| Halliburton secret nobid iraq work contracts { June 16 2004 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-hall16.htmlhttp://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-hall16.html
White House says Cheney wasn't told of Halliburton pact June 16, 2004
WASHINGTON -- Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff was told in 2002 that Cheney's former company would receive no-bid work to secretly plan restoration of Iraq's oil facilities, but the information wasn't given to the vice president, a White House official said Tuesday.
Kevin Kellems, Cheney's spokesman, said he confirmed the decision not to inform Cheney with the vice president's chief of staff, Lewis ''Scooter'' Libby.
''The vice president was not informed'' that Halliburton would get the Defense Department contract, Kellems said.
Libby informed participants at a Defense Department briefing in October 2002 that ''the vice president's office would not be involved and would have nothing to do with the matter,'' Kellems said.
Libby's presence was controversial because Cheney repeatedly has said he had no involvement in that contract or any other matters involving Halliburton.
At the briefing, a Defense official told a group including Libby that Halliburton would secretly develop plans to extinguish any oil fires if there was a war with Iraq.
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), senior Democrat on the House Government Reform Committee, revealed Libby's presence in a letter to Cheney last weekend.
Waxman said Libby's involvement contradicts Cheney's statements he had no knowledge of the contract, awarded in March 2003.
Leaders of the committee agreed Tuesday that top executives of Halliburton would be asked to testify next month in the investigation of Iraq contracting. AP
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