zimv20
Dec 31, 2003, 12:40 AM
link (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&ncid=536&e=2&u=/ap/20031229/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/energy_legal_fees)
By PETE YOST, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The Energy Department spent $330 million in taxpayer money to reimburse its private contractors for legal bills over a 5 1/2-year span, including for lawsuits they lost and settlements of sexual harassment and whistleblower allegations, congressional investigators reported Monday.
The department said the reimbursements were legal and that it scrutinizes each legal bill before deciding to pay. But a key congressman said the reimbursements amount to a "get-out-of-court free" card for contractors who engage in wrongdoing.
"When a contractor for the DOE gets sued, 95 percent of the time its legal fees and settlement costs get reimbursed by the federal government," said Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
There were 814 cases involving workers compensation, 268 on equal employment opportunity, 100 from whistleblowers, 99 stemming from personal injury, 50 on wrongful termination of employment, 40 on radiation and different types of toxicity and 524 on other matters, the GAO said.
By PETE YOST, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The Energy Department spent $330 million in taxpayer money to reimburse its private contractors for legal bills over a 5 1/2-year span, including for lawsuits they lost and settlements of sexual harassment and whistleblower allegations, congressional investigators reported Monday.
The department said the reimbursements were legal and that it scrutinizes each legal bill before deciding to pay. But a key congressman said the reimbursements amount to a "get-out-of-court free" card for contractors who engage in wrongdoing.
"When a contractor for the DOE gets sued, 95 percent of the time its legal fees and settlement costs get reimbursed by the federal government," said Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
There were 814 cases involving workers compensation, 268 on equal employment opportunity, 100 from whistleblowers, 99 stemming from personal injury, 50 on wrongful termination of employment, 40 on radiation and different types of toxicity and 524 on other matters, the GAO said.
