Image Makers
The gist of this piece in Politico seems almost an inevitability.
Contractors under siege by lawmakers, taxpayer groups and taxpayers themselves for alleged misdeeds in Iraq have decided to open a P.R. campaign to make things right.
Companies like KBR and others say things are not as bad as they're portrayed. "But with Democrats in charge on Capitol Hill, congressionally sponsored hearings about misconduct have become commonplace," says the story by Samuel Loewenberg. "So the company is fighting back by joining with other contractors working in Iraq and Afghanistan to launch a new public relations and lobbying initiative to make its case."
At the helm of the effort is David Marin, a savvy Hill vet who until recently worked with Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, who knows contracting like few others and who also has been one of the nearest and dearest to contractors.
More from the story:
"As the former Republican staff director of the House Oversight and Government Affairs Committee, Marin is no stranger to congressional investigations. He has now set up shop at the Podesta Group, where he lobbies for government contractors.
"His client is a trade group blandly called the Professional Services Council. Its membership list is anything but innocuous, however; it includes many of the companies -- Blackwater USA, Boeing, DynCorp International and KBR -- that have been at the center of the front-page controversies.
"Marin acknowledges 'the anti-contractor climate on Capitol Hill and the incidents of contract mismanagement that have spawned it.'"
By Robert O'Harrow |
July 14, 2008; 2:15 PM ET
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Posted by: marc | July 14, 2008 8:12 PM
It's amusing, and sad even, that these mega million dollar companies feel the need to resort to a PR campaign to shine up their images. Having seen firsthand the amount of corruption their employees are involved in over in Iraq and Afghanistan, maybe they should try another tact; deliver goods and services on time, on budget, and as promised? What a concept.
Posted by: james | July 15, 2008 8:51 AM
Really? When public servants leave to start up, run, manage private contracts, you might think there would be a conflict of interest. Apparently, that's not the only conflict. For those of you who believe that contractors are better than public servants, well here it is: yes, it's true that it's hard to fire a public employee (the boss would actually have to do their job); the fact is that it is possible...........on the other hand, you don't get rid of contractors (the former military or public servant), you just throw more money at them. It's great. Usually, the contractor is drawing a military retirement, often times a civil servant retirement, and is pulling down more than $150,000.
Posted by: Pam | July 15, 2008 6:05 PM
No need to go overseas to see all this. Lockheed took over the Flight Service Stations from the FAA (except those in Alaska --Sen. Stevens home). It short, it's been a disaster. Lots of sub plots but in the process, they've driven away half of their "customers." That's quite a feat, in that the "customers" (aka as taxpayers) got their safety briefings for free.
Repeat after the FAA -- "Safety was never compromised."
I watched them say that for 25 years. It never was true.
Don Brown
http://gettheflick.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Don Brown | July 17, 2008 6:34 AM
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About time someone tried to tart up that pig.