53 PM

Good Lord save me from these bloggers!!! This woman will have her day in court if it gets that far. i.e. if she doesn't accept some deal or she is found, and I'm not saying she will, to be lying.... Why in the world would the White House and the Justice Department sweep this under the rug???? THEY HAVE NOTHING TO GAIN! It makes no sense.

Posted by: LongT | Jan 3, 2008 5:43:54 AM

Is it not sad when an American citizen doing the work on behalf of our Govt. is raped by fellow Americans, and our Govt. does not have the honesty and decency to stand up for her? Now this is the sort of shining example that we project to the World..our sad state of False democracy!

Posted by: Varsi Padayachee | Jan 3, 2008 8:00:06 AM

What good are laws if even the lowest levels of the Bush Administration thumb their noses at the law aand Congress.
Impeach Bush and Cheney, They have admitted to enough crimes to convict them now. They have subverted the constitution. Made laws illegally to give themselves retroactive immunity for the crimes that they knew were illegal. They lied to Congress and the American People. To start wars with countries that are not a security threat to us. They waisted billions in graft, corruption and incompetence in Iraq.
Impeachment removes the power of pardons from Bush. How long do you think it would take to get Libby, Rove, Bolton or Billings to talk if they knew they were going to jail.
The house of cards that keeps this administration out of jail would fall fast.
All we need now is some leaders with strength and courage to put the American peoples interests ahead of their special interests and live up to their oath of office.
Write to your Representatives, tell them that we are
“Mad as Hell and aren’t going to take this anymore.”

Posted by: Daniel | Jan 3, 2008 12:12:01 PM

You can write your reps. Wont do any good. They dont care. I write all the time. They write back and avert the my original question and restate thier absurd position on whatever issue by avoiding obvious undeniable statistics/facts and requoting statistics/facts that have been proven wrong. You can write them again and the second time, they just wont answer. They will do what they want and justify it on bad data and stonewall any opposition from there.

I believe we have passed the tipping point in govt. Its out of control and there is no way to bring it back without tremendous upheaval. Smaller govt is the only answer, but with millions of poeple already on the govt payroll, who of them is going to vote for that?

Corporations, lobbyists, religion, special interest groups, and 2 political parties own 110% of the system. You own none.

Posted by: ken | Jan 3, 2008 3:18:31 PM

I give up!

Posted by: LongT | Jan 3, 2008 4:18:05 PM

Hey LongT, it's not just "blind hatred"; we have countless examples over the past few years of corruption,law breaking and incompetence (Katrina, Valerie plame, etc, etc) by the administration.

"The president cannot act independently" - what do you call warrantless wiretaps?

"THEY HAVE NOTHING TO GAIN!" - the administration is under heavy fire for "privatizing" the war. Their contractors are accused of corruption, profiteering and other crimes. (read: rapes and murders). Since KBR is one of these contractors, doesn't it make sense they simply wouldn't want the bad press.

Posted by: Grant | Jan 3, 2008 6:08:12 PM

I don't think it was a cover-up. No one cared about Jamie Leigh, and they all kept pushing her aside, wanting her to go away. There is nothing regulating Halliburton and other DOD contractors, and that is the way they want it.

I am sure there have been other women that have not had her persistence to get this far.

Posted by: Jackson | Jan 4, 2008 2:07:49 AM

KBR a subcontractor of Halliburton working its' through? Hmmm. How does a company work its' way through imprisoning the VICTIM of the rape in a HUGHE storage container with a guard place outside and the doors locked on the outside, after she reported the rape. How does a company work its' way through NOT contacting the proper authorities to have the men arrested who committed the rape? How does a company work its' way through Not allowing the victim to call anyone (even prisoners get a phone call)? SOMEONE HAD TO SNEAK IN AND GIVE HER A PHONE. The good samaritan will probably get fired if the Company finds out who that someone was.

Posted by: angie | Jan 5, 2008 1:37:55 AM

It is strange how the "Qatif Girl" rape case and its judicial verdict in Saudi Arabia receives tremendous media coverage and its injustice is preached about by Americas finest. While on the other hand injustice done to American women serving their country cant make it to court. Its some example the Bush administration is setting. In house cleaning should be done to bring back the America I used to know and once admired.

