Justice Department Reverses Position, Will Send Official To Testify About Contractor Rape Claims
Justice Department Reverses Position, Will Send Official To Testify About Contractor Rape Claims
Last December, while testifying before the House Judiciary Committee about how she had been gang-raped by her co-workers while working in Iraq, former KBR employee Jamie Leigh Jones noted that “there has been no prosecution after two and a half years.” During the same hearing, Jones’s congressman, Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) said that the justice system had “failed” Jones.
Poe also noted that the Justice Department had refused to send a representative to the hearing:
It is interesting to note that the Department of Justice has thousands of lawyers, but not one from the barrage of attorneys is here to tell us what, if anything, they are doing. Their absence and silence speaks volumes about the hidden crimes of Iraq.
Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, called the Justice Department’s no show “an absolute disgrace,” adding that he was “embarrassed” by the Department. The Department responded to press inquiries about the absence by saying only that it was “investigating this matter.”
But now, according to ABC News, the Justice Department has had “an apparent reversal of policy” and will “send an official to answer questions before Congress on the investigation and prosecution of alleged sex crimes in Iraq and Afghanistan”:
Sigal Mandelker, a senior appointee in the criminal division, is slated to appear before the Foreign Relations Committee, the Justice Department confirmed. Justice spokesman Erik Ablin said Mandelker was appearing for this hearing because the department had “received assurances” that it will not be questioned about any pending matters. The House hearing, he said, “concerned a pending matter that was under investigation.”
Since the Dec. 2007 hearing that featured Jones, more women have come forward alleging that they were victims of sexual assault while working in Iraq. At least one of those alleged rape victims, whose story was revealed in The Nation last week, will testify at the same hearing as Mandelker.
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It will “look better” to send someone over there to issue a blanket denial of responsibility in the matter.
An officially recorded lie will count as “closure”.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:07 pmDam, they have the balls to put up a yellow ribbon. I really don’t think they want our troops home anytime soon. Too much blood money to make yet. Just fake patriotism,like flag lapel pins.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:08 pmTook them this long to get their lies, excuses, spin, and other forms of bullsh!t together for the hearing.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:11 pmJustice Department Reverses Position, Will Send Official To Testify About Contractor Rape Claims
And that testimony will comprise of, I don’t remember, I don’t recall, and executive privilege. Which will then result in a stern letter with exclamation marks from a congress-critter.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:12 pmIf it’s not a “blanket denial of responsibility,” it will be more “I don’t knows” and “I’ll have to get back to yous.”
-AF
April 8th, 2008 at 6:13 pmAndrew Sullivan Is A Fraud
Another link on the chain of shame of the Cheney-Bush DoJ and their administration in general.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:16 pm· Sigal Mandelker , counselor to Chertoff. She previously was assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York. From May 2003 to January 2004, Mandelker was counsel to the deputy attorney general and coordinated national security and terrorism issues in the Justice Department and with other agencies; she was special assistant to Chertoff when he was assistant attorney general at the criminal division, from 2002 to 2003. She also clerked for Justice Thomas
April 8th, 2008 at 6:16 pmThat’s great to hear.
Now, when we they get back to finding out why it was necessary for the shrub to claim executive privilege for the muder of Pat Tillman?
April 8th, 2008 at 6:17 pmwe s/b will. oy. what a day.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:18 pmSorry, missed link <a href=”http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/24/AR2005052401363.html” Click Here for pube hair on coke can count
April 8th, 2008 at 6:18 pmdamn linkomatic ain’t workin
April 8th, 2008 at 6:19 pmHere dammit
Their will not be any answers since there is pending investigations. You can’t address the systemic problems of rape or other malfeasance among KBR employees without getting specific. State and Justice are running interference for contractors instead of representing the people they are sworn to protect.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:20 pmTypo (Their=there)
April 8th, 2008 at 6:21 pmDo you know what’s also an absolute disgrace Chairman Conyers? You could put an end to this nightmare in Iraq by holding IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS.
Here’s a typical day in Iraq:
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0402-06.htm
*** Chairman Conyers I find YOU disgusting for not holding impeachment hearings and allowing babies to be cut in half.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:22 pmExporting democracy - the W way (contracted by Five Deferment Dick’s old company).
April 8th, 2008 at 6:30 pm2MillionLightYearsToAndromeda Says:
April 8th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Do you know what’s also an absolute disgrace Chairman Conyers? You could put an end to this nightmare in Iraq by holding IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS.
Amen! Congress has forsaken it’s sworn duty. Lies were given to the American people and to congress to get us to this point. A true resolve to Iraq cannot happen without this being adjudicated. It isn’t just spilt milk as some would imply. It goes to the very foundation of our Constitution, and to that end our future credibility and as such our national security.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:31 pmWith liberty and justice for oil .
April 8th, 2008 at 6:33 pmHey, it’s just a bunch of women. Please. As if THEY matter!
April 8th, 2008 at 6:39 pmMs_Joanne Says:
April 8th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
How many women in Iraq “plaster on the makeup like a trollop?”
April 8th, 2008 at 6:42 pmFreeman, BEST LINE OF THE DAY!
April 8th, 2008 at 6:43 pmrobbez_92107 Says:
April 8th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
How many women in Iraq “plaster on the makeup like a trollop?”
