Vivek Kundra reinstated by Obama
Vivek Kundra reinstated by Obama
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 2:15 AM
<<<<< JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER No. 1992 -- 3/18/2009 >>>>>
Just a few days after having his office busted into by FBI investigators,
Vivek Kundra is back on the job. It took just five days after he took a leave
of absence for President Barack Obama to reinstate him. Once again Kundra is
in charge of planning our entire national IT infrastructure.
Scary thought, huh?
Here is the explanation for reinstating Kundra:
While on leave, Mr. Kundra, who had been highly praised when he was
appointed on March 5, thought that his reputation was coming under
a cloud, the person familiar with the situation said. So he called
Mr. Kaine, who is also chairman of the Democratic National
Committee. The governor then called the White House and said that if
Mr. Kundra was not reinstated, his reputation would be ruined and
the government would miss out on having someone with valuable skills
help with its important task of making government operations more
transparent.
According to Virginia governor and DNC chairman Tim Kaine, it was necessary to
reinstate Kundra in order to save his reputation. The Democratic oligarchs
sure seem to be concerned with the soiled reputation of this 34 year old
Indian born bureaucrat. How come?
It's downright comical that Kaine is praising this cronyism as an example of
transparent government, because from where I sit it sounds like good old
fashioned Chicago style politics mixed with slum dog corruption.
Obama's reinstatement of Kundra seems like a very risky move considering that
it's unlikely that this story is coming to an end anytime soon.
Kundra's admission of being convicted of petty theft 13 years ago seems like
just the "lid of the tandoori" considering the fraud he could potentially be
involved in.
Keep in mind that Yusuf Acar reported directly to Kundra, and he is at this
time in jail without bail because he is considered a flight risk to Turkey.
Acar is accused of bribery and kickback schemes, and who was arrested with
more than $4,500 cash inside the pajamas he was wearing when he was arrested.
Supposedly Acar was swimming in so much cash he even sent $100,000 to his
mother in Turkey.
If Kundra didn't have enough problems on his own, the investigations into the
Indian H-1B Sushil Bansal are just starting. Bansal is suspected of being
involved in big rigging with Acar, so the connections to Kundra are complex
and will take time for the FBI to sort out.
Why would Obama risk taking a big political hit by reinstating Kundra?
Perhaps Obama feels Kundra's mission must be saved regarless of the cost.
We all know that Kundra's mission is -- to outsource as many U.S.
government jobs to India as possible and to bring in H-1Bs to take whatever is
left -- and of course to get insanely rich while doing it. One thing for sure,
there is far more to this story than we have heard so far, and hopefully as
the days pass more of the truth will be uncovered.
REFERENCES:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/us/politics/18kundra.html?ref=us
An Official Is Reinstated, White House Announces
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/03/17/2009-03-17_president_obama_wont_give_his_convicted_.html
Should a 12-year-old petty theft charge have cost Vivek Kundra his job in the
White House?
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2009/03/vivek_kundra_back_on_the_job.html?wprss=posttech
Vivek Kundra Back On The Job
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/16/AR2009031602289.html
Prosecutors Urge Judge to Keep Technology Manager in Jail
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/us/politics/18kundra.html?ref=us
March 18, 2009
An Official Is Reinstated, White House Announces By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE Vivek
Kundra, President Obama s appointee to the job of chief information officer,
was reinstated Tuesday, White House officials said.
The reinstatement came as new information surfaced about a minor theft for
which Mr. Kundra was arrested in 1996 when he was 21.
Mr. Kundra had gone on leave last week after F.B.I. agents raided his former
office at the District of Columbia s technology department. His reinstatement
was first reported by techpresident.com.
In a statement Tuesday night, Nick Shapiro, a White House spokesman, said,
"Mr. Kundra has been informed that he is neither a subject nor a target of the
investigation, and has been reinstated."
Of the arrest that occurred in 1996, Mr. Shapiro said: "Thirteen years ago,
Vivek committed a youthful indiscretion. He performed community service, and
we are satisfied that he fully resolved the matter."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation had already indicated that Mr. Kundra was
not implicated in the case behind the raid, on March 12, and a former employee
of his, Yusuf Acar, has been charged with bribery.
So it was not entirely clear why the White House waited until Tuesday to issue
the statement and reinstate him.
A person familiar with the situation, who asked for anonymity because he was
not authorized to speak for anyone, said Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia, for whom
Mr. Kundra once worked, had asked the White House to reinstate him.
While on leave, Mr. Kundra, who had been highly praised when he was appointed
on March 5, thought that his reputation was coming under a cloud, the person
familiar with the situation said. So he called Mr. Kaine, who is also chairman
of the Democratic National Committee. The governor then called the White House
and said that if Mr. Kundra was not reinstated, his reputation would be ruined
and the government would miss out on having someone with valuable skills help
with its important task of making government operations more transparent.
