Bush Crony Gets New Orleans Pump Contract (Jeb not George)

Graphic from Michael at the 2millionth weblog (Wow, he got in early!)
I'm not surprised: Jeb Bush is closely connected with the company that supplied the Army Corps of Engineers with pumps that the Corps knew were defective. (link to Matt McBride Fix the Pumps). The defective pumps and drive units were installed in New Orleans last year.

Right now NOLA bloggers are checking into the contract details and memo details about Moving Water Industries (MWI). They might help the press answer some questions raised by MWI's comment in their press release put out by their lawyer.

The allegations in the memo were all dismissed by other inspectors on site, and also by three additional inspectors and five separate independent consultants that were brought in to re-inspect the pumps following the memo.

MWI was chosen in a competitive bid process and because of its world- leading expertise in designing and manufacturing pumps of the size, capacity and durability needed.

I think that people might like to see the memos where the "allegations" were dismissed (wow, lawyer speak much?). And what did the three additional inspectors find? Can we see that report? How about the independent consultants, who are they? Who paid them to re-inspect? What did they re-inspect? Could we see that report? Could you show it to Matt McBride?

Matt has already looked at some of their claims and blew holes in them. Again check out his
Calling BS post.

Here's the part that got me.

So to make this as clear as possible... Not only did the Corps install pumps they knew wouldn't work, not only did they simply give up throughout the entire year of 2006 on repairing the canal walls, they also recommended doubling the order of the known-to-them-to-be-defective pumps and drive units, assumedly with the same manufacturer - MWI.