Posted by: Samir | Jan 6, 2008 5:43:48 AM

Shouldn't the purpose of the investigation be: to prosecute the rapists and violators of the Good Samaritan laws? Seems to me the precedent has been set: New Bedford Rape trial. Shouldn't the purpose of the investigation be: to overturn employment contracts that sanction criminal activity?

So, we'd like to think of ourselves as a civilized society here in America, favoring justice for all, right? Then why is Dan Sharphorn issuing "no trespass warnings" via people like Richard F. Zavala?

YOU SEND A MESSAGE -- now. STOP THIS .

Shame the men or shame the women, is that the dilemma?

What if the rape victim were a 12 year old boy? I thought the Catholic Church already had it's purging.

Exactly what are "we the people" waiting for. The New Bedford rape trial prosecuted and convicted in waves.

What are we dealing with here: a male code of ethics engaged in gross police and prosecutorial misconduct? Across the nation women not inclined to wait much longer to clear out the top echelon of off-shore counter terrorism tactics with our own state-sdie brand of indifference.

Come on, Bryant!

Look at the University of Michigan's DPS web site. It (the same thing that happened to Ms. Jamie) happens right on our nation's educational campus (i.e, cover up, decline to arrest, decline to prosecute). Sharphorn learned how to target women in Vietnam; it's right on the web "Jerry's Cadet." Then again, there’s Varner (she puts it in writing – it’s “inappropriate behavior” for a rape victim find a safe place if it happens to be in the Flemming Administration Bldg. She’d be one of those employment lawyers – if it’s an analog you’re looking for. Let’s no forget Mason.

We need to know -- do the members of the congressional inquirelie about --- waiting to catch the top dog? "Turn me in and I'll destroy your life!" All our officers (Board of Regents are lawyers too.

What's in it for you, Special Prosecutorial committee by waiting so long? You don't want to get it wrong? Or you're waiting for New Hampshire primary to set out the platform for justice reform? How is it (the delay) helping this girl? How is it helping? Who is it helping? Get on with it. Arrest the rapist. What we don’t want to see is another five years of waiting. Honest cops don't' want to know their leader in charge prefers to the other way.

Posted by: tikkun_alom | Jan 6, 2008 2:59:17 PM

All US Courts are biased in favor of
Supplimental Warfunding.
Joseph J Salas vs. Richard Rinard(CA)

Posted by: joseph | Jan 6, 2008 8:21:39 PM

How surprising, that the ABC news website has turned into a blog of tree-hugging liberal whiners. Perhaps instead of regurgitating liberal pundit lines and feeding off of each other, one of you could maybe forage an original thought? Bad things happen to good people everyday. Wars happen. America is safer because of this president. These are basic truths that only a true liberal moron would contest.

Posted by: J.D. | Jan 7, 2008 9:20:49 PM

Hey - you voted them into office. So you have no one to blame but yourselves for the losers that "represent" (hah!) you. The Congress is doing nothing but spending our money to build the bureaucracy even larger and increasing our dependence on THEM by handing out "free" programs and benefits (healthcare for all - yay! - can you imagine a government run health service - yikes! - they can't even deliver mail). This ensures they will stay in office for life. Congratulations Amerika! Ya bunch of dopes.

Posted by: Jeffro | Jan 7, 2008 10:07:41 PM

#1: joseph:

liberals built this country that you NeoCONs are trying so hard to tear down.

#2: Rape isn't "bad things happen to good people everyday". Rape is a CRIME PUNISHABLE BY OUR LAWS.

#3: Since Bush NEVER STRUCK BACK at the country which attacked us on 9/11--that's Saudi Arabia--but instead attacked the Saudi's worst enemy--Iraq--that by itself shows infallibly that America not only is not safer because of this president, but that it is in greater danger than ever from those whom it wrongfully invaded (Oops, forgot about all that oil in North Iraq, 'scuse me, Kirkuk). These are basic and annotated truths that only a NeoCON retard would contest.

Posted by: Val Fitzgerald | Jan 8, 2008 5:38:35 AM

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