Atrios is a whiny ass titty baby.
Atrios (you’ll have to google it, I forgot to link) delivers the news flash that Iraq, 4 years in, has not yet mastered a corruption-proof democracy
BAGHDAD, Oct 6 (Reuters) – Iraq rejected on Saturday testimony by the former head of the country’s anti-corruption commission who said Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki protected some corrupt relatives from the investigative body.
“The testimony by … Radhi al-Radhi in front of members of (U.S.) Congress is nothing more than false allegations … that serves known sides and figures who are systematically attempting to harm Prime Minister Nuri Kamil al-Maliki’s reputation,” a statement from Maliki’s office said.
Radhi, who left Iraq in August after threats against him, told U.S. lawmakers on Thursday that 31 employees at the Iraqi Independent Integrity Commission were killed because of their jobs and that the government lost $18 billion through corruption.
Gee, I can think of a 200+ year old democracy that still has Democrat members stashing bribe money in their freezers.
And there’s plenty more:
Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.)
Jane Harman is under investigation by the Justice Department for allegedly (with the help of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee) enlisting wealthy donors to lobby then-House Minority Leader (and current House Speaker) Nancy Pelosi to retain her position as the head Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. The investigation into the alleged campaign to support Harman for the leadership post began in mid-2006 after media reports said that Pelosi might name Rep. Alcee Hastings to succeed Harman. In addition to investigating alleged calls made at Harman’s behest by wealthy Democratic Party contributors to Pelosi, the probe is also looking into whether, in exchange for help from AIPAC, Harman agreed to try to persuade the BushAdministration to go easy on AIPAC officials involved in a broader investigation. Both Harman and AIPAC have denied the allegations. Harman won reelection in November 2006, but was not chosen by Pelosi to head the Intelligence Committee.
Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.)
Bob Menendez is under federal investigation by the U.S. attorney’s office in Newark, N.J. Specifically, investigators are examining whether Menendez had an improper financial relationship with the North Hudson County Action Corp., a non-profit organization in Union City, N.J. Menendez leased a house to the group from 1994-2003. During this period, in which he was a member of the House, Menendez received more than $300,000 from the organization in rent payments. In 1998, Menendez helped the agency win designation as a federally qualified health care center, a title that made it eligible for federal health care grants. In the eight years that followed this designation, the agency collected $9.6 million in federal grants. Menendez has noted that before renting out the house in 1994, he obtained clearance from the House Ethics Committee. He has also stated that there was nothing improper about his actions because he never negotiated directly with agency officials and the organization paid slightly below-market rent for the house. Menendez was elected to his own Senate term in November 2006 when he defeated Republican Tom Kean.
Rep. Alan Mollohan (D-W.V.)
Alan Mollohan is under investigation for using the “earmarking” process to direct contracts to non-profit organizations headed by both campaign contributors and business partners. One report notes that Mollohan aided in giving at least $179 million in U.S. government contracts to twenty-one nonprofit groups and companies that gave $225,427 to the Robert H. Mollohan Family Charitable Foundation, for which Mollohan is secretary. In addition, it is alleged that Mollohan helped direct earmarks to a non-profit group headed by his business partner. During the time these earmarks were delivered, public records indicate that Mollohan’s personal wealth grew exponentially. Because Mollohan’s personal disclosure statements do not reflect this growth, the Justice Department is investigating “whether they were disclosed properly.” Mollohan stepped down from his position on the House Ethics Committee in April 2006. In June, he filed two dozen corrections to his past six annual financial disclosure forms, arguing that his accountant had uncovered several unintentional errors. Mollohan won reelection in November 2006.
Pelosi-style democracy!