The Obama administration pressured Air Force General William Shelton to change his testimony to lawmakers on Capitol Hill to make it more favorable to a company owned by a large Democratic donor.
The Pentagon has been resisting a new wireless project by a satellite broadband company in Virginia called LightSquared, which aims to expand broadband for commercial use and whose majority owner is an investment fund run by Democratic donor Philip Falcone. General Shelton oversees Air Force Space Command and has run into issues with the project, which causes interference with his department’s GPS capabilities.
LightSquared obtained an advance copy of Shelton’s testimony and then the White House asked him to alter it to add that he supported the White House policy to add more broadband and that the Pentagon would resolve their issues with LightSquared within 90 days. Shelton refused the intervention.
“There was an attempt to influence the text of the testimony and to engage LightSquared in the process in order to bias his testimony,” Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) told the Daily Beast in an interview.
The Obama administration has already caught flack for securing a half billion dollar federal loan guarantee to a now bankrupt solar company called Solyndra that is also tied to a major Obama fundraiser. The incidents are especially embarrassing to the Obama administration who came into Washington promising transparency and denouncing “politics as usual,” only to engage in political cronyism on a grand scale.
John, Good reporting. A question for you: was William Shelton under oath when he testified? If so, then someone in the Administration could be charged with suborning perjury.
Obama is a lier he lied and cheated his way into office and is one of Americas worst presidents ever he may even be the worst.He broak every promise he made durring his campain.If Americans realect him they are dumb as dirt.I try not to br rude but who would put him back in office after he lied his way to office in the first place.Hes a willing slave to how is really in charge.No amount of money would get me to kill a person that has done nothing wrong,he has killed many of thousands of innocent people.Even the fighter that are fighting the illegal occupation of their land are in the right and don't deserve to die.9/11 and 7/7 were inside jobs and anyone that thinks different need to look at the overwelming evidence.
Aaaawe…poor Obama. So many pressures (masters), so little time to please them all.