Thursday, January 10, 2019

Who Could Have Predicted Such Corruption?

The acting Defense Secretary is a former Boeing executive, so even a casual observer of the Trump kleptocracy could have predicted that the guy would turn out to be corrupt as hell. I am a cynical man, but I still wouldn't have predicted that such corruption would be manifested so quickly: the Air Force will now accept Boeing KC-46 aerial tanker planes with a flaw in their refueling systems.

Former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis had rejected the defect-plagued planes, but their purchase was approved by under-secretary for acquisition and sustainment Ellen Lord. Supposedly, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan recused himself from the decision, but I am not convinced that he refrained from pressuring his subordinate to buy the damn things... Trump infamously declined to put his businesses into a blind trust and has ridden roughshod over the Constitution prohibition against emoluments. If the screwhead of state can engage in such chicanery, why wouldn't his subordinates act likewise?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

https://prhome.defense.gov/Readiness/EducationTraining/SDEF/Past-Fellows/

Corruption is written into their DNA. SecDef Fellows, Federal Executive Fellowships