Spotlight: Bradley Birkenfeld

September 28, 2005, Washington, D.C. United States Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) held a press conference calling for the immediate reinstatement of Bunnatine (Bunny) H. Greenhouse as the Procurement Executive and chief of civilian contracting for the Army Corps of Engineers. Greenhouse was demoted after she reported serious contracting fraud and abuse related to the awarding of billions of dollars in no-bid contracts to Halliburton and because she exposed and fought against casual and clubby contacting practices by Army commanders.

Michael Kohn, General Counsel to the National Whistleblowers Center, who represents Ms. Greenhouse, made the following statement:

“Bunny Greenhouse is an American hero who has the courage to speak truth to power. Ms. Greenhouse was removed from her position as chief of contracting after the Governor of Louisiana declared a state of emergency as Katrina was about to hit the Gulf Coast. The levies built and maintained by the Army Corps began to fail less than 24 hours of Ms. Greenhouse’s removal.”

“Like FEMA before Katrina hit, the Army Corps contracting organization is leaderless. We call on the President to immediately restore Ms. Greenhouse to her position so that she can ensure that contracting by the Army Corps is fair and honest. This country needs people like Bunny Greenhouse to ensure that billions of dollars in contracting funds don’t end up lining the pockets of the well-connected at the expense of small business and the taxpayer.”

“The Administration can demonstrate its sincerity about restoring credibility to the contracting process by making sure that Ms. Greenhouse is allowed to do her job.”

“Bunny Greenhouse is a native Louisianan, and there is no one in the contracting field more willing to devote themselves to the rebuilding of this nation while ensuring that the American taxpayers are not fleeced in the process.”