Collins’ staff responds to Allen’s allegations

Tom Allen is attacking Sen. Susan Collins for allowing war-profiteering when she blocked a request by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., to investigate Halliburton.

Staff for Susan Collins said today that the efforts were a politically charged one-man crusade, and the committee had more important issues to deal with. Lautenberg made his requests between 2003 and 2006, when Collins was chairwoman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

Steve Abbott, campaign manager for Collins, said in the three years Lautenberg pushed the issue, the committee dealt with reports from the 9-11 commission and the Hurricane Katrina hearings. They oversaw mergers involving 22 federal agencies – the biggest reorganization in modern history. They dealt with intelligence reform. Sen. Lautenberg was the only committee member calling for the hearings.

“All this stuff was going on, and a single Senator from New Jersey wanted us to drop all the other things and hold a hearing about one thing going on in Iraq,” Abbott said.

Lautenberg sent Collins nine written requests for the hearing. Abbott said they were all publicity stunts – released to the press before they were given to Collins, Abbott said.

“It was all political,” Abbott said. “It was meant to be a theatrical side show.”

Other senators did sign on to Lautenberg's letters, including   Senate colleague Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., also signed these letters along with as are Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii; Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.; Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del.; Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn.; and Sen. Mark Pryor D-Ark.

At that time, the committee was also investigating Iraqi contractor issues – just not the one Lautenberg wanted. They hosted briefings by the Iraqi Inspector General, and Collins helped pass legislation mandating that the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction position stay in place.

The committee also reported out a bill on contracting reform. Abbott criticizes Allen for missing the vote on that bill, which passed by almost 300 votes. Carol Andrews, communications director for Allen, said he missed the vote because he was in a classified briefing on Army readiness.