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FBI investigates Halliburton complaint
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The FBI has asked to interview the Army Corps of Engineers
whistleblower who went public last weekend with allegations her agency unfairly
awarded no-bid contracts to a Halliburton subsidiary, law enforcement sources
said Thursday.
The FBI has not yet interviewed chief contracting officer Bunnatine Greenhouse
but has collected several documents related to the contracts.
Greenhouse has charged that the Army Corps of Engineers gave billions of dollars
worth of contracts to Kellogg, Brown and Root, a Halliburton subsidiary, without
accepting bids from other companies.
A senior law enforcement official insists there is no federal investigation of
the White House or Vice President Dick Cheney.
Cheney ran the Dallas-based oil services company from 1995 until August 2000,
when he resigned to run for vice president. He left the company with a $34
million retirement package.
Halliburton's work in postwar Iraq has come under criticism and scrutiny because
of the firm's ties to Cheney.
The law enforcement sources said the inquiry is in the very early stages and
that "inferring anything at this juncture would be pointless."
One senior law enforcement official said that following up such a public
allegation of wrongdoing is nothing more than "due diligence."
Sources close to Greenhouse said she is willing to cooperate, but wants
whistleblower protection to ensure no possible Pentagon retaliation to her going
public.
In January, Halliburton announced that officials of Kellogg, Brown and Root may
have accepted kickbacks from a Kuwaiti company subcontracted to provide the
services.
The company refunded $6.3 million to the Army unit overseeing the contract.
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