The Brewster Report

authorities should pursue criminal charges against the Virginia couple

Two (2) US Senators said Sunday, that authorities should pursue criminal charges against the Virginia couple who crashed last week's state dinner at the White House.

"You've got to send a strong deterrent that people just don't do this kind of thing," Democrat Evan Bayh of Indiana said on "Fox News Sunday."

Republican Jon Kyl of Arizona agreed, saying, "If it's a federal crime to lie to a federal agent, and these people didn't tell the truth about their invitation, then they should be in some way brought to justice here, again, as an example to others not to do it."

Authorities should give this couple a bit of "reality" and NOT cut a deal with them!  They should be barred from profiting from a book deal and television appearances.

Stay tune for the next thing people will do to get on a reality show!  Let's stop this now!

WANT-A-BE" Michaele Salahi's failed attempt at being "SOMEBODY"

“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive”!

We must not feel sorry for this social climber - Michaele Holt Salahi will get what she deserves!  Some hope it will be a dinner at a State Prison! 

President Obama’s 1^st state dinner was not the first incident involving these people: 

Salahi is a polo player, who has competed in numerous international Grand Prix events, before taking up polo at 16. He was a regular competitor on the U.S. National Team and his Oasis squad won two U.S. Polo Association National Arena Titles in 1997 and 1998.  After a match in 1999, Salahi, who had been playing on the American team at a polo match at Windsor Castle in Great Britain, was afterwards invited to a private reception honoring Prince Charles, then a player on the British team. At the exact moment that Salahi was to extend his hand to Charles for a simple “grip and grin” photo, an associate suddenly emerged from behind a curtain and thrust a magnum of Oasis Vineyards Special 2000 Millennium Sparkling Wine into the hands of the surprised Prince Charles. 

During preparations for the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Jamestown in 2007, Salahi founded the America's Polo Cup to bring more attention to the sport. Salahi and his wife were co-chairs of the event, with family friend and former American Gladiator Jonathan Byrne assistant chair in 2007. However, after a physical altercation between Salahi and Byrne during the inaugural match, Byrne left the organization.  The current chief sponsor of the Cup is Land Rover (which, along with Jaguar Cars, was recently sold by Ford Motors). The traditionally British auto brand currently belongs to Tata Motors, controlled by Indian industrialist Dr. Ratan Tata, who was one of the guests in attendance at the White House. 

I’m sure Dr. Tata understands high-level protocol and would not have told the Salahis to join him at the White House.

According to the internet, bloggers, and major media news sources, Tareq and Michaele Salahi are named in 15 or 16 civil suits, mainly in Fauquier County, Virginia, a paper trail in federal bankruptcy and state court filings, some are alleged to be:

·     Robb Levin of Fairfax, Virginia held his wedding at the Oasis Winery has a $15,000 lawsuit against the Salahis.  

 

·     Tareq sued his mother Corrine for control of the winery.  In 1977 the Salahi family planted on their estate farm some of the first Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot vines Virginia starting the Oasis Winery in Hume, Virginia at the time only the fifth winery in the commonwealth^[6]. The vineyard and winery were expanded and the estate developed so that ancillary income could be brought in through use as a function and polo venue. In 1994 Tareq was named the winery's managing director^[

The vineyard's Meritage line won Gold Medals at 1994 and 1996 world wine championships. In 1998, Tareq launched a Cuvee "Celebration" sparkling wine, which also garnered top awards. In 2000 Oasis was named one of the Top 10 wineries in the world.

In 2005 health problems caused Dirgham to become an invalid prompting Corrine to take a more active role in the winery. Tareq and Corrine feuded bitterly over spending and the dispute ended up bankrupting the operation. At its high point the winery's assets included a bottled water business, a fleet of town cars and limos, a $3 million luxury yacht for charters, a rental condo in St. Thomas, and disputes with neighbors added another $2 million to the winery's legal bills.

In September 2007, Hurricane Isabel wiped out the entire Oasis crop. On November 27 2007, Fauquier County Judge Jeffrey W. Parker who was overseeing the bankruptcy of the winery approved the sale of the property and assets of Oasis Vineyard Inc. for $4.15 million to a partnership headed by Margenau that is to be run by Tareq. The Salahis plan to reopen Oasis to the public in 2010.

·     Oasis Winery filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in February, according to U.S. Bankruptcy Court records in the Eastern District of Virginia. Tareq Salahi is listed as company president in the filing.

 

· Creditors listed include the IRS, Fauquier County, the state of Virginia, several banks and American Express Corp., among others. The company claims about $335,000 in assets and $965,000 in liabilities.  There is also more than $60,000 in credit card debt and "unknown" amount in federal back taxes.   Corporate taxes have not been filed since 2006.  Also listed is a $65 parking ticket in Montgomery County, Maryland,
nearly $3,000 in gasoline purchases to Exxon-Mobil and more than $95,000 in legal fees.  According to the February filing, Oasis made $1.7 million in 2007 but only $35,000 in 2008. The filing lists two pending lawsuits against Oasis, one for more than $300,000 for "catering services" and one judgment against the company. 

 

·     February 20, 2008, Fauquier Times newspaper reports – Sheila Johnson currently serves as CEO of Salamander Hospitality, a company she founded in 2005. Salamander's portfolio includes: The Woodlands Resort & Inn, in Summerville, SC; the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club, a 900 acre, 72 hole PGA tour golf course in Palm Harbor, FL; and The Salamander Resort & Spa in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Middleburg, VA. (opening date: Spring 2010). 

 

Salamander has filed a civil suit against Tareq Salahi, both as an individual and as the registered agent for America's Polo Cup Inc., court documents show.   Americas Cup of Polo and America's Polo Cup are also listed as defendants in the suit, along with Oasis Vineyard Inc., (conducting business under several other names with Corrine Salahi as the registered agent) and Oasis Enterprises Inc., (conducting business under several other names with Tareq Salahi as the registered agent).  In the suit, which was filed in Fauquier County Circuit Court Jan. 28, Catharine T. Slater, an attorney for Market Salamander said the company is suing for breach of an oral contract, breach of a written contract, or for the defendants' "unjust enrichment."  The plaintiff is seeking damages in the amount of approximately $304,920 in addition to "interest, fees, Court costs and any other remedy for the Plaintiff the Court may deem appropriate...."

According to the lawsuit, Tareq Salahi — acting both as an individual and on behalf of America's Cup and the "Oasis Entities" — contacted Market Salamander for catering services in October 2006.  The services were to be provided for the 400th anniversary of “Journey for the Cure" at Morven Park in Loudoun County the following spring.  Salahi allegedly "offered a written statement of intent" to Market Salamander when he contacted them in October. Market Salamander accepted the offer, signed the letter of intent and returned it, according to the suit.  On May 12, 2007, Market Salamander provided food, beverages and services as stipulated in the written offer, according to the lawsuit. However, the suit alleges that the defendants, who charged people to get into designated areas, also allowed "unauthorized individuals" into the catered sponsor tents and boxed seating at the event.  Consequently, Market Salamander claims that it incurred additional costs to meet the unanticipated demand for food, drinks and related services.  "The Plaintiff fulfilled its obligations to the Defendants under the parties' agreement. The Defendants have failed and refused to pay the Plaintiff any money under their agreement," the lawsuit claims.

 

·     Under "repossessions," the filing lists a 2004 Aston Martin, which it estimates was worth $150,000 when it was repossessed in October 2008.  Some $85,000 was still owed, according to the filing. In addition, a boat valued at $90,000 was repossessed in June 2008, with $56,000 still owed, according to court documents. 

 

·     The winery also had closed a checking account, $3,800 in the red, about a year before the filing.  Oasis owes $224,000 "for rental of FedEx Redskins Suite and related hospitality services," according to court documents.

This must have been the couple’s last effort to get some attention and money!

Further, internet research and Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia uncovered that:

TAREQ DIRGHAM SALAHI is a Palestinian from Jerusalem. His mother Corinne is from Belgium. Tareq was educated as a petroleum geologist and worked in the Middle East and United States. He retired and settled in Virginia, where he became manager of an estate farm, which he then subsequently bought.  His mother, Corrine Salahi is the founder and director of the Montessori School of Alexandria, Virginia: however there is no mention of Corrine on the school web site http://montschoolalex.com/.

