Big Easy Meets Big Dig

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- The uncle and father of a Louisiana lawmaker won three no-bid contracts worth $108 million to provide temporary housing for Hurricane Katrina evacuees, stirring complaints of a sweetheart deal from rival businesses and prompting a state investigation.

A state agency is investigating because the lawmaker's family did not have a Louisiana license to sell new trailer homes until well after the company provided the first ones to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Story here; link via Sploid.

Comments

[Adam]

I love how the state agency is investigating the licensing aspect rather than the corruption aspect.

[Handsome Dan]

The "uncle and father"?

Insert Southern incest joke here.

[Graham Simms]

Just another reason why housing vouchers are a better remedy than trailer parks.

[Rich Ard]

Dan, you missed a couple - it's "uncle", "father", "trailer", and "sweetheart" that make thisun good readin'.

[robert]

someone should tell the lawmakers aunt/mother not to drink the koolaid.

[db]

Did anyone expect otherwise? Louisiana is one of the most corrupt states in the entire U.S. The business climate there is entirely ole-boy-network based, and if you get the right people laid, you can roll right over your competition.

[Max]

db- cannot say I am too surprised. Upset, yes. Just wish the Federales didnt stoop to that level.
Your tax dollars at work.

[Hakluyt]

See, if the Bush administration weren't in office, and we had "good" people in there instead, this would never happen. 🙂

[Walter E. Wallis, P.E.]

Holler when FEMA is late on the scene because they follow the law, holler again when they cut corners.

[db]

Holler when FEMA is late on the scene because they follow the law, holler again when they cut corners.

Is is SO much to ask that, if a government agency has to exist, that it be BOTH effective and honest?

[nofollow breaks blogs]

In federal news, four nobid FEMA contrcts worth about $400 millyon will be rebid... in February.

[nofollow breaks blogs]

And, if you've heard about "phant0m po|ice", but you thought that was just an urban legend, check this out. Unfortunately, most people are going to think the Sn0pes report is all there is to this story, and they'd be wrong.