Bush Administration Alters Halliburton Report
Reported by Ellen - March 15, 2005
Today on Studio B, we heard the usual fluff, the Michael Jackson trial, Scott Peterson's sentencing tomorrow, Martha Stewart says the ankle monitor she is required to wear is uncomfortable and chafes (comment: Smith actually laughed while he said this and I don't think he was laughing WITH Martha).
Didn't really have very much actual 'news' until the bottom of the hour when Jane Skinner gave the mid-show news report. She stated that on Capital Hill today a member of the House, Henry Waxman, said that the Bush Administration, at the request of the Halliburton Company, blacked out portions of a multi-million dollar financial report on Iraq.
She went on to say that Waxman, ranking memeber on the Comittee on Government Reform said the changes concealed more than 100 million dollars of fuel overcharges. That report was sent to international observers who are monitoring the Development Fund for Iraq. She ended the story by saying that Waxman is now calling for congressional hearings on the matter.
Comment: I was surprised that Fox even reported this story. I waited to hear if Skinner and Smith were then going to speak about it during Skinner Ville and give us their 'opinions' on why there were 'blacked' out portions on these financial reports in light of the fact that these changes concealed more than 100 million dollars of fuel overcharges. Sorry, no luck, they had to talk about the person who just quit American Idol and speculate why he was gone. I guess this was their '30 second, here, it's out there, now we'll never talk about it again' method. Darn! The one time I really wanted an opinion and they weren't giving. I'm sure we here at News Hounds can 'wax' poetically about why these items have been blacked out.
Of special note: During a commercial break, right before coming back on the air, they ran a commercial of a show that will air on Sunday. It had the biblical theme music going and the name of the program is John Paul II, Pope of the People, Sunday, 9 p.m. The Host? Newt Gingrich. Enjoy.
Posted by Donna
