Katy Helvenston-Wettengel testified that a Blackwater program manager physically and verbally attacked her son Scott Helvenston when he indicated he was not well enough to leave the next morning on a mission. Despite two other Blackwater operators offering to go in Scott's place, the Blackwater manager burst into Scott's room late one night, confiscated his weapon, and told Scott that if he personally did not go on the mission the following day, he would be fired. Later that night, Scott wrote an e-mail addressed to the president and upper-management of Blackwater stating:
"It is with deep regret and remorse that I send you this e-mail. During my short tenure here with Blackwater I have witnessed and endured some extreme unprofessionalism."The e-mail went on to detail problems with the entire program and treatment of it's officers. Four days later he was dead. Read the entire written statement here (pdf).
Donna Zovko, mother of Jerry Zovko, testified that Blackwater told her husband they would have to sue the company to find out where their sons belongings were and how he died. When asked if she thought Blackwater was more concerned with the safety of it's personnel, or how much profit it could make from the contract, she stated: "It is profit. It is definitely profit."
Another e-mail from Tom Powell, a Blackwater Iraq operations manager, outlined critical gear shortages on March 30, 2004:
"I need Comms (communications equipment). ... I need ammo. ... I need Glocks and M4s. ... Guys are in the field with borrowed stuff and in harm's way ... I have requested Hard cars from the beginning and from my understanding an order is still pending."The next day, a mob in Fallujah ambushed a supply convoy guarded by Blackwater, killing the four employees. Read more about the warnings Blackwater ignored.
I read the pdf and it sounded a bit like a resume made for television, and some of these guys were there to pad their resume. Life as a marketing soundbit from television does not work for me. The other thing that rang clear to me was that the congressmen were using these people to make political statements, and like usual, shallow television soundbits for re-election bid. Some things never change. But even these miserable Congressman cannot diminish the loss, and the equally grotesque display of these Men from the bridge on the other side of the pond.
As far as getting documents from a private company that say what you want them to say to help your lawsuit, just feel lucky you are not dealing with a Federal or State agency. I have had FOIA requests ignored, documents forged, and have found documents that were denied from me that later resurfaced. And that was dealing with the self proclaimed bastion of liberal thought called the University of Wisconsin.
Seems they did not like the fact that I was a Special Forces soldier prior to asking them to educate me. And I did not like the shallow, outdated, televison soundbits they spewed to the younguns.(lies that benefited them financially.)
The worst part of all of this is that they are immuned to prosecution and the State will spend my money to defend them no matter how wrong and illegal their activity. And the nit-wit District Attorney for the State is too lazy, stupid, and cowardly to go up against them. He is an X-Federal Attorney who did not pass muster, so we got stiffed with his worthless self. He finally found a job he can handle.
Here is what I conclude: The U.S. legal system, Wisconsin's University system, and Congressional hearing rooms all have good acoustics for what makes them ring with power, but they have no real time to listen. They are incapable of anything but dog and pony shows that leave the illusion that enlightenment is sure to follow. A keynote speech from these guys is one that focuses on money, but you cannot always here that because of the overtones from all of the overpowering resonant frequencies. It hurts to listen to.
The main reason your case is before these unenlightened pontificating membranes of the Brotherhood of Bungholes is that somebody made too large of a campaign contribution to the Green Party. Been there done that. Man does that make them mad.
Follow the money trail. There is no money in leaving people alone. They tax me to buy more votes for them using my money. Sounds bad to me.