Tareq met then model Michaele Holt at the 2000 holiday party thrown by McLean, Virginia real estate developer N. Casey Margenau and his wife Molly. Tareq married Michaele in 2003 in a lavish ceremony at Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington DC with 28 bridesmaids, 28 groomsmen, and, according to a video posted on YouTube and her Facebook page, enjoyed a reception at the Tareq family winery prepared by 46 chefs hosted in a 36,000 square-foot tent, capped off with a 30-minute fireworks display and an eight-foot wedding cake. The guest list included 1,836 guests featuring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, Sen. Mark Warner, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Margaret Heckler. The wedding originally scheduled for October 2002 was postponed numerous times prompting Kennedy to quip that he needed to issue "subpoenas" to the bride and groom.

In 2000, Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore impressed with Salahi's plan to market Virginia wine to the world appointed Tareq to a three (3) year term on the Virginia Wine Board. At the conclusion of that term Virginia Governor Mark Warner nominated Tareq chairman of the Virginia Wine Tourism Office. Tareq is currently one of 15 board members of the Virginia Tourism Corporation, a "board that shapes Virginia's tourism policy", appointed by Gov. Tim Kaine in 2006. During his time in office the Virginia Wineway, Loudoun Wine Trail, Blue Ridge Wineway and Virginia Wineries Alliance were created, attracting, according to a USDA study, 980,000 wine tourists to the state, of which 336,000 visited Piedmont wineries.

Tareq was board member of the American Task Force on Palestine a group that felt Palestinians "should disregard grassroots political organizing and put on suits." That group has been criticized as "a group that boasts among its slim record of 'achievements,' sponsoring polo matches and hosting a speech by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice."

Michaele Salahi is the daughter of Howard A. Holt Jr. & Rosemary (née O'Malley) of Fairfax, Virginia, sister of Debbie, Howard III, and Glen, and is a graduate of Kings College.  Michaele Holt married Tareq in 2003.  Michaele has claimed to be a former model and Washington Redskins cheerleader, she has also claimed to have been featured in numerous television spots, was the face of Virginia.org's Wine Getaways ad campaign, and has also claimed to have been featured in O, Gourmet, Conde Nast Traveller, Home & Garden, The New Yorker, Vogue, Elle, Victoria's Secret amongst others. Many of these claims appear to be embellishments or outright lies, as both the Washington Redskins and Victoria's Secret have publicly stated that she has never worked for them, according to the Washington Post! 

But the cheerleaders' director of marketing, Melanie Coburn, wrote in an e-mail: "We have no record of her being a member of the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders."  Nor could the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders Alumni Association find any record of her, said Terri Crane-Lamb, president of the association.  One former cheerleader, Konnie McKee, said Michaele Salahi came to alumni events, but no one remembered her being on the squad. McKee and Crane-Lamb noticed Michaele Salahi attending WRCAA events. "I remember Terri and I talking: 'What's the deal? Does anyone remember her?'"

Rachel Harshman, who owns a horse farm near Middleburg, Va., and was formerly friends with Michaele Salahi, says the couple owes her tens of thousands of dollars. She had noted something odd when she had met Michaele Salahi in the 1990s. At the time, she said, Michaele Salahi was working jobs in retail and living with her parents in a simple condominium in Oakton, Va. The family was not wealthy, Harshman says. One night out with friends, Harshman said, she was surprised when Michaele Salahi casually mentioned that she was a model. "I said, 'You never mentioned this to me before.' " Later, Harshman said, "it grew into 'supermodel.' I ignored it half the time."

Since the gate crashing incident, mention of Salahi has been removed from many websites!

White House releases 1st state dinner guest list

The President & First Lady Michelle Obama

Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister, India & Ms. Gursharan Kaur

The Honorable (Rep) Gary Ackerman, United States Representative
Mr. Sant Singh Chatwal (Guest)

His Excellency Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of the Republic of India, Indian Delegation

Mr. Mukesh D Ambani

Mr. Tim Dutta (Spouse of Ms. Pia Awal)

The Honorable (Mr.) David Axelrod, White House Communications
Mrs. Susan Axelrod

Ms. Preeta Bansal, OMB - General Counsel

The Honorable (Ms.) Melody Barnes, Domestic Policy Council
Mr. Marland E. Buckner

The Honorable (Rep.) Howard Berman, United States Representative (D/California)
Mrs. Jane Berman, Spouse of United States Representative (D/California)

Mr. Om Prakash Bhatt

Mr. Hunter Biden
Mrs. Kathleen Biden

The Honorable (Vice President) Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Vice President of the United States
Dr. Jill Biden

Mr. Robert O Blake, Jr., Assistant Sec for South and Central Asian Affairs, State Department
Mrs. Sofia Blake

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, New York, NY
Ms. Diana Taylor

The Honorable (Mr.) John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Deputy National Security Advisor for Counterterrorism, Homeland Security Council
Mrs. Katherine Brennan

The Honorable (Ms.) Lisa Brown, Office of Staff Secretary
Mr. Kevin Cullen

Mr. Donald Browne
Ms. Maria Junqera

The Honorable (Ms.) Carol Browner, Energy and Climate Change
The Honorable (Mr.) Tom Downey

Mr. William Burns, Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Department of State
Ms. Lisa Carty

General James E Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Mrs. Sandee Cartwright

The Honorable (Senator) Bob Casey, United States Senator (D/Pennsylvania)
Mrs. Terese Casey, United States Senate Spouse (D/Pennsylvania)

Mr. Rajiv Chandrasekaran
Mrs. Julie Chandrasekaran

Mr. I.S. Chaturvedi, Personal Secretary to the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Indian Delegation

Senator Satveer Chaudhry, State Senator
Colonel Ravi Chaudhry (Guest)

Ms. Rohini Chopra

Mr. Deepak Chopra
Mrs. Rita Chopra

The Honorable (Secretary) Steven Chu, Secretary of the Department of Energy
Mrs. Jean Chu

The Honorable (Secretary) Hillary R. Clinton, Secretary of State

The Honorable (Rep.) James E. Clyburn, United States Representative (D/South Carolina)
Mrs. Emily Clyburn

The Honorable (Senator) Kent Conrad, United States Senator (D/North Dakota)
Ms. Lucy Calutti, United States Senate Spouse (D/North Dakota)

Mr. David Cote

Ms. Katie Couric
Mr. Brooks L Perlin

Mr. Greg Craig, Assistant to the President and Counsel to the President
Mrs. Margaret D Craig

Mrs. Paula Crown
Mr. Jim Crown

The Honorable (Rep.) Elijah Cummings, United States Representative (D/Maryland)
Mrs. Maya Rockeymoore

Senator Swati Dandekar, State Senator
Mr. Arvind Dandekar

Mr. Rajesh De, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice

Nancy Ann DeParle, Office of Health Reform
Mr. Jason P DeParle

Ms. Bhairavi Desai
Javaid Tariq

Dr. Vishakha N. Desai
Robert Oxman

The Honorable (Senator) Chris Dodd, United States Senator (D/Connecticut)
Mrs. Jackie Clegg Dodd

Mr. John Doerr

The Honorable (Mr.) Thomas Donilon, Assistant to the President, Deputy National Security Advisor, NSC
Ms. Cathy Russell

The Honorable Anita Dunn, White House Communications Director
Mr. Bob Bauer

Mr. Ari Emanuel
Mrs. Sarah Emanuel

The Honorable (Mr.) Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff to the President
Ms. Amy Rule

The Honorable (Mr.) Jon Favreau, Assistant to the President and Director of Speechwriting

Ms. Sarah Feinberg, Office of the Chief of Staff

The Honorable (Mayor) Adrian Fenty, Mayor of the District of Columbia
Mrs. Michelle Fenty

Ms. Michelle Flournoy

Mr. Thomas Friedman
Mrs. Ann Friedman

The Honorable (Mr.) Mike Froman, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs, NSC

Dr. Ashok S Ganguly

The Honorable (Mr.) Patrick Gaspard, Office of Political Affairs
Mrs. Raina Washington

The Honorable Robert Gates

Ms. Charlene Gaynor
Mr. Richard Heiss

Mr. David Geffen
Mr. Jeremy Lingvall

The Honorable (Secretary) Timothy F. Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury
Ms. Carole Sonnenfeld

