Fri, Nov 19, 2004
Did She Also Taint Launch Contract?
The saga of Darleen Druyun, the USAF official who took a job
with Boeing while negotiating with the company on a $23 billion
tanker deal, isn't over yet. Now, Lockheed Martin wants to talk to
her about whether she might have steered Air Force launch contracts
toward Boeing in 1998. The contracts were worth $1.88 billion.
Lockheed is suing Boeing, accusing its executives
of hijacking proprietary data concerning the launch contract --
data Lockheed said was crucial to its bid. The
Air Force investigated and ended up awarding many of those same
launch contracts to Lockheed. Further, Boeing was frozen out of the
launch business for a time. Boeing itself has so far escaped criminal charges,
but two of its employees weren't so lucky.
Druyun, who's serving nine months in a federal prison for
selling favors to Boeing in return for a high-paying executive
position at the company, has already admitted giving the
Chicago-based company the edge in four big contract
competitions.
"We're pursuing discovery in the EELV [rocket] case to determine
whether there is any evidence of favoritism or any other misconduct
involving Boeing and Ms. Druyun regarding the EELV contract and
other procurements," said Lockheed spokesman Jeffery Adams. He was
quoted in the LA Times.
The judge in Lockheed's suit against Boeing agreed to let
Lockheed depose Druyun. The federal judge said Lockheed attorneys
could ask her about her dealings with Boeing since 1995. Boeing
lawyers objected, however. The issue will be decided in a hearing
next month.
But Boeing is already on the counter-offensive. Having accused
Lockheed of blown the case out of proportion, Boeing says that's
still the case. "Any attempt to inject Darleen Druyun into this
case is a strategy to sensationalize Lockheed's claims, influence
government decisions elsewhere and develop evidence to support
Lockheed's bid protest," said Boeing spokesman Dan Beck.
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