And Erik had a check for the Zovkos. His mother says he took the job with Blackwater because the company offered short-term, two-month contracts, and Scott viewed it as an opportunity to turn his life around. Our Daily Digest brings Democracy Now! He believed in what he was doing. He also had a financial motivation. KATY HELVENSTON: I was appalled at first that he would joke about such a serious issue. JEREMY SCAHILL: I was very diligent in trying to get Blackwater to make any comment. After the killings, Blackwater released a statement saying the heinous mistreatment of our friends exhibits the extraordinary conditions under which we voluntarily work to bring freedom and democracy to the Iraqi people. We speak with Jeremy Scahill as well as Katy Helvenston, the mother of Scott Helvenston who was killed in Fallujah, and the attorney in the case, Marc Miles. KATY HELVENSTON: Yes. And then, when we come back, I want to ask you about your request for an incident report from Blackwater to understand what had taken place and also about a memorial service that Blackwater held, and well continue this discussion. His family is linked in with Richard DeVos, the Amway founder who basically funded the Republican revolution of the 1990s. It goes through multiple hands, at least three or four layers per contract. Since the team was driving without a rear-gunner and did not have armored vehicles, the insurgents were able to literally walk up behind the vehicles and shoot all four men with small arms at close range, the suit alleges. The suit further alleges that McQuown intervened and ordered only a four-man team be sent, although six were available, the other two remaining to perform clerical duties. has denied any relationship to this and wont talk about it anymore. Blackwater was paying its men $600 a day but billing Regency $815, according to the Raleigh News and Observer. Help. Blackwater is scooping up lucrative Homeland Security contracts. So, why would you think that under U.S. laws the company should be held responsible for what happens over there in Iraq? Callahan says that if Blackwater and McQuown had done in the United States what they are alleged to have done in Iraq, There would be criminal charges against them. What happened between McQuown and Helvenston was no mere personality conflict. A few nights before Scott was killed, and actually the night before he left Kuwait to go to Baghdad, he sent an email to the owner, president and upper management of Blackwater, and the subject of that email was extreme unprofessionalism. And in this email, which we have, he is complaining about Justin McQuown, who he refers to as Justin Shrek. Scott Helvenston apparently thought his actual name was Shrek and was referring to him as Justin Shrek throughout the email. When less business is being done, and you have more time on your hands, we wanted to bring something positive to your . Blackwater, in turn, was billing a Kuwaiti company more than $800 for Scott Helvenstons services, and then that Kuwaiti company, in turn, billed a Cypriot company called E.S.S., which was the company that provides catering services to military operations, basically the U.S. military bases. Blackwater has not offered a rebuttal to the specific allegations made by the families, except to deny in general that they are valid. And we knew that this was a key component of the insurgent strategy: Get the pictures out, make it look like theyre winning. KATY HELVENSTON: That exact incident. And he did say, Well, its nice to meet you, and then he turned around and left. The GOPs War Against Trans People Is a War Against Democracy, Green Rationales for Harsher Immigration Policies Are Nothing New, Gun Violence: A Week of Response to the Weak Republican Response to Mass Shootings in the USA. KATY HELVENSTON: Well, Jay Price, who writes for the News & Observer out of the Raleigh-Durham area, had come down and talked to me, and he wrote a series of articles. Blackwater had told all of us that none of us wanted to communicate with each other. Thats how I work.. For Reprints and Permissions, click here. Obviously they concealed a material witness by hiring him and sending him out of the country. Callahan says Blackwater took advantage of the Potters financial straits to hinder the case against the company. There is not a whole lot of jobs out there for ex-Special Forces guys, and obviously he didnt realize that at the time. Mr. Rumsfeld . COL. JOHN A. TOOLAN, U.S. Marines: Contractors were easily identified on the roads because they were all in brand-new SUVs 2004 SUV, tinted windows. Find 1 person named Justin Shreck along with free Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok profiles on PeekYou - true people search. Jane and did a few stints on reality television. Company founder Erik Prince and his family have poured serious money into Republican causes and campaign coffers over the past twenty years. On March 30, 2004, Helvenston, Teague, Zovko and Batalona left Baghdad on the ESS security mission. Blackwater seems to understand