Evergreen Defense: War profiteer, NRSC donor... and now, election security?
Kari Chisholm
Here's an update on the bizarre story about Evergreen Defense and their offer to provide security at Oregon polling places. See the earlier post here.
First, it seems that Evergreen Defense and Security Services Inc. is a subsidiary of Evergreen Aviation - and they're a military contractor.
Evergreen possesses nearly five decades of experience working with the US Armed Forces, the Department of Defense, the Department of Interior, the United Nations, NASA, and the US Air Mobility Command. Many of our contracts include highly sensitive work-scope, and take place in locations ranging from the deserts of the Middle East to the jungles of South America to the highest peaks of Mt. McKinley in Alaska.
Certainly, Evergreen is a big-time war profiteer. According to the Oregonian (via SourceWatch), Evergreen had a quarter-billion dollars in revenues in 2004 just from shipping cargo to Iraq for the U.S. military.
Second, the president of Evergreen Defense is Tom Wiggins - a registered Republican in Dundee and a $1000 donor to the National Republican Senatorial Committee. In addition, the president of Evergreen Aviation is Tim Wahlberg - a registered Republican in McMinnville.
Third, at the risk of getting all conspiracy-theorist about it, I should note that there have long been rumors here that Evergreen is some sort of CIA front.
According to SourceWatch.org, they denied participating in extraordinary renditions in 2006 -- but back in 1988, company founder Del Smith admitted to at least one contract to perform similar sorts of services:
According to a series of articles in The Oregonian in 1988, Evergreen's owner and founder Delford M. Smith "...acknowledged one agreement under which his companies provide occasional jobs and cover to foreign nationals the CIA wants taken out of other countries or brought into the United States."
Why the hell would we want these people anywhere near our elections?
And what are they up to? After all, the presidential race is hardly in doubt in Oregon. Maybe they're worried about their pal, Gordon Smith.
Research continues...
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connect with blueoregon
Oct 31, '08
So what are they going to do? Show up at the Tigard police station where I drop my ballot? I'll be ready with a loaded paintball gun, I guess.
Oct 31, '08
The real question is: Are there other states that they sent a similar letter to? It might have just been a form letter that they send to every state. Are any other states requesting this service?
3:20 p.m.
Oct 31, '08
I think Jim H is on the right track. These are polling place intimidation moves, something the GOP has done in a number of cases. They just sent a form to Oregon, even though we don't really have polling places.
I believe public law enforcement aren't supposed to be involved unless there's a call for service, right? But you can hire private security all you like...
Oct 31, '08
These are the sort of Right-Thinking Individuals who have long been itching to promote themselves from black ops to regulation army...in the Christian Republic of North America.
3:43 p.m.
Oct 31, '08
Let's hire them to block the coming Black Water coup!
4:04 p.m.
Oct 31, '08
Good work, Kari.
I'm with Jim H. in wondering who besides the Clerk in Douglas County got this letter. But I was thinking more about which other Oregon counties got one rather than which other states.
This seems like a very strange solution to a problem that doesn't exist. So, by even offering the service is Evergreen trying to promote the idea that it may not be safe to go out and vote? IS THIS VOTER SUPRESSION?
Or just another argument for vote by mail?
Oct 31, '08
"Second, the president of Evergreen Defense is Tom Wiggins - a registered Republican in Dundee and a $1000 donor to the National Republican Senatorial Committee. In addition, the president of Evergreen Aviation is Tim Wahlberg - a registered Republican in McMinnville.... Why the hell would we want these people anywhere near our elections? "
Do we still let Republicans vote?
Oct 31, '08
Here is a little more info from The O
http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2008/10/company_pitches_election_sentr.html
Oct 31, '08
Oh no! The jack booted repugnicrats are using the military industrial complex to scare brown people and the poor away from the "voting centers". It's the Diebold/Roveian/Wall Street/CIA/megachurch conspiracy.
Except we don't use voting centers anymore. And there is almost nothing a third party observer can do to prevent voter fraud with a mail in ballot. So long as the illegal/dead voter's signature is appropriately forged.
Oct 31, '08