 |
|
One very weird MZM contract. The first contract I can find that Cunningham co-conspirator Mitchell Wade's MZM Inc. received from the federal government is from a federal agency I had never heard of. The Minerals Management Service, Interior Franchise Fund, funded by the Executive Office of the President, awarded MZM a $25,000 contract on 10/15/2002 to provide it custom computer programming services.
Naturally, the question is, what's the Mineral Management Agency and who did Wade butter up to get this? The MMS is part of the Department of the Interior. According to the Library of Congress's Thomas:
Of course, all this talk of Indian lands and the Interior Department brings to mind thoughts of Mr. Abramoff and pals. Who did Wade butter up to get this contract? Someone from the Department of the Interior, or from one of the Congressional committees that oversee resources, energy and the environment?The Minerals Management Service is responsible for collecting, distributing, accounting and auditing revenues from mineral leases on Federal and Indian lands. In fiscal year 2005, MMS expects to collect and distribute about $9.5 billion from active Federal and Indian leases. [...] To date, the OCS program has been focused primarily on oil and gas leasing. [...] The MMS also operates the Interior Franchise Fund: the entrepreneurial GovWorks enterprise provides important procurement services to a variety of governmental agencies.