WASHINGTON, December 1, 2011 – Accuracy in Media’s Center for Investigative Journalism released a special report, detailing Solyndra sub-contractor CH2M HILL’s history of fraud, kickbacks and Federal violations; and how it received taxpayer funding.

“In the wake of several Energy Department scandals it is important to analyze how taxpayer funded projects have developed, and what mistakes were made along the way,’” special report author Rusty Weiss said. “It is not a time to blindly grant multi-million dollar loans to companies that administration officials know will fail; it is a time to scrutinize the potential use of every dollar so they are not wasted. Perhaps the case of CH2M HILL will serve to remind our government of a commitment to be responsible and restrained with the American people’s money.”

The complete special report can be found here.

Rusty Weiss is a freelance journalist focusing on the conservative movement and its political agenda. He has been writing for several years in the upstate New York area, and his writings have appeared in the Daily Caller, American Thinker, FoxNews.com, Big Government, the Times Union, and the Troy Record. He is also the Editor for two major technology newsletters. You can follow him on Twitter @rustyweiss74.

Email Logan.Churchwell@aim.org to schedule an interview.

Accuracy in Media is the leading citizens’ media watchdog whose mission is to promote accuracy, fairness and balance in news reporting. AIM exposes politically motivated media bias, teaches consumers to think critically about their news sources, and holds the mainstream press accountable for its misreporting.  For more information, please visit www.aim.org.

###

CH2M HILL SUMMARY OF FACTS

• CH2M HILL is a Colorado-based consulting, engineering and construction firm with operations in over 80 countries worldwide.
• To date, the company has been awarded more than triple the amount of Federal funds received by Solyndra, almost $2 billion.
• CH2M HILL was awarded $9.6 million to design Solyndra’s Freemont, California facility.
• The US Department of Energy has engaged the company for nuclear site clean-ups for $2 billion in 2008.
• CH2M HILL was investigated for violating federal and local regulations from 2004 to 2007, leading to more than $1 million in settlements, fines and withholding penalties.
• The US Government has found widespread time-card fraud and kickbacks resulting in substantial cost overruns, leading to a $1.5 million dollar settlement.
• In the 2008 election cycle, CH2M HILL donated $45,000 to Senator Barack Obama.
• In the 2010 cycle, 65 percent of all campaign contributions were made to Democrats.
• CH2M HILL spent $455,000 on progressive lobbyists in 2010.
• DOE and CH2M HILL touted the “Lives Touched” metric to substitute job growth statistics.
• CH2M HILL hired and subsequently fired 1,350 employees after stimulus funding depleted.

For a complete explanation of the facts, click here.

Share This

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

About the author

Accuracy In Media

Related Posts

The Case of CH2M HILL: $2 Billion in Crony Stimulation

“Not very much.” This was the answer that the Department of Energy Secretary, Steven Chu, recently provided when asked of the amount the federal government will be able to recover from the Solyndra bankruptcy. “Not...