MEMO
To: Interested Parties
From: McCain Campaign
Subject: Facts on John McCain and the tanker deal
Date: 3/12/2008
Over the past few days, there have been a number of political attacks launched by John McCain's political opponents attempting to blame him for the Boeing Company not being awarded the USAF tanker contract. Incredibly, several news organizations have parroted the attack. In an attempt to help interested parties report factual information regarding John McCain's involvement with respect to this issue, we offer the following:
The Facts:
John McCain has always been committed to providing the most capable weapons to our servicemen and women at the best value to the taxpayer. That is why, in his capacity as the former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Chairman of the Airland Subcommittee on the Armed Services Committee, he conducted an investigation that thwarted a controversial $30 billion dollar Air Force proposal to lease a new fleet of aerial refueling tankers, which would have been the largest lease ever for a major U.S. weapon system. From the beginning, McCain believed that the deal was suspect, as it stemmed from a policy rider that was added to the FY2002 Department of Defense Appropriations Bill conference report, despite the fact that there had been no hearings and no debate in the House or Senate. Again, a $30 billion proposal was enacted without any opportunity for hearings or debate, nor was the tanker lease proposal requested by the Defense Department.
John McCain's investigation into this unprecedented proposal resulted in:
- Savings to taxpayers of about $6.7 billion dollars;
- Uncovering evidence that led to the resignation of, and a guilty plea from, a former senior executive at a major defense contractor on public corruption charges;
- Uncovering evidence that led to the resignation of, and a guilty plea from, a senior government official, who then served jail time;
- The development of major defense procurement reform initiatives.
In an effort to ensure that the tanker replacement program would serve as a model for future major defense acquisitions programs, John McCain sent two letters to the Deputy Secretary of Defense and the incoming Secretary of Defense, respectively, in September and December, 2006. In each, he asked the Department to make sure the rules governing the competition were sufficiently clear to help ensure (1) that a competition would be conducted and (2) that it would be conducted in a manner consistent with all applicable legal and regulatory guidelines. After that, he had no further involvement in the process, and appropriately so, as it transitioned from a stage where the Air Force collected information from potential bidders (and those bidders submitted their proposals) to a stage where the Air Force reviewed those proposals and ultimately awarded the contract.
Despite John McCain's courageous efforts to take on the special interests and to protect the taxpayers from wasteful spending and fraudulent conduct, his political opponents and some media are instead attempting to smear his good name and long record of fighting for taxpayers.
One should ask:
- Was John McCain wrong to fight the special interests?
- Was John McCain wrong to stop the corruption?
- Should the fraudulent deal have been permitted?
- Should criminals engaged in illegal activities not have gone to jail?
- Should the Department of Defense not be held accountable to select the weapon systems they believe will best serve our men and women in uniform?
- Should decisions concerning weapon systems be driven through competition, not special interests earmarks?
John McCain is committed to a transparent, fair defense procurement process. This process, established by the DOD following the tanker scandal, allows for a fair and open competition and an appeal process -- which Boeing is entitled to under law. John McCain fully supports Boeing's right to a review, and will demand that any such review is fair.
Key Points:
- This is a false attack by John McCain's political opponents.
- John McCain uncovered a massive taxpayer rip-off and evidence leading to corruption convictions for Boeing and Pentagon officials -- and now he's being attacked for it? A senior Air Force acquisition officer and a Boeing officer went to jail for their crimes and the CEO of Boeing resigned.
- John McCain is a watchdog for American taxpayers; his Boeing investigation saved taxpayers approximately $6.7 billion dollars.
- John McCain has always been committed to providing the most capable weapons to our servicemen and women at the best value to the taxpayer. Our service men and women should have the most capable weapon systems, driven through competition, not special interests' earmarks.
- John McCain will work to continue to ensure that defense acquisitions are transparent and fair. The Department of Defense must be held to select the most capable weapon systems for the best price to the taxpayers. John McCain's investigation into the Boeing deal resulted in the development of major defense procurement reform initiatives.
