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Posted on 05/02/2002 6:15:50 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 2 (Reuters) - A top California Republican on Thursday demanded a federal probe of the state's controversial $95 million software contract with Oracle Corp. (NasdaqNM:ORCL - news).
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Assembly Republican leader Dave Cox asked the U.S. Attorney's Office to take over the investigation following a media report that a lawmaker leading a legislative review of the deal was being pressured to stop by officials in administration of Democratic Gov. Gray Davis.
The call comes two weeks after an audit blasted the deal with Oracle, saying the contract was awarded without competitive bids, with little legal oversight, for software that was little used and which could cost taxpayers $41 million.
"It's obvious that political forces would rather see this matter swept under the rug, and that usually means there's something to hide," Cox told a news conference. "An outside party would best be able to conduct this investigation."
The Republican party is in the minority in both houses of the state legislature and the Democrats promptly slammed the Republican request, saying it was just another political attack in a year when the governor is up for reelection.
A spokesman for Attorney General Bill Lockyer -- whose office is investigating the contract -- angrily denied that any conflicts of interest would hinder the probe.
"The California attorney general's office is vigorously investigating all aspects pertaining to the Oracle contract," said spokesman Nathan Barankin. "There is no conflict of interest. ... All there is, is the law."
SHREDDING ALLEGATIONS
The Davis administration seemed to be taking few chances with the budding scandal. A legal advisor to the governor reacted swiftly Thursday to what he said was an unsubstantiated report of document shredding in the case.
Barry Goode, the governor's legal affairs secretary, asked the attorney general's office to look into any shredding allegations, and dispatched the California Highway Patrol to secure all shredders and trash at the Department of Information Technology.
"While we had no conclusive evidence that any shredding or destruction of documents occurred, the mere suggestion that it may have occurred has led us to take these steps," Goode said.
Even with these rapid-fire responses, and despite the fact Davis recently ordered the attorney general to expand the investigation into the contract, and that the official in charge of the department that negotiated the contract resigned last week, the bungled deal has given Republicans ammunition in their bid to unseat the governor.
Bill Simon, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, said a San Jose Mercury News report Thursday that the Legislative Audit Committee investigating the Oracle contract has been hampered by the governor's administration showed the need for a third party to step in.
"Instead of cooperating, it appears the governor is trying to squash the investigation," Simon said in a statement.
The audit released April 17 offered a highly critical review of a deal in which state negotiators worked with little legal oversight and had no idea that Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC - news) unit Logicon, a consulting firm that worked with Oracle to pitch the deal and calculated the state would save more than a $100 million, itself stood to earn $28 million from the contract.
The audit also revealed that almost a year into the contract the three state departments involved in the deal were still figuring out how to pay for the software, and that as of mid-March no state workers were using the product.
 calgov2002: for old calgov2002 articles. calgov2002: for new calgov2002 articles. Other Bump Lists at: Free Republic Bump List Register |
Doesn't that sound like what Janet Sterno used to constantly babble while she was busy sandbagging the (many) clintoon scandle "investigations". Mumble, mumble, mumble..."facts and the law"...mumble, mumble, mumble, sweep, sweep, sweep.
Definitely something here. Davis is an incredibly corrupt, and not particularly intelligent, politico. It should be EASY to take him out, even given California sheeple voters. Got to keep the pressure on. Even the unions here despise him. In a USA Today article (today) the Teacher's Union charged him with failing to support a bill that would give the CTA a say in curriculum-setting as part of labor agreements because they refused his "request" for a $1M campaign contribution last month. This creep makes clintoon look good! In his first term, Davis has concentrated on three things: 1) Fundraising, 2)Ruining the State's economic future through energy trade deals with cronies and contributors, 3) Fundraising. At least clintoon took an occaisional break for a BJ. While busy there, he wasn't screwing the country. Davis has been screwing California full time for three years. In addition to the energy fiasco, he (and his fellow socialists in the State Congress) have increased spending 36% in three years! And turned a 15B budget surplus into a 20+B DEFICIT. IN THREE YEARS!
Gotta calm down, BP is way to high now...
Look. California Republicans have got to fix this, it is our duty. We need to pour the pressure on, with the help of friends like US Congressman Cox. AND, we need a 100% voter turnout in November. Every California Freeper should be working their networks and neighborhoods. This idiot is RUINING the State's economic future. HE HAS GOT TO GO!
Well doesn't THAT just send up a little red flag !!
Democrats promptly slammed the Republican request, saying it was just another political attack
Sure, just like the stain on Monicas dress. We all know it's a VRWC. Now, about the Democrat Enron debacle......:-P
"There is no conflict of interest. ... All there is, is the law."
Ut, ut, ut !! Now we all know Democrats are above the law. They don't understand what "law" means. You have to show them pretty pictures of flowers and butterflys being mean to each other.
The Davis administration seemed to be taking few chances with the budding scandal. A legal advisor to the governor reacted swiftly Thursday to what he said was an unsubstantiated report of document shredding in the case.
Hey. it worked for Hillary in Whitewater. He learned it from the goddess of hell.
"Instead of cooperating, it appears the governor is trying to squash the investigation," Simon said in a statement.
Gee, d'ya think?
Join your local Freeper organization.
Where might you be?
As for the no-competitive-bids, I wonder if whoever requisitioned the system spec'ed it so that only Oracle would fit the requirements (even if it was a poor design).
WHOREACLE/ORACLE = DAVIS'S ENRON
ABORT THE MAD SHREDDER, DAVIS!
The answer as per an audit: that almost a year into the contract the three state departments involved in the deal were still figuring out how to pay for the software, and that as of mid-March no state workers were using the product.
Doesn't that make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and out. Our Kali tax $'s at work for Davis and our AG and Whoreacle but not for us!
as per an audit: that almost a year into the contract the three state departments involved in the deal were still figuring out how to pay for the software, and that as of mid-March no state workers were using the product.
Your figures become more important when you look at the audit on this rape of Kali taxpayers:
as per an audit: that almost a year into the contract the three state departments involved in the deal were still figuring out how to pay for the software, and that as of mid-March no state workers were using the product.
Apparently only three state departments are trying to figure out how to use this turkey. I have no idea how many departments are in the state, but I bet there are a lot more than 3 departments. So how many Whorealce Programing units were bought per computer in those departments?
Whoreacle = Davis's Enron!
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