Bill Delahunt: “When you talk about corruption, I have a question for the administration, and it will go unanswered. I dare say the fact…”

“When you talk about corruption, I have a question for the administration, and it will go unanswered. I dare say the fact that it will go unanswered is a demonstration that our own democracy is not functioning as it should and that we are putting our democratic institutions, particularly this institution, at risk of erosion, because we are not allowed to ask questions that the American people want answers to. Let me give you one question. Ahmed Chalabi is the deputy prime minister of this interim government. He is an individual who was convicted in a Jordanian court for embezzlement of some $100 million. He became a darling, if you will, of the neo-conservative movement in this country. It is alleged that he provided false intelligence that served those that were advocating the invasion in Iraq. Later, it was reported in the news that Mr. Chalabi was under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; that there was in Iraq a search of his personal residence because he was suspected of providing intelligence that put American military personnel at risk to Iran; that he was a double agent for the Iranian government. Yet several weeks ago, he is meeting with the Vice President in this country and is going around here in Washington. Please, will someone tell us what happened? Was there any validity to those allegations?”