The Political Chase

Republicans ask Waxman to postpone Blackwater hearing

(Update below)

This past Friday, seven House Republicans asked Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-MI) to postpone a Blackwater USA hearing scheduled for tomorrow until the State Department and the U.S.-Iraq Joint Commission release their reports.

I bet they do want the investigation delayed until after those reports are “revealed.” Cheney probably needs a little time to stamp every document that is remotely related (or not) classified and vet the reports. Indeed. For Waxman to have even considered having a hearing before Cheney had an opportunity to complete Unitary Executive Oversight was unconscionable and reprehensible.

Waxman was apparently not impressed with their request since he sent a memorandum to the committee (pdf) today outlining the objectives of the hearing and details of newly discovered information about Blackwater.

Previously undisclosed information reveals (1) Blackwater has engaged in 195 “escalation of force” incidents since 2005, an average of 1.4 per week, including over 160 incidents in which Blackwater forces fired first; (2) after a drunken Blackwater contractor shot the guard of the Iraqi Vice President, the State Department allowed the contractor to leave Iraq and advised Blackwater on the size of the payment needed “to help them resolve this”; and (3) Blackwater, which has received over $1 billion in federal contracts since 2001, is charging the federal government over $1,200 per day for each “protective security specialist” employed by the company.

The Republicans requesting the delay are: Representatives Dan Burton (IN), Christopher Cannon (UT), Darrell Issa (CA), Patrick McHenry (NC), John Mica (FL), Mark Souder (IN), and Lynn Westmoreland (GA).

Witnesses at tomorrow’s hearing will include:

• Erik Prince, Chairman, the Prince Group, LLC and Blackwater USA
• Ambassador David M. Satterfield, Special Adviser, Coordinator for Iraq, Department of State
• Ambassador Richard J. Griffin, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Diplomatic Security and Director of the Office of Foreign Missions, Department of State
• William H. Moser, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Logistics Management, Department of State

Late Update: The hearing has begun and Chairman Waxman has decided to not to address the shooting incidents of September 16 “in a public forum” today.