NYPost

HILL GETS A FARE DEAL

By VINCENT MORRIS

December 25, 2001 -- EXCLUSIVE

WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton took a free plane trip courtesy of Lockheed Martin shortly before she began lobbying the U.S. Postal Service to give the company a $93 million contract, The Post has learned.

Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - an Owego, N.Y.-based subsidiary of the giant defense contractor - paid $3,093 to fly Clinton and two aides to several points in upstate New York Oct. 29. The payment also included a meal, according to official records.

On the trip, Clinton organized a town meeting in Binghamton, which she held on the same day before flying back to a small airport outside Washington.

Yesterday, a Clinton spokesman defended the trip as an opportunity to learn about Lockheed and secure a big contract for the company, which was landed Thursday.

"This was an important trip which helped Sen. Clinton get a $93 million contract," said spokesman Jim Kennedy.

"Every senator fights for their state."

Kennedy said that Clinton believes her effort to lobby the Postal Service on Lockheed's behalf helped the company win the contract, which was competitively bid.

"She got nothing out of it," Kennedy said.

But the Postal Service yesterday denied that Clinton played any role at all in the contract - and seemed offended at the suggestion.

"We can't have a congressman telling us how to run. We operate like a business," spokesman Mike Saunders said.

All senators are required to report any freebies accepted from anyone who is not a friend.

Gifts are listed once a year but travel is reported four times a year, though many of the records are in limbo at the Senate's Hart Office Building - closed because of anthrax.

The only free trip that Clinton reported was the Lockheed one.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) also took one free trip - a visit to Israel last summer.

According to Lockheed's Web site, the company will improve the cameras that are used for sorting mail, improving security by tracking letters.

The new system will be installed at more than 1,600 locations.

Lockheed spokeswoman Jan Gottfredsen said the contract was awarded solely "on a competitive bid" and was based on merit.

-- Anonymous, December 25, 2001

Answers

Re the Post Office spokesperson's denials: Having been in Government contracting, believe you me that you have to dance the meticulous dance to try to avoid protests (which can mean their Congressperson is on your case. (And you know that you'll probably get the protests anyway.)

Actually I've worked with Lockheed and liked them a lot, but they are a huge octapus of a company with some operations which I regard as unsavory. Case in point: The savagely predatory parking violation people in D.C. are Lockheed contract personnel.

-- Anonymous, December 25, 2001