Bill Delahunt: “Since 1986 Shea & Gardner has represented Chalabi and his Iraqi National Congress in Washington for about $10,000 a…”

“Since 1986 Shea & Gardner has represented Chalabi and his Iraqi National Congress in Washington for about $10,000 a month. One of the partners at Shea & Gardner is James Woolsey, the former CIA director. Chalabi also gets help from Francis Brooke, a political consultant, and Riva Levinson, the Washington firm founded by Charles Black, a long-time ally of President Bush. These contacts have paid off: at this year's State of the Union address, Chalabi sat in the VIP box with the first lady, Laura Bush. Chalabi was also one of the few Iraqis permitted to meet face to face with Saddam Hussein in his cell in the hours after his capture in late December. Chalabi has long been considered the favorite of the Defense Department officials to lead Iraq's new government.”