Once was the time corrupt officials at least tried to hide the corruption, graft, cronyism and conflicts of interests. Not any more, though. It is almost worn as a badge of conquering, blatantly engaging in it at all levels as if in open defiance of taxpayers.
Nowhere is this seen clearer than when looking at WSDOT, C-TRAN and the CRC. From efforts to bypass voters to impose tax and fee increases on us after we defeat them at the ballot box to silencing or ignoring citizens input they ask for, the air of corruption is so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Elected officials show nothing but total disregard for taxpayers still struggling to recover from 4 straight years of double digit unemployment with Clark County poised to easily reenter double digit numbers.
We now see blatant cronyism at play as newly elected governor Jay Inslee appointed Oregon Gov. Kitzhaber’s former top adviser on transportation and sustainability, Lynn Peterson who was also once Clackamas County Chairwoman strongly favoring the CRC, appointed as Washington Secretary of Transportation to replace retiring Paula Hammond.
Not one to waste time when it comes to pushing the CRC and other megaprojects around Washington State, we read of Peterson’s effort to create an air of accountability as she orders a review of megaprojects, including CRC.
On the surface this appears like a responsible move to make, given the lack of funding, struggling taxpayers and dwindling public support primarily where CRC is concerned. But scratch that surface and look a little closer and we find the cronyism and corruption we have seen just about everywhere CRC is concerned.
This “comprehensive program assessment” as she labels it will also look at two other highly controversial, bloated megaprojects in Washington State, the state Highway 520 bridge replacement and the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement, both heaped in controversy and cost overruns.
Ron Paananen of the engineering firm CH2M Hill Inc. has been selected to lead the review and is also where we see the first act of cronyism as he is also “a former WSDOT administrator who worked directly on both the Highway 520 and Alaskan Way Viaduct projects.”
CH2M Hill Inc has been “a paid consultant that has received money from the CRC” to the tune of $3,416,135 and is listed as a supporter of CRC on the Columbia River Crossing Coalition website.
So much for any air of independence or objectivity there.
But it doesn’t end there, not by a long shot.
Paananen is from the engineering firm CH2M Hill Inc. This is the same CH2M Hill Inc. who very recently agreed to pay $18.5 Million to resolve criminal and civil allegations pertaining to fraudulent overtime claims by workers that was condoned by management.
A March 7, 2013 Department of Justice News Release says in part,
“The Justice Department, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, announced today that Colorado-based CH2M Hill Hanford Group Inc. (CHG) and its parent company, CH2M Hill Companies Ltd. (CH2M Hill) have agreed that CHG committed federal criminal violations, defrauding the public by engaging in years of widespread time card fraud. In order to resolve CHG’s civil and criminal liability, CH2M Hill has agreed to pay a total of $18.5 million, commit an additional $500,000 towards accountability systems, consent to a corporate monitor, and to continue actively cooperating with the ongoing fraud investigation.”
How is it that Lynn Peterson is unaware of this?
Or, is she fully aware of it and with no regard for taxpayers, wishes to help out a friend hit with a big fine because of their own criminal acts?
How can this be the best use of our scant tax dollars? Engaging a company to lead a review that just a week ago admitted to criminal acts associated with previous work here in Washington State?
Have Democrats forgotten all of their cries against Halliburton just a decade ago?
We must not let this stand. While I fully expect Democrats to condone this sort of action, since they have led the way in blatant cronyism, corruption and fraud associated with this project, this post will be sent to other legislators with hopes someone will call for an full investigation of CRC after bringing it to a screeching halt with prosecutions and prison time for any determined to deserve it.
It is time, enough is enough!
UPDATE: Senate transportation co-chair raises questions about WSDOT pick for mega-project review leader Press Release
