You may recall that pro-Iraq war Senator Susan Collins brought the Stuart Bowen, the Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, to Maine for campaign events earlier this year. At a recent Senate hearing, Senator Frank Lautenberg called the visits "inappropriate" -- and it was.
Well, guess who is now facing a federal grand jury investigation for alleged criminal improprieties? Stuart Bowen:
Federal investigators called at least nine current and former employees of the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction before a grand jury in Richmond on March 18, and the FBI has summoned others for questioning this week, marking a new phase in the probe of allegations against SIGIR chief Stuart W. Bowen Jr., according to witnesses and other sources familiar with the investigation.
The FBI and U.S. attorneys have been investigating whether Bowen and his top deputy, Ginger Cruz, improperly accessed staff e-mails in violation of federal law. Current and former SIGIR employees interviewed by the FBI and questioned before the grand jury have complained of mismanagement and abuse of authority, including retaliatory firing of staff members.
Wonder if Bowen will be making any more "inappropriate" campaign appearances for Collins. Oh, keep in mind, that Collins chaired the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee when the GOP controlled Congress. She had oversight authority over Iraq and all the other Bush disasters. She and her pal, Joe Lieberman (who endorsed Collins already), rarely used their authority to challenge George Bush and Dick Cheney.
Collins has to go. Tom Allen can beat her, but he needs help. Today's the FEC filing deadline. First, a big thanks to all those who have contributed. Our ActBlue page has hit $8,250. Show Tom some love today. Let's shoot to pass $10,000 today. Every dollar helps defeat Collins and her corrupt GOP cronies. Your contributions will go along way in Maine.
