Event: What happened to Fat Leonard? The Cost of Oversight Failures from Carriers to the Halls of Congress (R Street Institute and Project on Government Oversight)
Leonard (27:01): Like I said, you don’t need to overcharge the Navy, they give you their money. They’ll just give you money for free. I mean, if anybody’s got a defense contract, you’re good for life. Because the military overall, whether it’s the Navy, Marine Corps, Air force, every branch, there’s no one that has due diligence, fiscal. Because it’s not their money, it’s Uncle Sam’s money. (Fat Leonard Podcast, Episode 2 “Ring of Steel”)
When the eponymous “Fat Leonard” scandal burst on the news cycle in 2013, many believed the sordid tale of bribery, fraud and corruption at some of the highest echelons of the U.S. Navy would be the impetus for much-needed reforms and self-examination. Instead, it seemed to disappear as quickly as it appeared with little public accountability from the institutions tasked with overseeing our national security and without answers for consistent oversight failures.
Ahead of the February 28 trial for the last Fat Leonard defendants, join us to talk with the whistleblower at the heart of the scandal; experts who have been beating a lonely drum for better oversight; and others who will help unpack the fiscal, security and human costs involved when everyone looks the other way.
Featuring:
- [Moderator] Nan Swift, Fellow, R Street Institute
- Dan Grazier, Jack Shanahan Military Fellow, Project on Government Oversight
- Laicie Heeley, Founder & Editor in Chief, Inkstick
- David J. Schaus, CEO, Irwin Group