While Mr. Kundra was on leave, a report emerged on the Internet that he had
pleaded guilty in a theft case of less than $300 in value while he was in
college. The person familiar with the situation said Mr. Kundra had disclosed
the arrest in the White House vetting process.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/03/17/2009-03-17_president_obama_wont_give_his_convicted_.html
BY Kenneth Bazinet
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
Wednesday, March 18th 2009, 12:29 AM
Take our Poll
Obama's staff
Should a 12-year-old petty theft charge have cost Vivek Kundra his job in the
White House?
Yes. He wasn't properly vetted.
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Photos: St. Patrick's Day at the White House Articles First Lady is new comic
book star WASHINGTON - The new White House computer chief pleaded guilty 12
years ago to a petty theft charge, but it won't cost him his job, a spokesman
for President Obama said.
Vivek Kundra, 34, hired from Washington's city government, admitted a theft of
property valued at under $300 in Maryland, a White House aide confirmed.
He was fined $500, but the sentence was suspended and he only had to pay $100.
"Thirteen years ago, Vivek committed a youthful indiscretion. He performed
community service and we are satisfied that he fully resolved the matter,"
said Obama spokesman Nick Shapiro.
Details of the crime were not immediately disclosed. The White House was aware
of Kundra's record when its lawyers vetted him, a source said.
Kundra took a leave last Thursday after one of his former city employees was
arrested on bribery and corruption charges. Kundra was not a target of that
investigation, and he was reinstated Tuesday, Shapiro said.
Obama's vetting has faced scrutiny after several would-be hires had to
withdraw, most notoriously former Sen. Tom Daschle, who pulled out as Health
and Human Services secretary over tax underpayments.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/posttech/2009/03/vivek_kundra_back_on_the_job.html?wprss=posttech
Vivek Kundra Back On The Job
Federal Chief Technology Officer Vivek Kundra returned to his job today, White
House officials told the New York Times after it was reported today by
TechPresident.
Kundra took a five-day leave of absence after the FBI raided his former
stomping grounds: the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Technology
Officer. Kundra was not implicated in the bribery charges that former employee
Yusuf Acar now faces. Kundra's quick departure from his new job came hours
after his first public appearance after taking on the new role.
He spoke last week about his priorities at the FOSE government technology
trade show in Washington.
By Kim Hart | March 17, 2009; 5:45 PM ET | Category: Kim Hart
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/16/AR2009031602289.html
Prosecutors Urge Judge to Keep Technology Manager in Jail
By Del Quentin Wilber
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 17, 2009; B02
A D.C. technology manager accused of operating a complex bribery and kickback
scheme had more than $4,500 inside pajamas he was wearing when he was arrested
last week, and he told an informant that he had given $100,000 in cash to his
mother to take back to his native Turkey, federal prosecutors said.
Prosecutors disclosed the details in a court filing yesterday that urged a
federal judge to keep Yusuf Acar, 40, in jail. They said they are concerned
that he might flee if released before his trial.
Acar "has the motive, skills and wherewithal to flee and thrive on the lam,"
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Hibarger and Glenn S. Leon wrote.
Acar is accused of using his position as acting chief security officer at the
D.C. Office of the Chief Technology Officer to steer contracts to companies
for bribes, awarding contracts to a firm in which he had a financial stake and
accepting kickbacks for hiring "ghost" employees.
His attorney, public defender Dani Jahn, declined to comment on the case
yesterday. Acar, who has been jailed since his arrest Thursday, is scheduled
to have a detention hearing today before U.S. Magistrate Judge John M.
Facciola.
Acar and a business executive who was also arrested Thursday were described by
prosecutors in the court filing as the "two primary participants" in the
alleged scam. The businessman, Sushil Bansal, 41, president and chief
executive of the contracting firm Advanced Integrated Technologies, was
released on personal recognizance.
Federal agents began investigating Acar after being approached last April by a
D.C. employee who agreed to record conversations with Acar as part of the
probe. In yesterday's court filing, prosecutors wrote that they think Acar had
operated the "complicated scheme for years."
Acar was charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and launder money, honest-
services wire fraud and conflict of interest. He could face 6 1/2 years to a
little more than eight years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines if
convicted, prosecutors wrote.
They said that the potential sentence makes Acar a flight risk, and that they
are not sure anyone could guarantee his compliance with pretrial supervision
rules. Acar "involved his wife and several friends and co-workers" in his
alleged crimes, they wrote.
FBI agents have said that Bansal wrote several checks worth a total of
$70,201 to Acar's wife, Galen, in 2006 and 2007. She has not been charged in
the case.
As further evidence of Acar's flight risk, prosecutors alleged that he had
explored setting up bank accounts in Kenya and Canada to hide illicit funds.
Federal agents found U.S. and Turkish passports in Acar's home, and he told
the informant that he would "jump on the next plane, go to Turkey and
disappear" to avoid arrest, prosecutors wrote.
He also told the informant that he was working to smuggle another $200,000 in
cash to Turkey with the help of a friend who has a diplomatic pouch,
prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said that the evidence against Acar was "overwhelming," and that
the informant and three others, presumably D.C. government employees, have
implicated Acar in the crimes.
Federal prosecutors also said that Acar has "admitted his involvement in the
charged schemes." They did not specify whether the alleged statements were
made to FBI agents, the informant or others.
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