money. It was about what happened to Scotty and Jerry and Mike and Wesley. Did they assume the risk? One of the people profiled in the story is Katy Helvenston, the mother of 38-year-old Scott Helvenston, who was killed on that day in Fallujah. While the Iraq war has helped the company Blackwater USA see its profits soar, the company is facing a major battle here at homethis time in court. But today, Blackwater is facing a potentially devastating battlethis time not in Iraq but in court. Erik Prince, himself, for this piece I worked with the Center for Public Integrity, and we put together a profile of Erik Princes familys political contributions. Full Interview: Frank Mugisha on New Anti-, Former Guantnamo Prisoners Ask Biden to Let Them Keep Art They Made to Escape Inhumane Conditions. We will not be intimidated, he said. The U.S. attack was sparked by the gruesome killing of four private contractors inside Fallujah. AMY GOODMAN: Katy Helvenston, when did you last speak to your son Scotty? Theyre angrytheyre saying, Let me go over,' Blackwater spokesman Chris Bertelli told the Virginian-Pilot ten days after the killings, adding that applications to work for Blackwater had increased considerably in that time. During training, McQuown would often improperly instruct the class or provide erroneous information, tactics or techniques, the suit alleges. You need to show intent. President Bush issued a statement through his spokesperson. tn_ptype: 'article', After Terminal Cancer Diagnosis, Daniel Ellsberg Reflects on Leaking Pentagon Papers & His Legacy, Daniel Ellsberg Warns Risk of Nuclear War Is Rising as Tension Mounts over Ukraine & Taiwan, Zooey Zephyr, Montanas First Trans Lawmaker, Speaks Out After Being Banned & Silenced by Republicans, Rising Tide of Fascism: Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones Warns of GOPs Growing Embrace of Authoritarianism, Courage Is Contagious: Zooey Zephyr & Justin Jones on the GOPs Silencing of State Lawmakers. So I sent Blackwater about 23 specific questions, and from that first email that Chris Taylor sent me, I never heard back. They were standing outside our rooms when we got up in the morning. Lets take this opportunity. Now, just recently, last month, Cofer Black, who is a former C.I.A. had a contract with Halliburton with K.B.R., the subsidiary of Halliburton. Its lead counsel is Greenberg Traurig, the influential DC law firm that once employed lobbyist Jack Abramoff. This is a rush transcript. AMY GOODMAN: Were you all in the same hotel? By signing up to receive emails, you agree to receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation's journalism. McQuown And so, we have seen Blackwater really sort of embody the war profiteering in this war on terror. Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License, Fighting in Sudan Persists Despite Extended Ceasefires as U.N. The thing was see, I mean, they wouldnt even give him a map. If you think Democracy Now!s reporting is a critical line of defense against war, climate catastrophe and fascism, please make your donation of $10 or more right now. But they had put all of the news stuff in a closet, and I pulled it out, and I got the names of the other three families. The suit alleges that Blackwater trainer Justin "Shrek" McQuown resented Helvenston and deliberately reassigned Helvenston to the team that was ambushed . Justin Timberlake voices King Arthur, Fiona's distant cousin and next in line for the throne of Far Far Away after Shrek (who understandably just wants to return to his swamp). Blackwater and this lawsuit is going to be the first of its kind, and its going to go forward, and were going to go into trial and prove all of the allegations that weve set forward. Instead, each vehicle had only two men and far less powerful Mach 4 guns, which they had not even had a chance to test out. Helvenston et al. When we cover the climate emergency, our reporting isnt sponsored by the oil, gas, coal or nuclear companies. In fact, from what I understand, and folks that we have talked to, they had asked for a map shortly before going out on their mission, and basically the individual who was in charge of handing out the maps said, Its too late for a map now, and sent them on their way. HAROLD VIDINHA: The first thing that came up was a camera bouncing toward this SUV, and it went right into the car. But instead, they missed that turnoff, and they ended up driving straight through the center of Fallujah, and it was as they got through the middle of town that they got stuck in traffic, that they were ultimately ambushed. The other guys were Army Rangers, and they were all very, very experienced combat soldiers. JUAN GONZALEZ: When were you officially notified that it was him? 