The Honorable (Mr.) Robert Gibbs, White House Press Secretary

Mr. Anish Goel, Acting Senior Director, South Asia Affairs, NSC

Mr. Senapathy Gopalakrishnan

Mr. Mark Gorenberg
Ms. Wendy Wanderman

Mr. John Gorman
Mrs. Tamra Gorman

Representative Jay Goyal, State Representative
Kiran Goyal

Representative Raj Goyle, State Representative
Mrs. Monica Arora

The Honorable (Governor) Jennifer Granholm, Governor of Michigan (D)
Mr. Daniel Mulhern, First Gentleman of Michigan

Mr. Earl G. Graves
Mrs. Barbara Graves

Ms. Geeta Rao Gupta
Mr. Arvind Gupta

Mr. Raj Gupta

Mr. Rajat Gupta
Mrs. Anita M Gupta

Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Mrs. Rebecca Olson Gupta

Mr. Lee Hamilton
Mrs. Nancy Hamilton

The Honorable (Ms.) Kamala Harris
Ms. Maya Harris

Mr. Kamil Hassan
Mrs. Talat Hassan

Mr. George Haywood
Mrs. Cheryl J Haywood

The Honorable Fred Hochberg, Export-Import Bank
Thomas P Healy

The Honorable (Rep.) Paul Hodes, United States Representative (D/New Hampshire)
Mrs. Margaret Hodes

The Honorable (Attorney General) Eric Holder, United States Attorney General, Department of Justice
Dr. Sharon Malone, MD

Dr. John P. Holdren
Dr. Cheryl E Holdren

The Honorable (Rep.) Eleanor Holmes-Norton, United States of Representative (D/DC)
Mr. John Norton

Mr. Robert D Hormats, Under Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs, State Department
Ms. Camille Massey

The Honorable (Rep) Steny Hoyer, United States Representative (D/Maryland)
Ms. Kathleen May

Mr. Chris Hughes
Mr. Sean S Eldridge

Mr. Jeff Immelt

The Honorable (Senator) Daniel Inouye, United States Senator (D/Hawaii)
Ms. Irene Hirano, United States Senate Spouse (D/Hawaii)

Mrs. Deepa Iyer
Mr. Parag Khandhar
Mr. Vasudeva Iyer

The Honorable (Administrator) Lisa Jackson, Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency
Mr. Kenneth Jackson

The Honorable (Ms.) Valerie Jarrett, Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor

The Honorable (Governor) Bobby Jindal, Governor of Louisiana
Mrs. Supriya Jindal, First Lady of Louisiana

The Honorable (General) James Jones, Assistant to the President and National Security Advisor
Mrs. Diane Jones

Mrs. Ann Jordan
Mr. Vernon Jordan

Mr. Anil Kakani

Mr. Farooq Kathwari
Mrs. Farida Kathwari

Mr. Neal Katyal, Principal Deputy Solicitor General, Office of the Solicitor General

Mr. Jeffrey Katzenberg
Mrs. Marilyn Katzenberg

Ms. Maneesha Kelkar, Manavi
Vinay Vaishampayan

The Honorable (Senator) John Kerry, United States Senator (D/Massachusetts)

Dr. Harish Khare, Media Advisor to the Prime Minister of India, Indian Delegation

The Honorable (Mr.) Bradley Kiley, Office of Management and Administration
Mr. James Coley, Jr.

Ms. Gayle King

The Honorable (Ambassador) Ron Kirk, USTR
Mrs. Matrice Ellis-Kirk

The Honorable (Mr.) Ronald Klain, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Vice President, Office of the Vice President

Mrs. Chanda D Kochhar

His Excellency S.M. Krishna, Minister of External Affairs of the Republic of India, Indian Delegation

Ms. Gaitri Kumar, Joint Secretary (Americas), Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India, Indian Delegation

Mr. Vivek Kundra

Mrs. Jhumpa Lahiri
Mr. Alberto Vourvoulias

Mr. Marc Lasry
Cathy Lasry

Mr. Jacob Lew, Deputy Secretary, Department of State

The Honorable Gary Locke, Secretary of Commerce
Mrs. Mona Locke

The Honorable (Mr.) Christopher Lu, Cabinet Affairs
Ms. Kathryn Thomson

The Honorable (Senator) Richard Lugar, United States Senator (R/Indiana)
Mrs. Char Lugar, United States Senate Spouse (R/Indiana)

Mr. Michael Lynton
Ms. Elizabeth Jamie Alter

Mr. Surinder Malhotra

The Honorable (Chief of Protocol) Capricia Marshall

The Honorable (Ms.) Alyssa Mastromonaco, White House Office of Scheduling

Mr. Brian Mathis
Mrs. Tracey Kemble

Ms. Kiran Mazumda-Shaw

The Honorable (Senator) Claire McCaskill, United States Senator (D/Missouri)
Mr. Joseph Shepard, United States Senate Spouse

The Honorable (Rep) Jim McDermott, United States Representative (D/Washington)
Mrs. Therese Marie Hansen

Mr. Zarin Mehta
Ms. Carmen Lasky

The Honorable (Mr.) Jim Messina, Office of Chief of Staff

Mr. Judd Miner
Mrs. Linda Miner

Mr. Newt Minow
Mrs. Josephine Minow

Mr. Sunil Bharti Mittal

Kalpen Modi, Associate Director, Office of Public Engagement

Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Mrs. Deborah Mullen

The Honorable (Secretary) Janet Napolitano, Secretary, Department of Homeland Security

His Excellency M.K. Narayanan, National Security Adviser of the Republic of India, Indian Delegation

Mr. Shantanu Narayen
Mrs. Reni Narayen

Mr. Raju Narisetti
Durga Raghunath

Mr. Martin Nesbitt
Ms. Anita Blanchard

Mr. Konrad Ng
Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng

Ms. Indra Nooyi

The Honorable (Rep) David Obey, United States Representative (D/Wisconsin)
Mrs. Joan Obey

The Honorable (Mr.) Peter Orszag, Director, Office of Management & Budget

Mr. Jim Owens
Ms. Katie Owens

Mr. Deepak Parekh

Mr. Eboo Patel
Ms. Shehnez Mansuri

The Honorable (Governor) Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts (D)
Mrs. Diane Patrick, First Lady of Massachusetts

The Honorable (Speaker) Nancy Pelosi, United States Representative (D/California) and Speaker of the House
Mr. Paul Pelosi

Mr. Dan Pfeiffer, White House Office of Communications

Mr. Sam Pitroda
Mrs. Anjana Pitroda

General Colin Powell
Ms. Alma Powell

Dr. Rachakonda D Prabhu
Dr. Lata Shete Prabhu

Mrs. Penny Pritzker
Dr. Brian Traubert

Ms. Kavita Ramdas

Her Excellency Nirupama Rao, Foreign Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs of the Republic of India, Indian Delegation

Ms. Preetha Reddy

The Honorable (Governor) Edward Rendell, Governor of Pennsylvania (D)
The Honorable (Judge) Marjorie Rendell, First Lady of Pennsylvania

Mr. Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications and Speechwriting

The Honorable (Ambassador) Susan Rice, United States Ambassador to the United Nations
Mr. Ian Cameron

The Honorable (Governor) Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico (D)
Mrs. Barbara Richardson, First Lady of New Mexico

Ms. Robin Roberts

Mrs. Marian Robinson

Ambassador Timothy Roemer, US Ambassador to India
Mrs. Mary Johnston

Ms. Desiree Rogers, Special Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary

Mr. John Rogers

The Honorable (Dr.) Christina Romer, Chair, Council of Economic Advisers

Mr. Dennis Ross, NSC

The Honorable (Rep) Edward Randall Royce, United States Representative
Marie Therese Royce

Mr. Michael Sacks
Mrs. Cari Sacks

The Honorable (Rep.) Linda Sanchez, United States Representative (D/California)
Mr. James Sullivan, Guest of Then Honorable Linda Sanchez

Mr. Pankaj Saran, Joint Secretary to the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Indian Delegation

His Excellency Shyam Saran, Special Envoy to the Prime Minister on Climate Change, Indian Delegation

Mr. Jaideep Sarkar, Personal Secretary to the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, Indian Delegation

Mr. Parag Saxena

The Honorable (Rep.) Jan Schakowsky, United States Representative (D/Illinois)
Mr. Robert Creamer

The Honorable (Mr.) Phil Schiliro, Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs
Mrs. Jody Schiliro

