Read on Twitter
There have been a lot of stories from various outlets including @propublica @latimes & @washingtonpost about COVID contracts. I wrote about the absence of gov't oversight on them. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-gutted-checks-his-power-when-they-were-most-needed-n1213901
@PhilMcCausland @cyrusfarivar & I continue to report on the response. 1/x
@PhilMcCausland @cyrusfarivar & I continue to report on the response. 1/x
Even with all the cash flowing out of federal coffers, nearly every decision made to spend money on equipment and services is a choice to forgo alternatives. That's particularly true in an environment in which so many big deals are being made without any competitive bidding 2/x
It's also particularly true because sources inside and outside the federal government say that some decisions have been made to satisfy political ends and there is evidence to back them up. 3/x
There's no question that the federal government began scrambling -- late -- to address a sprawling health and economic crisis. The need for speed is obvious. And it's also true that there can be legitimate disagreements about the best paths to pursue. 4/x
For example, Rick Bright was furious that he couldn't get anyone to pay attention to a company called Prestige Ameritech that said it could manufacture masks using U.S. facilities. The company got a contract only after it was introduced to Peter Navarro and the WH ordered it 5/x
If hiring the company to produce masks was the right thing to do, the process didn't work when Bright ran into opposition from political appointees and then it was circumvented by White House officials when the company made a public stink and got a connect from Steve Bannon. 6/x
Arguably oversight is more important rather than less important during a crisis that requires good decisions to be made. Oversight allows the ongoing response to improve and helps ensure future crises are handled more seamlessly. 7/x
But every level of oversight has been stripped away by the president. Congress can't get information. Inspectors general overseeing contracting have been removed from their jobs. 8/x
We reported last week on a contract Battelle received to sell, service and operate machines that the company says can recycle N95 masks so they can be used 20 times. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/trump-administration-paying-huge-premium-mask-cleaning-machines-which-don-n1210896
Trump forced the FDA to waive rules to tee up a contract that is worth up to $600M. 9/x
Trump forced the FDA to waive rules to tee up a contract that is worth up to $600M. 9/x
