Letter to Congressman Isakson re: Missing Money

A Letter to Congressman Isakson (R-GA), April 2002

Sent through Congressman Isakson’s website:

Senator Isakson’s Contact info

In response to his comments on Congresswoman McKinney in today’s Washington Post:

“Some lawmakers have a less charitable view of McKinney’s penchant for publicity. Rep. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) said McKinney is simply trying to impress her constituents.

“She’s demonstrated at home an ability to win,” he said, “and she’s demonstrated in Washington a total lack of responsibility in her statements.”

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Dear Congressman Isakson (R-Georgia 6th):

I read your comment in the Washington Post today regarding Congresswoman McKinney’s efforts to hold government accountable for performance.

On September 11, America experienced a horrible failure of our national security and intelligence infrastructure. Despite our investing approximately $350 billion a year in what is supposed to be the world’s finest military and intelligence capacity, over 3,000 people died as the world watched helpless to do a thing. An hour after the first act of war, the Pentagon could not protect its own headquarters. Shortly thereafter, we were asked to underwrite a $48 billion increase in the Pentagon’s budget, on the theory that more money would make us safe.

Congresswoman McKinney has asked that we investigate whether the reports by numerous mainstream press that we had been warned are true and why they failed to help protect us. She has also asked why there is $2.3 trillion missing at the Pentagon as confirmed by Secretary Rumsfeld in CongressionalTestimony before the Armed Services Committee of which Congresswoman McKinney is a member.

Unlike Congresswoman McKinney, you believe that we should pay and notunderstand whether our money is put to proper use and gets the properperformance.

Your constituents in Georgia, based on 1999 IRS Individual taxes for the state of Georgia, pay $5,324 every year for every man, woman and child. Of that amount, based on the President’s budget before the 9-11 increases, $4,595, or approximately 85% went to the eleven agencies who based on Senator Thompson’s report “Government on the Brink” and Congressman Horn’s annual report card could not produce reliable financial systems or financial audits, as required. Of those eleven agencies, two (Department of Defense and HUD) are missing over $3.3 trillion between fiscal 1998-2000.

Congresswoman McKinney is trying to make sure that the citizens of Georgia do not have to pay even more while they get even less.

What are you doing?

Sincerely Yours,

Catherine Austin Fitts

President Solari

Former Assistant Secretary of Housing, Bush I

Former Managing Director & Member of the Board, Dillon Read & Co. Inc.