Ms. Annetta Seecharran
Seema Agnani

Mr. Stuart Seldowitz, Acting Director for South Asia, NSC

Dr. Amartya Sen
Ms. Emma Georgina Rothschild

Under Secretary Rajiv J Shah, Under Secretary for Research, Education & Economics, Department of Agriculture

The Honorable Sonal Shah, Deputy Assist to the President, Director Office of SICP, Domestic Policy Council

Mr. Vinod Shah

Her Excellency Meera SHANKAR, Ambassador, India

The Honorable Susan Sher, Assistant to the President/Chief of Staff to the First Lady
The Honorable (Mr.) Neil Cohen

Mr. M. Night Shyamalan
Mrs. Bhavna Shyamalan

Ms. Amrit Singh
Mr. Analjit Singh

Mr. Arun K. Singh, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of the Republic of India, Indian Delegation

Mr. Balvinder Singh
Mr. Mohinder Singh

Mr. Lakhwinder Singh
Mrs. Sukhbir Kaur

Ms. Upinder Singh

Mr. Steven Spielberg

Mr. Sri Srinivasan
Ms. Carla Garrett

Ms. Srinija Srinivasan

The Honorable (Mr.) Jim Steinberg, Deputy Secretary of State
Ms. Sherburne Bradstreet

Mrs. Semonti Stephens, Deputy Press Secretary, Office of the First Lady

Mr. Andy Stern
Ms. Anna Burger

Mrs. Jane Stetson
Mr. Bill Stetson

Honorable (Dr.) Larry Summers, Director, National Economic Council
Dr. Elisa New

The Honorable (Ms.) Mona Sutphen, Office of Chief of Staff
Mr. Clyde Williams

Mr. Ratan Tata

The Honorable (Ms.) Tina Tchen, Office of Public Liaison

Ambassador Vinai Thummalapally, Ambassador, Embassy of Belize
Mrs. Barbara Thummalapally

Mr. Jim Torrey
Ms. Rose P Lynch

Mr. Richard Trumka
Mr. Paul H Lemmon

Ms. Urvashi Vaid
Ms. Kate Clinton

Mr. Kirk Wagar
Ms. Crystal Connor

Dr. Eric E. Whitaker
Dr. Cheryl Whitaker

Mr. Brian Williams
Mrs. Jane Williams

Mr. Wellington Wilson
Mrs. Wilson

Mr. Neal Wolin, Deputy Secretary, Department of Treasury

Ms. Alfre Woodard
Mr. Blair E Underwood

Mr. Fareed Zakaria
Ms. Paula Throckmorton Zakaria

By The Reliable Source  |  November 24, 2009; 5:49 PM ET

Let Mr and Mrs Salahi, Bravo, as well as Half Yard Productions know how you feel!

Voice your complains about the crashing of President Obama's 1st state dinner to Bravo, the network involved, as well as Half Yard Productions! 

 

http://www.bravotv.com/contact  and info@halfyardproductions.com

 

• Bravo and Mr & Mrs Salahi should reimburse our government for the investigation.
• The couple should be prosecuted and receive JAIL TIME.
• Stress, this is an outrages disrespect for our President and the US, so that some selfish person can get "camera time"

The show should not be allowed to air, and we need an end to these shows and the type of people they have created.  Remember the "balloon boy incident"!

 

 

BACKGROUND:    http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6741555.html

 

"Bravo Media has confirmed that Michaele Salahi is being considered as a participant in the upcoming “The Real Housewives of D.C.” program and on the day of the dinner was being filmed around Washington by Half Yard Productions, the producer of the program."

“Half Yard Productions was told by Michaele and Tareq Salahi that they had been invited to the State Dinner. We took them at their word and filmed their preparations for the event. Half Yard Productions had no part in planning their presence at the event,” said Abby Greensfelder of Half Yard Productions.

The couple who crashed a state dinner were being filmed that day by a camera crew connected with a reality TV program, but no filming took place on White House grounds, the network says.

Federal Employees Getting BONUS

GOVERNMENTEXECUTIVE.COM

Most TSA employees are in line for performance-based payouts

By Alex M. Parker aparker@govexec.com November 20, 2009

More than three-quarters of workers under the Transportation Security Administration's pay-for-performance plan soon will receive a performance-related raise, according to an internal report. But federal employee unions are claiming TSA's method of determining the pay hikes was arbitrary and confusing.

Seventy-six percent of employees under the agency's Performance Accountability and Standards System will receive pay boosts or bonuses, based on the quality of their work in 2009, the report said. These payments will supplement an annual cost-of-living increase, which has yet to be determined. The percentage of employees receiving a raise is roughly the same as last year, but TSA cautioned that some employees might not receive as much money despite similar performance.

"While the pay pool for 2009 performance will ensure that PASS-covered employees are properly recognized for their hard work and outstanding achievements, there is no guarantee that all PASS-covered employees will receive a payout equal to or greater than their 2008 performance payout," the report stated. "In addition, due to the unpredictability of current and future budget levels, the overall funding level should not be viewed as a guarantee of future pay pool levels." 

TSA acting Administrator Gale Rossides said there was slightly more money available for raises in 2009 than in 2008, but there also were more employees in the system, making the amount available per employee similar. One difference between the two years, however, was that the workforce as a whole did a better job in 2009, raising the bar for payouts.

"We look at all of the data, when it's all completed, and all of the ratings have been submitted, and we look for the natural breaks in those results," Rossides said. "This year, the ratings ranges were slightly different than last year, because the workforce had performed better. The officers are staying on the job longer, and gaining more experience, and they're becoming more skilled in the job."

According to the report, about 17 percent of employees fell into the top performance category in 2009, earning a 4 percent boost to their base salary and a $2,500 bonus. About 32 percent were in the next tier and will receive a 2 percent raise and a $1,500 bonus. Twenty-seven percent will receive a 1 percent raise and $1,000 bonus, and nearly 24 percent will receive only a $500 bonus. A small portion (0.02 percent) of employees will not receive any raise or bonus other than the cost-of-living increase, which everyone will get. Some officers will receive additional cash bonuses. Last year's report showed approximately the same distribution and payout to employees.

National Treasury Employees Union officials said members were frustrated they didn't know the score or performance level they needed to get a certain pay hike until after TSA had distributed the raises. Union representatives also noted that at least one NTEU member was slated to receive a smaller raise than in 2008, despite achieving a better performance review score.

"The fact that you can score higher from one year to the next and receive a smaller merit-pay increase points to the unfair and arbitrary nature of the PASS system," NTEU President Colleen Kelley said.

American Federation of Government Employees attorney Chad Harris also blasted the system, claiming that the changing thresholds and payouts were unfair to employees.

"It's an extremely subjective system, in terms of evaluating the [transportation security officers] and what scores they will ultimately receive," Harris said.

Both unions support legislation that would move TSA employees to the General Schedule and grant them the right to bargain collectively, but its prospects for passage remain murky. The bill (H.R. 1881) has cleared two House panels and is awaiting a floor vote; it has yet to be introduced in the Senate, however.

Rossides defended the pay plan, noting employees know at the beginning of the year the actions they must take and the tasks they must perform well to qualify for rewards. The system is critical to ensuring dedicated TSOs are well-compensated, she said.

GovernmentExecutives.com: 18,000 employees accept Postal Service buyout

By Emily Long elong@govexec.com October 30, 2009

As another deadline looms, approximately 18,000 U.S. Postal Service employees so far have accepted a $15,000 buyout offer, officials have reported.

The final tally of buyout acceptances from each job category isn't available yet, said Yvonne Yoerger, a Postal Service spokeswoman. It's also too soon to determine the agency's savings as a result of the buyout, she added.

Employees were required to express interest in the offer by Sept. 25, while those close to retirement have until Saturday to make a decision. Remaining workers must decide by Nov. 30. According to union representatives, the final acceptance tally is likely to be lower than the number of employees who initially filed paperwork.

The Postal Service announced the buyout program in August. Up to 30,000 employees could take advantage of the offer on a first-come, first-serve basis, though only those represented by the American Postal Workers Union and the National Postal Mail Handlers Union were eligible. The agency projected a $500 million savings if the buyouts reached capacity.

Workers who accept the offer will receive $10,000 by the end of 2009 and an additional $5,000 in October 2010.

There are no plans to extend the offer longer or to other employee groups, Yoerger said.

NPMHU declined to comment on next steps for its members.

In another move designed to increase revenue, the Postal Service this month launched a yearlong partnership with Hallmark and will sell greeting cards in 1,500 locations after Jan. 1, 2010.

