I think that all homo sapiens can understand how the mere thought of
an organization that receives government money through contract
mechanisms being tangentially involved in setting up a fake tax
shelter for a fake pimp and his fake prostitution ring of fake
prostitutes can justifiably lead to lawmakers going absolutely
cross-eyed with white-hot, impotent rage. But what happens when a
similarly taxpayer-endowed contractor attempts to cover up
employee-on-employee gang rape by locking up the victim in a shipping
container without food and water and threatening her with reprisals if
she report the incident? Somehow, it doesn't engender the same level
of anger!
Credit new Senator Al Franken however, for introducing an amendment to
the Defense Appropriations bill that would punish contractors if they
"restrict their employees from taking workplace sexual assault,
battery and discrimination cases to court." You'd think that this
would be a no-brainer, actually, but that didn't stop Jeff Sessions
from labeling Franken's effort a "political attack directed at
Halliburton." Franken, of course, pointed out that his amendment would
apply broadly, to all contractors, because otherwise, 'twould be a
bill of attainder, right? Right?
Franken's amendment ended up passing, 68-30. Here's a list of the
Senators who showed broad support for Roman Polanski by voting against
it:
Alexander (R-TN)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Johanns (R-NE)
Kyl (R-AZ)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Risch (R-ID)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Wicker (R-MS)
ADDENDUM: It's been pointed out to me that the U.S. Chamber of
Commerce lobbied against the Franken amendment as well:
Republicans point out that the amendment was opposed by a host of
business interests, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and
applies to a wide range of companies, including IBM and Boeing.
I guess we must cover up crimes like rape in order to save capitalism.
Read more at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/1..._n_312976.html