WAPO has an
interesting investigative piece about a San Diego event planner who received a multi-million dollar no-bid contract federal in the months after September 11. Sunnye Sims was working out of her modest San Diego apartment when she landed the enormous contract, which required her to set up meeting facilities in hotels throughout the country to interview and hire airport screening personnel.
The report offers mixed reviews of Sims' performance. But something which does not appear to be in dispute is that she paid herself $5.4 million for nine months of work. She also gave herself a six figure pension.
This is the part of the story that got my goat:
[below]
Her friends dismissed the possibility of impropriety, saying she and Sullivan [her vice president] are both devout Christians who would never take advantage of the government for personal gain.
Well isn't that special. I don't know what I'd call $5.4 million salary for nine months work if not "taking advantage of the government for personal gain."
Sunnye bought a $1.9 million house and now does volunteer work for an evangelical church.
Shoot. Just add Sunnye to the list of good christians bilking the government, like Santorum avoiding charter school bills on a technicality, and Zell Miller holding on to $150,000 in an entertainment account he never used.
Well, at least Zell gave the money back. Maybe god gave him a sign that he didn't like swindlers, even Christian ones.