FROM IndianCountryToday.com: Unkechaug meets tribal sovereignty, immunity criteria

Originally printed at http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/archive/65786187.html

MASTIC, N.Y. – A federal district court judge has ruled that the Unkechaug Nation, a state-recognized tribe, is a sovereign nation with immunity from being sued.

In a ruling issued Oct. 8, U.S. District Court Judge Kiyo Matsumoto for the Eastern District of New York said the Unkechaug Nation meets the Montoya test for tribal sovereignty.

“The court finds that defendants have established by a preponderance of the evidence that the three Montoya criteria are satisfied. Consequently, the Unkechauge meets the common law definition of a ‘tribe’ and is entitled to immunity from suit in the present action,” Matsumoto said, using one of the various spellings of the nation’s name.

Matthew Fletcher on the Unkechaug ruling There is a smattering of cases like this. The court held that a federally recognized tribe is immune from suit. The court also said non-recognized tribes can be held immune by a court if it meets a common law test named after a 1901 Supreme Court case called Montoya v. United States. This common law test, used during a period before Interior began to keep track of all the tribes, was used by courts in the 1970s to determine whether an Indian tribe could bring land claims. Unkechaug met the Montoya test, and according to the district court, it is immune from suit. The only other case I know of is from the Michigan Court of Appeals in Huron Potawatomi, Inc. v. Stinger – 1997 – it involved the tribe that is now the Huron Nottawaseppi Band of Potawtomi Indians, recognized shortly thereafter. That court didn’t use the Montoya test, and seemed to just be taking the tribe’s word for it – it did have a very strong case for recognition, which came through in 1998. The Montoya test is much more difficult to pass than Stinger, given that tribes like Unkechaug actually have to prove pretty much the whole panoply of criteria that shows up in 25 CFR Part 83, only to a federal court. One would think that proving tribal status to a federal court using virtually the same criteria would make the FAP (federal acknowledgment process) easier for this tribe, and definitely more interesting. Maybe other tribes should find a way to get into court to try the Montoya test route. Probably just as expensive as the FAP, but maybe less political, if you get the right judge and expert witnesses. Matthew Fletcher is a professor of Indian law at Michigan State University College of Law, director of MSU’s Indigenous Law and Policy Center, and an appellate judge for the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, and the Hoopa Valley Tribe. He is an enrolled member of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

The present case is a long running lawsuit filed by tycoon John A. Catsimatidis, who owns, among other things, more than 50 Gristedes supermarkets located throughout New York City and nearby areas.

Catsimatidis claimed that the Unkechaug Indian Nation and the Shinnecock Tribe, both on Long Island, violated civil laws, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act, and statutes prohibiting false advertising and deceptive trade packages by selling untaxed cigarettes that undermined profits at his supermarket empire. He asked the court to force Indian retailers to buy cigarettes from wholesalers at the taxed price and sought $20 million in damages from the tribes.

All of the charges, including the RICO allegations, against the tribes and tribal members in their official capacities were dismissed. However, Unkechaug Chief Harry Wallace “as sued in his individual capacity and his capacity as owner of the Poospatuck Smoke Shop’s motion to dismiss. … is denied,” Matsumoto said. The only remaining allegation involves a claim of unfair advertising of “tax free” cigarettes.

“On the eve of Columbus Day, once again we have met and defeated a challenge to the nation’s sovereignty and existence as a people,” Wallace said in response to Matsumoto’s ruling. “The federal court acknowledged what we have known all along – that we have a right and a responsibility to do what is in our people’s best interests.”

“We will continue to challenge. … anyone else who wishes to make us a scapegoat for their economic troubles,” Wallace said.

Catsimatidis could not be reached for comment.

A substantial part of Matsumoto’s 89-page decision analyzes the Montoya criteria in light of the arguments presented by Dr. John Strong, professor emeritus of Long Island University, and by James Lynch, who argued on behalf of Gristedes, at a hearing.

Montoya v. United States is a 1901 U.S. Supreme Court decision that defined tribal status. The “three Montoya criteria” involve a group of people “of the same or similar race,” “united in a community under one leadership or government,” and “inhabiting a particular, though ill-defined territory.”

Strong has a Ph.D. in social studies from Syracuse University. He is an expert in Native Americans in colonial America, particularly the Indians of the East Coast and Long Island. His new book, “A History of the Unkechaug Nation,” will be published this fall.

Strong provided detailed evidence from documents and court records dating from the 17th century to present, accounts by visitors to the nation’s land, newspaper clippings, political and kinship connections, land conveyances, missionaries’ records, the establishment of an Indian school at Poospatuck, archeological research and more to back up his claims that the present day nation meets the three Montoya criteria.

He noted, for example, that the Unkechaugs, like other eastern coastal tribes, intermixed with Europeans and African Americans from the 17th century on, but always maintained their Indian identity and culture.

Lynch, on the other hand, presented a purity of race argument, claiming that intermixing with other races resulted in the Unkechaug not being “of the same or similar race.”

“Mr. Lynch relied on an account from 1883 that stated, in part, ‘there was never any tribe of Poospatuck Indians. They are much mixed with the Negroes and probably not more than three could be presented who have the Indian features,’” Matsumoto said.

In supporting his claim that the Unkechaug lacked a united community and leadership in the 19th century, Lynch relied on an 1850 document “replete with terms and overtones that would be considered racist by contemporary standards,” Matsumoto said.

The judge said the court questioned Lynch about his use of the Ph.D. designation on his curriculum vitae, “given that he does not, in fact, have a Ph.D. Specifically, Mr. Lynch’s C.V. states ‘Ph.D., anthropology/History (abd.) (Ethnohistory, Sociocultural Change).’ Mr. Lynch explained that the ‘(abd.)’ designation on his C.V. indicates ‘all but dissertation,’ which Mr. Lynch stated clarifies his status. The court respectfully disagrees. Without Mr. Lynch’s oral explanation, Mr. Lynch’s C.V. in combination with his chosen format appears to represent that he earned his Ph.D., even though he did not,” Matsumoto said.

When asked to describe his research methodology for reviewing historical documents, Lynch responded, “I believe if there’s no evidence to prove a point, the point is not proven.”

Lynch is well-known on the East Coast and beyond for his “research” against tribal nations seeking federal acknowledgment and his association with the anti-Indian sovereignty organization One Nation United. In Connecticut alone he has worked against the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation, the Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation and the Golden Hill Paugussett Indians. He has provided “research papers” or testimony against the Mashpee Wampanoag and the Shinnecock Indian Nation. He has self-published two books about Connecticut Indians that were not peer reviewed.

Matsumoto noted that in nine out of 10 cases in which Lynch has testified as an “expert witness,” Lynch “found adversely” to the tribe’s bid for federal acknowledgment. In the single case in which he found in favor of the tribe, he was hired by a client that supported tribal recognition, Matsumoto said.

Lynch’s testimony on the Montoya criterion regarding community and leadership, is “particularly results-driven,” Matsumoto said. “It appears that Mr. Lynch ultimately chose what evidence to rely on and the weight to be given that evidence based on whether it supported his client’s position and his ultimate conclusions.”

Asked to respond to Matsumoto’s comments about his work, Lynch sent a 13-page paper reiterating his interpretation of the Montoya ruling and his views on why Unkechaug did not meet the Montoya criteria.

Pressure mounts for Obama to settle Native American farmer case

WASHINGTON – A group of tribal governments and some of the top Indian affairs lawmakers in the nation have added their voices to a growing chorus asking the Obama administration to rectify a discrimination suit involving the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Indian farmers. The lawsuit, known as Keepseagle v. Vilsack, involves hundreds of tribal plaintiffs from several states, who have long argued that agriculture officials denied or delayed a number of farm and ranch loans and emergency assistance applications by Indians.

An expert report prepared by the plaintiffs estimates that the Indians involved have been denied about $3 billion in credit, resulting in between $500 million and $1 billion in damages. Based on heightened calls for the Obama administration to settle the case, Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., Kent Conrad, D-N.D., and Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., sent a letter requesting clarification to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in late September.

Earlier in the month, the five tribes of North Dakota pressed for a settlement and requested congressional attention. “While we are not opining on the merits of the case, we are concerned that the department is moving forward with foreclosures without these serious allegations being resolved first,” the lawmakers wrote. They learned the department in early September took actions involving foreclosures and debt collections that could negatively affect the financial outlooks of Native Americans directly involved in the litigation.