Well, I am sure McCain thinks we’re all c*nts.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:45 pmThe linked Nation story is one of the most appalling things I’ve ever read.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:49 pmI’m sure the testimony will consist of another mealy mouthed run around, with more non-answers to all the questions.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:53 pmSome republican puppet of the security contractors will waste time asking about emboidered hand towels.
gummitch Says:
April 8th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
I thought the most depressing thing was that due to the poor economy and the family’s need for health insurance, she has no choince but to go back to the scene of her assault to work.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:54 pmMs_Joanne Says:
April 8th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
My brother in law calls them “See you next Tuesdays.” He’ll probably vote McSame. Sigh.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:55 pmleftcoast Says:
April 8th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Amen! Congress has forsaken it’s sworn duty. Lies were given to the American people and to congress to get us to this point. A true resolve to Iraq cannot happen without this being adjudicated. It isn’t just spilt milk as some would imply. It goes to the very foundation of our Constitution, and to that end our future credibility and as such our national securit
—————————-
Bring the troops home today…and the contractors too. Then start an investigation into the lies that led to this war. Put the entire investigation and trial on tv for the world to see. Then convict and imprison all those involved.
Then pay damages to the citizens of Iraq for the damage we’ve done. And make sure the soldiers have all their healthcare needs met.
This is the ONLY way to resolve this tragedy and gain a degree of respect back from the rest of the world.
Anything else will only make the situation worse and delay the inevitable. If these crimes are allowed to pass into history the karma will follow this country and come back to hurt us in a far far more terrible manner. You can’t run from your crimes.
April 8th, 2008 at 6:57 pm92107-
April 8th, 2008 at 6:58 pmAre you in Point Loma, OB, etc?
92123
OBecian - Nine square miles surrounded by reality.
Serra Mesa? I’ve got a friend that lives just off Murray Ridge.
April 8th, 2008 at 7:06 pmThat turned my stomach. Where is the MSM and their fake outrage? The incompetent reich-wing MSM is too busy covering Obama’s former minister and Hillary’s laugh to cover real news of real importance. Pathetic.
April 8th, 2008 at 7:11 pmrobbez
April 8th, 2008 at 7:11 pmAs a kid, everyday of the summer was spent in OB. Grandparents lived in PL.
leftcoast
I grew up in PB, but have been squuezed out of every beach community save OB by rising housing prices.
April 8th, 2008 at 7:13 pmBroom meet carpet. Investigation over.
April 8th, 2008 at 7:15 pmOr should that have been…
Broom meet rug. ????? either way, you get the picture.
April 8th, 2008 at 7:15 pmThe biggest crime being committed here is that our government is complicit with allowing people who are working for us, being paid by our taxpayer dollars, to commit vile crimes and not have to pay the consequences for it. What incentive is there for the male Contractors to not rape females if they know that the worst that may happen to them is that KBR fires them. I’m not even sure that has happened in the cases that have been reported.
This is truly sick and needs to stop.
April 8th, 2008 at 8:11 pmHopefully Obama’s first act as President will be to fire each and every contractor in Iraq. Second will be to authorize prosecution of contractors who live in this country who committed crimes in Iraq.
April 8th, 2008 at 8:12 pmBring the troops home today…and the contractors too.
Actually, Congress has a way out and always has had a way out. All they need to do is to refuse to fund the contractors. No one can say they aren’t supporting the troops by refusing to pay the contractors. There’s no way Bush can keep up the occupation of Iraq without the contractors to back up our military.
April 8th, 2008 at 8:16 pmBilboHB,
April 8th, 2008 at 10:14 pmYou are naive. W would leave the troops in place to fend for themselves.
If contractors can’t be legally held responsible for actions while in Iraq… there is nothing to stop this woman from taking that soldier’s gun and killing him with it (or at least blowing his genitals into smithereens). THEN she can go looking for that supervisor who saw what was happening and participated. (And, yes, by failing to protect her, the men were encouraged by his presence to continue! Under Sartre’s premise that not moving a stone is a choice of move, the failure to act makes every person who walked into that scene GUILTY, and supervisors have even more of a responsibility to make the right choice.)
After a gang-rape, there is nothing worse they can possibly do to her, and it might save a few other women from being drugged and raped by bosses and comrades-in-arms.
There are times when you have to stand up and protest. If there is no law, and no justice, you have to make it. If the only law the bastards understand is the gun, that is what you have to use. It will get their attention in a way that stern letters from congress-critters fail to do. After Blackwater’s contract was renewed despite murderous rampages, it sent a message that contractors are indeed unpunishable and beyond the reach of law.
If women don’t respect themselves enough to take action against the men who hurt them, the pain will only continue. Even the biggest, meanest, ugliest man has to sleep sometime.
After 3-4 soldiers/contractors get blasted in the crotch, and bleed to death, somebody in charge will determine that female contractors do fall under the protection of the law and that laws against rape and murder do apply even in a war zone. It has to stop.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:15 pmIn January, several lawmakers pounded the Justice Department for flatly refusing to answer their questions about how sexual assault cases in Iraq involving U.S. citizens are handled.
“We still have heard nothing from your office,” complained several Democratic senators, including presidential hopeful Barack Obama, D-Ill.
Congressional sources, however, said two alleged rape victims, both former KBR employees who worked for the firm in Iraq, will be testifying about their experiences. Smith, the subject of a recent article, claims she was raped as recently as January.
Over the next few weeks Smith would be told to keep quiet about the incident by a KBR supervisor. The camp’s military liaison officer also told her not to speak about what had happened, she says. And she would follow these instructions. “Because then, all of a sudden, if you’ve done exactly what you’ve been instructed not to do–tell somebody–then you’re in danger,” Smith says.
What Smith and Jamie Jones have both been subjected to is beyond criminal. If all of these men do not rot for the rest of their natural born lives in jail, something is seriously wrong with our justice system. (not a chance in hell of parole)
I hope they are treated as BRUTALLY in prison on a daily basis as they have treated these two women.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:40 pmThis makes me sick. If this sort of thing is allowed to happen TODAY, then no woman is safe.
April 9th, 2008 at 12:36 am.
The DOJ was against prosecution of KBR rape BEFORE they were for it.
.
April 9th, 2008 at 1:41 am