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And they said, We dont know. And I said, Well, dont you know where your employees are? And they said, Not really., And I was on the phone. Lay out this story. Every dollar makes a differencein fact, gets doubled! We rely on contributions from our viewers and listeners to do our work. But when these four men ended up in Fallujah that day, they were in Pajero jeeps that were not armored at all. The suit also alleges that McQuown intentionally refused to allow the Blackwater security contractors to conduct ride-alongs with the teams they were replacing from Control Risk Group. This would have resulted in Blackwater losing profits and would also have delayed the start of the ESS job. Well, Scotty chose the military, and he wanted to continue his education through that. This is a billion-dollar industry, Jackson said in October 2004. New Yorks Working Families Party Came Back From the Brink. Donna got so mad, she just tore up the check and threw it at Erik Prince, and I thought, You go, girl! But weve never gotten the report, obviously. Domination, Sing Your Song: Remembering Harry Belafonte, Who Used His Stardom to Help. AMY GOODMAN: Moyock in North Carolina, where Blackwater is based. freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ Copy may not be in its final form. Just like with tobacco litigation or gun litigation, once they lose that first case, theyd be fearful there would be other lawsuits to follow., The families two-year quest to hold those responsible accountable has taken them not to Falluja but to the sprawling Blackwater compound in North Carolina. is funded by you, and thats why were counting on your donation to keep us going. They assumed the risk based upon a number of representations that Blackwater gave to them. KATY HELVENSTON: Yeah, and all this fresh bark that had just been laid was just flying all over the place. He came from a proud family of Republicans; his great-great-uncle, Elihu Root, was once US Secretary of War and the 1912 Nobel Peace Prize-winner. AMY GOODMAN: And so, were you able to talk out of the presence of the guards? Not so, say the families of the four men and their lawyers. According to Department of Labor statistics, at least 425 U.S. civilians have died in Iraq including at least 22 Blackwater contractors. This is a precedent-setting case, says Marc Miles, an attorney for the families. The original contract between Blackwater/Regency and ESS, obtained by The Nation, recognized that the current threat in the Iraqi theater of operations would remain consistent and dangerous, and called for a minimum of three men in each vehicle on security missions with a minimum of two armored vehicles to support ESS movements. [Emphasis added.]. They were told that they were able to do a risk assessment of every trip, and if the threat was too dangerous, that they could decline the mission. and State Department official that Blackwater hired up, was in the country of Jordan announcing that Blackwater was interested in essentially farming out its services to the highest bidder to engage in overt combat missions. So on March 24 the company removed Potter as program manager, replacing him with McQuown, who, according to the families lawyers, was far more willing than Potter to overlook security considerations in the interest of profits. It seemed like an ideal situation for him, as two of his friends from his days on the reality TV show Combat Missions were helping to run the Blackwater operations: John and Kathy Potter. He had a job waiting for him, but he needed to make some money in those two months. But I can imagine that there may be other lawsuits to follow if these companies dont shape up and actually realize what theyre dealing with here. There should be three men per team. The article is called Blood Is Thicker Than Blackwater. The producer Paul Howard says Bohm merges, into his [] It was a simple thing, really, that kicked off Suresh's career shift. The real problem here is that we have corporate America involved. And so, did they assume the risk? Helvenston Et Al. Unfortunately, what they didnt know was that there was a much safer route that took them around the north side of Fallujah. The deposition was set for January 28, 2005, and Miles was to fly to Alaska, where the Potters were living. VIDEO: People in Denmark Are a Lot Happier Than People in the United States. According to Callahan, there was a safer alternative route that went around the city, which the men were unaware of because of Blackwaters failure to conduct a risk assessment before the trip, as mandated by the contract. Locations: Summerfield FL, Ocklawaha FL, . McQuown refused to allow it. Helvenston arrived in Kuwait on March 18, where he was under the management of John and Kathy Potter, whom he knew from Combat Missions . They have no respect for me or the other mothers or brothers or children. The lawsuit alleges that these men were defrauded, because Blackwater failed to provide them with the basic minimal guarantees of their contract, among them that they would be in armored vehicles, that they would have heavy weapons, something like a SAW Mach 46 machine gun that could fire up to 850 rounds per minute, and its very key. They could have easily traveled this route in a single day, and it would have been extremely less dangerous. I had