The lawmakers also requested an update from the department on its progress toward alleviating civil rights issues involving Indians. The National Congress of American Indians has also taken action. A resolution approved Oct. 16 by the organization of tribal governments noted that the lawsuit is based on a similar one filed on behalf of black farmers, called the Pigford case, in which the USDA settled with black farmers who had suffered discrimination involving the department’s loan programs.

Since the case was settled in the late-1990s, black farmers who were not part of the initial case have received financial incentives by way of last year’s farm bill and intense maneuvering by the Congressional Black Caucus. NCAI leaders said the Pigford case illustrates that a settlement is possible and resolved to support a negotiated settlement of the Keepseagle case “as quickly as possible.” The NCAI resolution also urged the Obama administration to reinstate a moratorium on foreclosures of Native American farmers and ranchers until the Keepseagle action is resolved.

Without such a moratorium on foreclosures, lawyers for the plaintiffs said large numbers of Native American farmers and ranchers who allege the USDA discriminated against them could lose their land before they have their day in court. The USDA has never agreed to compensate Native Americans for their lost property and income caused by the agency’s discrimination. Department officials said they can’t comment on the case because it is ongoing. Joe Sellers, a lawyer for the tribal citizens, said he is optimistic that the new expressions of support will help bring the case to the attention of President Barack Obama.

“I’m hopeful that the administration is paying attention. Now is the time. I would think that this administration and this president in particular would be interested in trying to treat the American Indian people fairly.” Sellers said Obama officials have not talked about a settlement to date. Some legal experts believe tribal leaders may bring the case up at a planned Nov. 5 gathering of tribal leaders with Obama in Washington.

Originally printed at http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/home/content/65772652.html

US Census: 2010 Census Taker Jobs

   
 
The recruiting efforts for 2009 census taker jobs has ended; however, the peak recruitment effort begins in the fall of 2009, with the majority of hiring taking place in the spring of 2010.

If you would like to prepare for the upcoming recruitment effort, you may download and print the Census Practice Test. The practice test is similar to the actual test, which measures basic skills, abilities, and knowledge required to perform a variety of census jobs.

If you have already applied for a census taker job, your application will remain active and you do not need to reapply. However, if you need to update your contact information provided on your application, you may do so by calling our toll-free Jobs Line at 1-866-861-2010 where you will be routed to your Local Census Office.

To learn about other census jobs in your area, please visit the 2010 Census Regional Offices Web site, select your state on the map provided, and then select the "Regional Employment" option.

USDA ANNOUNCES $71.7 MILLION IN LOAN ASSISTANCE TO HELP RURAL BUSINESSES

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2009 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced $71.7 million in loan guarantees to assist 20 rural businesses in funding made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The funding announced today is being made available through USDA Rural Development's Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program. Altogether, $1.7 billion is available to businesses across the country through Recovery Act Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program funding.

"The Recovery Act funds announced today will help businesses get access to the capital they need to launch and expand their businesses and help bring additional jobs to America's small cities and towns," Vilsack said. "President Obama and I are committed to building strong rural communities by helping businesses grow so we can put people back to work."

For example, in Georgetown, S.C., USDA Rural Development is guaranteeing a $3 million loan to enable a local gate and mounting-system company to restructure debt and purchase new machinery and equipment.

In Franklin County, Ohio, a farmer owned cooperative with local headquarters was selected to receive a $7.5 million loan guarantee. The loan will help provide business services to more than 50,000 livestock farmers in Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. The Business and Industry loan will help the cooperative continue to maintain health insurance to its nearly 500 employees, many of whom live in counties with unemployment rates 125 percent greater than the national average and counties that have been affected recently by natural disasters.

Eligible Business and Industry Loan Program applicants include private businesses, cooperative organizations, corporations, partnerships, non-profit groups, federally recognized Indian tribes, public bodies and individuals. The funds will be targeted to creating and retaining quality jobs and serving difficult-to-reach populations and areas hardest hit by the current economic downturn. Learn more about the program by visiting www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/busp/b&i_gar.htm.

Many businesses and rural residents have benefited from loans guaranteed by USDA Rural Development. For example, in 2004 a $7.3 million USDA loan guarantee to expand Poplar Bluff Industries' Nordyne plant in Poplar Bluff, Mo., created 400 jobs and saved another 400. The plant makes HVAC equipment.

More information about USDA's Recovery Act efforts is available at www.usda.gov/recovery. More information about the Federal government's efforts on the Recovery Act is available at www.recovery.gov.

Below is a list of lenders that will be assisting rural businesses. Funding is contingent upon borrowers meeting conditions in the loan agreement.

Connecticut:

Rockville Bank, South Windsor, $650,600 loan

Illinois:

People's Bank & Trust, Pana, $1,590,000 loan

Centrue Bank, Streator, $1,600,000 loan

Iowa:

Bank Iowa, Clarinda, $2,000,000 loan

Bank Iowa, Clarinda, $2,400,000 loan

Kansas:

Fall River State Bank, Fall River, $700,000 loan

Kentucky:

Citizens Commerce National Bank, Nicholasville, $5,000,000 loan

Louisiana:

MC Bank and Trust, Morgan City, $2,200,000 loan

Maine:

Northeast Bank, Lewiston, $1,750,000 loan

Bangor Savings Bank, Portland, $1,452,000 loan

Minnesota:

RidgeStone Bank, Brookfield, WI, $5,000,000

Nebraska:

Union Bank and Trust, Lincoln, $7,000,000 loan

Cornerstone Bank, Stromsburg, $290,000 loan

Ohio:

National City Bank/PNC, Columbus, $7,500,000 loan

The Park National Bank, Columbus, $6,129,700 loan

South Carolina:

Carolina First, Greenville, $3,000,000 loan

Wisconsin:

Heartland Business Bank, De Pere, $7,500,000 loan

RidgeStone Bank, Brookfield, $2,960,000 loan

RidgeStone Bank, Brookfield, $6,612,000 loan

RidgeStone Bank, Brookfield, $6,320,000 loan

USDA Rural Development's mission is to increase economic opportunity and improve the quality of life for rural residents. Rural Development fosters growth in homeownership, finances business development, and supports the creation of critical community and technology infrastructure. Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development office or by visiting USDA Rural Development's web site at www.rurdev.usda.gov.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

FROM GovernmentExecutive.com: Half of stimulus contract spending falls into risky categories

By Elizabeth Newell enewell@govexec.com October 20, 2009

Despite the Obama administration's stated preference for competitively awarded, fixed-price contracts, at least $7.8 billion of the more than $16 billion in federal contracts awarded under the stimulus falls outside these categories, according to data posted on Recovery.gov.

In the initial Recovery Act implementation memorandum released on Feb. 18, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter R. Orszag stated, "To the maximum extent practicable, contracts using Recovery Act funds shall be awarded as fixed-price contracts using competitive procedures."

Contracts that did not meet this criteria were to be posted on a special section of Recovery.gov. The list there shows that, as of Sept. 9, $7.8 billion in noncompetitive, nonfixed price contract awards had been made under the stimulus. While the total contract spending was updated on Oct. 15, the list of risky contracts was not.

OMB spokesman Tom Gavin said the majority of these contracts, awarded by the Energy Department, were not conducive to fixed-price arrangements.

"Fixed-price contracts are most useful when the scope of work is a known commodity," Gavin said. " However, for these contracts (primarily environmental management and clean-up), the final scope of work is not known, and the department has moved forward with cost-plus contracts for these projects."

Gavin said the administration remains firm in its effort to significantly limit nonfixed price contracts and to implement contracting reforms governmentwide.

Thus far, the noncompetitive, nonfixed price section of Recovery.gov lists only the awarding agency, contractor name, cost of award and date the contract was signed. OMB has stated that a full summary -- including a description of the required products or services -- will be posted as well. Ed Pound, spokesman for the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, said within the next week, what is now a small PDF file will be broken out into a Web page and each entry will contain a detailed view of the contract.

OMB has stated that when agencies choose to use "riskier contract types," they must take a number of actions to mitigate the government's exposure. When choosing other than fixed-price contracts, for example, agencies are to ensure all alternatives have been considered and qualified employees are available to monitor the contract.

"Fixed-price contracts provide maximum incentive for the contractor to control costs and perform effectively and impose a minimum burden upon the contracting parties," Orszag wrote in the February memo. "Using other than a fixed-price contract may be appropriate, but requires agencies to pay special attention to ensuring that sufficient qualified acquisition personnel are available to perform contract administration to mitigate the government's risk."

The memo also advised agencies to review internal procurement policies to ensure they are promoting competition "to the maximum extent practicable." 

FROM GovernmentExecutive.com: OMB contracting guidance expected to be released this week

By Elizabeth Newell enewell@govexec.com October 26, 2009

Contracting guidance that the Office of Management and Budget is developing likely will be released within the next few days, sources told Government Executive on Monday.

The Senate's contracting oversight subcommittee is holding a hearing on Wednesday to review the Obama administration's strategy for reforming government contracting. A subcommittee spokeswoman said members expect the report to be released in advance of the hearing, and an OMB official confirmed on background that the guidance will be released soon.

"Obviously, the subcommittee has been eagerly awaiting this report, so they will be anxious to talk with OMB's [Deputy Director for Management] Jeffrey Zients and give him their feedback on the administration's plan, including any critiques they may have," the spokeswoman said.

In March, Obama directed OMB to work with agencies to reform multiple areas of federal acquisition, including competition, the appropriate use of contract types, outsourcing and the workforce. The agency also issued memos to guide agencies in managing and creating processes for the ongoing review of existing contracts to identify those deemed wasteful, inefficient or irrelevant.

In July, OMB released an initial round of guidance that covered general ways to improve acquisition processes, make better use of information related to contractors' past performance and balance the blended contractor and federal workforce. The acquisition practices memo, signed by OMB director Peter R. Orszag, directed agencies to develop a plan to save 7 percent on contract spending by the end of fiscal 2011.

The OMB official said the July guidance covered "90 percent of the president's charge from his March memo," and the new material will supplement that information. Contracting specialists have been anticipating in particular guidance on the definition of "inherently governmental" work, or work barred from outsourcing.

Go to Government Executive

FEMA: Disaster Preparedness Costs Little, Saves A Lot

ATLANTA, Ga. --  Just as every home should have a smoke alarm, every home should have an emergency supply kit packed and ready. And being prepared doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.

While emergency preparedness is ongoing at the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), it's also an individual responsibility.

“You should be prepared to take care of yourself and members of your family for the first 72 hours – that’s three days – following a disaster such as a hurricane or the September flooding across Georgia,” said GEMA Director Charley English. “A big part of disaster preparation is knowledge and the state has developed a comprehensive disaster preparedness guide that is available online.”

The GEMA Web site – www.ready.ga.gov – includes an emergency kit checklist, interactive games for children and information for businesses on how to prepare for a disaster. The GEMA site includes a Google Translate link that will translate Web pages into other languages.

“Emergency preparedness is a matter of priorities,” said FEMA Federal Coordinating Officer Gracia Szczech. “A family first aid kit typically costs less than dinner for two at a restaurant. It’s worth cooking at home one night to keep your family safe.”

An emergency preparedness kit needs to include food and water for each member of the family for three days, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, flashlight, spare batteries, first aid kit, non-electric can opener, local maps, moist towelettes, toilet paper, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation.

Other items to consider include sleeping bags or blankets, paper towels, books, puzzles and games for children and pet food for family pets. It’s helpful to have cash in case banks are closed and ATMs are not operating.

The emergency supplies can be stored in an easy-to-carry plastic storage container or duffel bag, making them easy to grab and go when an emergency forces people to leave their home.

Putting together an emergency kit isn’t expensive. Many of the items usually can be found in the home.

More information on emergency preparedness, including how to put together a family communication plan, can be found at FEMA’s emergency preparedness Web site www.Ready.gov or http://www.listo.gov/

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

Recovery Act Transparency is Questioned in a Recent Report

Read the September report from OMB Watch [ www.ombwatch.org]:

Recovery Act Transparency: Implementation and Current Issues

In the Abramoff case another former Bush official is sentenced to prison

FROM GovernmentExecutive.com

By Robert Brodsky rbrodsky@govexec.com October 16, 2009

David Safavian, the former head of federal procurement policy during the Bush administration, was sentenced on Friday to 12 months and one day in prison for lying about his dealings with disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. He will be on supervised probation for 24 months after his release from prison.

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman, however, ruled that Safavian would not have to surrender to authorities until after his pregnant wife, Jennifer, gives birth. It is not clear when she is due to give birth.

Prosecutors had been asking for a prison sentence of 15 to 21 months.

Friedman appeared moved by the emotional speeches from David and Jennifer Safavian, in which the couple pleaded for mercy and urged the judge to consider the toll that the lengthy case -- which has spanned two trials and an appeal -- has had on their family, including their 6-year-old daughter.

"Please give our daughter and unborn child an opportunity to have a father in their life," Jennifer Safavian asked Friedman before the sentence was handed down.

David Safavian "begged for mercy" and said there was no chance he would ever make such a mistake again. "My situation is an abject lesson for everyone," Safavian said. "I am the poster child for staying away from the gray areas of ethics; how not to act and what not to say."

Safavian conceded multiple lapses of poor judgment, but he continued to argue that his behavior, while inappropriate, was not criminal.

Defense attorney Richard Sauber said his client had suffered more than enough already without enduring prison. Safavian is bankrupt, will lose his law license and never will be able to work or contract for the government again, he said.

But Friedman pointed out that Safavian had abused the public's trust and lied to investigators, and he needed to be punished. "At some point, a light bulb should have gone on," Friedman said.

Safavian, who also served as chief of staff at the General Services Administration, was convicted in December 2008 on four counts relating to an elaborate golf trip he took with Abramoff and several others in 2002. In the weeks leading up to the trip, prosecutors said Abramoff lobbied Safavian for help in purchasing or developing two GSA properties. Safavian was found guilty of obstructing a GSA investigation into the trip, providing false statements to a GSA ethics officer and to the FBI, and lying on a financial disclosure form about the trip's cost. He was acquitted of providing a false statement to a Senate committee.

The trial was the second for Safavian. He originally was convicted of five counts in June 2006 and Friedman later sentenced him to 18 months in prison. Safavian was allowed to stay free on bail pending his appeal.

In June 2008, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia agreed to vacate Safavian's conviction, throwing out two charges and granting a retrial on three others. The appeals court noted that Friedman should have allowed Safavian to call an expert witness and castigated federal attorneys for presenting "tenuous" legal arguments.

Months later, the Justice Department reindicted Safavian on three of the original counts and added two new charges.

The case dates back to 2002, when Safavian, then with GSA, was invited by Abramoff, a friend of several years, to attend a golfing excursion to Scotland and London. Safavian told a GSA ethics officer -- and later repeated the same statement to Senate investigators and to the FBI -- that Abramoff "did not have business with GSA" and that he worked only on Capitol Hill.

Abramoff was sentenced to six years in prison on charges of corruption, fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion.

On Thursday, the trial of another Abramoff associate, Kevin Ring, ended in a mistrial.

Safavian's attorneys have 10 days to decide whether to appeal the conviction. Safavian declined to comment after the sentencing, as did his attorneys.

Gates Foundation gives $10 million to the National Museum of African American History & Culture

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced Thursday that it is giving $10 million to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.  Lonnie G. Bunch III, the founding director of the museum, has been quietly fund-raising for the project, which could cost upwards of $500 million. Congress has pledged to provide half of that cost.

 

 

Secretary Napolitano Announces New Proposed Standards for Private Sector Preparedness

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced new proposed standards for a 9/11 Commission-recommended program for the private sector to improve preparedness for disasters and emergencies.

"Preparedness is a shared responsibility and everyone—including businesses, universities and non-profit organizations—has a role to play," said Secretary Napolitano. "Ensuring our private sector partners have the information and training they need to respond to disasters will strengthen our efforts to build a culture of preparedness nationwide."

DHS published a notice in the Federal Register today seeking public comment on three new standards identified for adoption under the Voluntary Private Sector Preparedness Accreditation and Certification Program (PS-Prep). PS-Prep is a partnership between DHS and the private sector that enables private entities—including businesses, non-profit organizations and universities—to receive emergency preparedness certification from a DHS accreditation system created in coordination with the private sector.

The notice proposes new PS-Prep standards to enhance operational resilience, business continuity management, and disaster and emergency management among participating private sector partners.