my bedroom phone ringer turned offI didnt get the call, so he left me a message. AMY GOODMAN: What about the other families? And the noon news, it had this just all of a sudden it caught my attention, and I looked over there, and I thought, Oh, my god, you know. Helvenston's contract He spent twelve years in the SEALs, four of them as an instructor, and then tried his luck with Hollywood. Were joined by Jeremy Scahill, who did the piece for The Nation magazine, out today, Blood Is Thicker Than Blackwater, appearing in the new issue; Katy Helvenston with us, mother of Scott Helvenston - today, she is speaking out in a national broadcast live for the first time -; and Marc Miles, attorney for the families of the four men, the Blackwater contractors killed in Fallujah. Now, they were ultimately to get to the other side of Fallujah. He reported . [6] KATY HELVENSTON: I called Blackwater at about 7:00 at night. K.B.R. Gen. Mark Kimmitt vowed, We will be back in Falluja. He had two men with him that held Scotty down. He was taken out of that team and put in with men that were wonderful, good people, but he had never met them, he had never worked with them. Right now, its my understanding that U.S. law doesnt apply, because it did not happen in the U.S.; military law doesnt apply; and Iraqi law, well, there is no Iraqi law, and so, as things stand now, they literally can get away with murder. And the guard that was in charge of me, I said, You know, you really need to do something about these helicopters. You know, and he left for a minute or two, and finally the helicopters went away. All this was shady enoughbut the real danger for Helvenston and the others lay in Blackwaters decision to cut corners to make even more money. to your inbox each morning. They had done everything in their power to keep us apart. (In fact, the suit contends that Blackwater fabricated critical documents and created a pre-trip risk assessment after this deadly ambush occurred.), The men entered Falluja with Helvenston and Teague in one vehicle and Zovko and Batalona in the other. MARTIN SMITH: Contractually, Blackwater was to supply two SUVs with three guards per vehicle. They charged the government $400,000 for 14 guys for 28 days in September of 2005 14 guys, $400,000 for 22 days in September. This was not a roadside bomb, it was not any other explosive device. The families of the four men, led by Scott Helvenston's mother Katy Helvenston-Wettengel and Donna Zovko, Jerry Zovko's mother, filed suit against Blackwater with lawyer Daniel . KATY HELVENSTON: Well, I was initially I was stunned that I actually had gotten through to Erik Prince. I was going to I pick up the phone and say, Mr. Secretary, Ive got an interesting question. The pictures are famous at this point of what happened to them on that day. It was this corporate greed, combined with McQuowns animosity toward Scott Helvenston, which began at the training in North Carolina, that the families allege played a significant role in the deaths of Helvenston and the other three contractors. And I think there were ten in all. Thats not what I was hired to do. And at that point McQuown apparently told him that if he didnt do it, he would be fired immediately. Instead of being . Instead, the men set out at 8:30 in the morning with just two men per car, each short a rear gunner. AMY GOODMAN: Well, what was the memorial service itself like? And each family was assigned a guard, literally, and it was to me, it was just so bizarre, because we were being watched 24/7. Please give today. units, but Blackwater didnt provide them with the maps to go in the G.P.S. Jane movie, and he ended up playing a small role on the film, because the guy that was supposed to play the Navy Seal instructor was terrified of the ocean. When Helvenston set off for the Middle East, his family thought he was going to be working on Blackwaters high-profile job of guarding the head of the US occupation, Paul Bremer. John Potter had recently teamed Blackwater up with a Kuwaiti business called Regency Hotel and Hospital Company, and together the firms won a security contract with Eurest Support Services (ESS), guarding convoys transporting kitchen equipment to the US military. And Blackwater has only scratched the surface of it.. In early 2004 Helvenston was between jobs and was eking out a living with the stints on reality TV, the movie consulting and the fitness videos. Its a well-connected, Republican-controlled business that has made its fortune because of the Bush Administration. But because they didnt have a map, they didnt have G.P.S., and, in fact, funny story, I think they had G.P.S. This is life and death were talking about here, and as Marc Miles says, the commodity that Blackwater deals in is human beings. KATY HELVENSTON: Erik Prince told them that they would have to sue Blackwater to get that information. JUAN GONZALEZ: Id like to ask Marc Miles, on the day then that these four Blackwater employees are killed, theyre sent into Fallujah.
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