The proposed standards, developed by the National Fire Protection Association, the British Standards Institution and the ASIS International, were selected based on their scalability, balance of interest and relevance to PS-Prep from a group of 25 standards proposed for consideration following the publication of a Federal Register notice in December 2008 announcing the program.

In addition to the standards in the notice posted today, DHS is establishing classifications and methods of certifications that recognize the unique needs and characteristics of small businesses.

Individuals wishing to submit comments on the proposed standards, recommend additional standards for consideration or comment on other programmatic aspects of PS-Prep may obtain a comment form and instructions for submission online at www.regulations.gov, in Docket ID: FEMA-2008-0017. DHS requests comments by Nov. 15, though it will accept submissions at any time thereafter.

For more information, visit http://www.fema.gov/privatesectorpreparedness/.

A new ad goes too far when it says Medicare will be "bankrupt" in eight years

FROM FactCheck.org

A new health care ad from a conservative group claims that "Medicare will be bankrupt in eight years." That gives a false impression. The program does have huge financial problems, but there’s no reason to think it’s going out of business as the word "bankrupt" implies. And the issue isn’t new:

• A government report the ad refers to says the trust fund for one part of Medicare – hospital insurance – won’t have enough money to pay all benefits in 2017. Medicare’s physician and drug benefits will "remain adequately financed," says the report.

• Government projections have found that the hospital insurance trust fund would face a shortfall "almost from its inception," according to the Congressional Research Service. But in many cases politicians have found ways to extend it. In 1970, for instance, the trust fund was expected to be insolvent in 1972.

The ad also claims that "some want to pay for health care reform with $500 billion dollars in Medicare spending cuts." Actually, the House health care bill, to which this refers, proposes a net cut in spending of $219 billion over 10 years.

Analysis

The conservative group Americans for Prosperity has released a new 60-second ad through its Patients First project. The ad, which features a family doctor, Dr. Amy Siems, talking to viewers, recycles a few misleading talking points against health care legislation in Congress, but includes a new claim that is quite startling. Dr. Siems says that "Medicare will be bankrupt in eight years."

READ full article at http://www.factcheck.org/2009/10/going-out-of-business/

Obama proposes $250 for retirees to augment Social Security checks

FROM THE HILL: By Walter Alarkon - 10/14/09 05:24 PM ET

President Barack Obama proposed giving payments of $250 to more than 50 million retired Americans who won't get an increase in their Social Security checks next year.

The announcement on Wednesday came ahead of the Social Security Administration's expected announcement that seniors will not receive a cost-of-living adjustment in 2010 because of the poor economy.

"Even as we seek to bring about recovery, we must act on behalf of those hardest hit by this recession," Obama said.

The cost-of-living increase is pegged to inflation. In 2008, the increase was 5.8 percent, due in large part to gas prices that soared past $4 a gallon. But because of lower energy costs and the recession, Social Security officials are expected to announce Thursday that prices went down and that they won't be increasing Social Security checks.

Obama's proposal will cost $13 billion, the White House said. A senior administration official said that the president won't insist that the proposal is paid for, but Obama will insist that the payments don't affect Social Security's solvency. The Social Security trust fund is expected to run out in 2037, according to administration projections released last May.

The White House proposal amounts to an extension of a program started in the $787 billion stimulus.

More than 50 million people each received payments of $250 last May. The administration expects that approximately 57 million would get $250 in 2010. Of those, 49 million would be Social Security beneficiaries. The rest of the recipients would be veterans, railroad retirement beneficiaries, disability beneficiaries, those on Supplemental Security Income and public-employee retirees not eligible for those programs.

With unemployment persisting near 10 percent despite expected economic growth in coming quarters, White House officials have signaled interest in extending other parts of the stimulus, including increased unemployment benefits and COBRA health coverage for the jobless.

Despite the support for more stimulus measures, a senior administration official refused to call it a "second stimulus."

"These are continuing a few elements of the economic recovery act, which, first of all, were very successful in achieving their purpose and second of all will remain needed in 2010," he said.

Source:  http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/63127-obama-proposes-250-checks-for-retirees 

NY governor endorses Shinnecock federal acknowledgment

Indian Country Today

Originally printed at http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/national/northeast/63272687.html

ALBANY, N.Y. – Gov. David Paterson has written to the secretary of the Interior Department, expressing support for the Shinnecock Indian Nation’s federal acknowledgment, an unprecedented public gesture of tribal support from a state governor.

The Shinnecock Nation was among the first Indian nations in the country to file for federal acknowledgment in 1978 under what were then the BIAs newly established regulations. It was fourth on the list of petitioners waiting to be reviewed.

“To say federal recognition of the Shinnecock is long overdue would be an understatement,” Paterson wrote to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar Sept. 22. “It is my understanding that the Shinnecock has included in its petition over 40,000 pates of documentation, demonstrating the attributes of a federally-recognized Indian tribe, including evidence of self-government that dates back to 1641. In fact, throughout New York state history, the government has maintained a government-to-government relationship with the Shinnecock.”

The nation’s journey to federal acknowledgment has been strewn with lawsuits, controversy and delays.

In 2005, a federal judge bypassed the BIA recognition process and ruled that the state-recognized Shinnecock Indians are indeed a federal tribe, but the Interior Department refused to recognize the judge’s ruling despite a law saying tribes can be federally recognized by the BIA process, by Congress or by a federal judge. The nation sued Interior, and last May the parties reached a settlement requiring the BIA to issue a Proposed Finding on the tribe’s petition for federal recognition by Dec. 15.

“I’m hopeful that the Proposed Finding that will be issued this year will find the Shinnecock Indian Nation as a federally recognized Indian tribe,” Paterson said.

In addition to the Dec. 15 deadline for a Proposed Finding, the agreement cuts in half the comment period following the Proposed Finding from a maximum of 360 days to 180 days, though it could be as quick as 90 days. Overall, the agreement ensures that a final decision will be reached in 2010, possibly as early as June.

Shinnecock leaders welcomed Paterson’s endorsement, calling him “a man of principle.”

“New York state Gov. David A. Paterson is a true leader who has demonstrated that he understands the history of the Shinnecock people and our government-to-government relationship with New York state. Gov. Paterson also recognizes that in order for the Shinnecock Indian Nation to have a fair chance at economic opportunity and a better quality of life that the time has come for us to join the ranks of federally recognized tribes. As with other federal tribes, recognition can open a door for us leading to adequate housing, expanded health care, and economic parity for our people. We thank the governor and the state of New York for this support and pledge to work with the state in a spirit of cooperation,” Randy King, chairman of the nation’s three-person board of trustees, said.

The Shinnecock nation has around 1,300 members, more than 600 of whom live on its 1,200-acre reservation next to the Town of Southampton on the ritzy East End of Long Island, according to the nation’s Web site. The nation’s aboriginal territory stretched from what is known today as Easthampton west to Brookhaven.

In addition to federal funding for housing, health and education, federal acknowledgment would give the nation the right to open a casino under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

The Shinnecock could begin Class II gaming on its reservation, but the nation has faced local opposition from residents who worry that a casino would create a traffic nightmare in an already overburdened highway infrastructure. The nation is considering instead a full-scale – and much more profitable – Class III gaming operation elsewhere. The Aqueduct Race Track in Queens has been eyed as a potential site, but so far that plan has not moved forward.

In order to conduct gaming beyond its reservation, Shinnecock would likely have to purchase land and ask the Interior to take it into trust. That would require a legislative fix to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Carcieri ruling last February that the Interior secretary does not have the authority to take land into trust for tribes federally recognized after the Indian Reorganization Act passed in 1934.

On Sept. 24, Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., introduced legislation in the Senate to amend the 1934 IRA to say the Interior secretary has the authority to take land into trust for all federally recognized tribes. There are indications that opposition to the bill is growing, however.

The Interior Department would also have to undo the Bush-era “commutability guidance memorandum” issued in January 2008 by former Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne. The memorandum cited “commutability” as a new standard for denying off-reservation trust applications for gaming purposes.

Last May, Paterson wrote to Salazar urging him to reverse the commutability guidance memorandum.

“During his tenure, Secretary Kempthorne took several actions that were not in the best interest of New York state and this specific policy prevented critical economic development that the legislature and governor’s office approved. I am confident Secretary Salazar will be more attuned to the needs of New York’s residents and our Indian nations,” Paterson said about his letter.