May 9, 2006--Washington Holdem

While most attention this week has been directed to the firing of CIA Director Porter Goss and his replacement by General Hayden, there is a back story that is much more of a page-turner. It involves Goss’ third-in-command, Kyle (“Dusty”) Foggo (no, I did not make up the name or moniker).

In case you haven’t been tracking this intricate story, let me attempt to summarize it from a report in the NY Times, linked below—

It begins with former Republican House member Randy (“Duke”) Cunningham who is now in jail for eight years for having accepted $2.4 million in bribes from defense contractors, including and especially one Brent Wilkes. Federal officials still investigating the case appear to have found that these defense contractors arranged poker parties and prostitutes for Cunningham, various lobbyists, and others (more about the “others” in a moment) at, are you sitting down, the Watergate! They also appear to have supplied limousines to take them back and forth from the Texas Holdem parties—more about that too in a bit.

One of the regulars was the aforementioned Mr. Foggo and for this and other reasons he just today resigned from the CIA. Foggo occasionally even hosted the poker parties at his house in northern Virginia. His relationship with Wilkes goes back more than 30 years; the two were roommates in college, best men at each others' weddings, and even named their sons after each--Little Dusty and Brent Junior.

Now, before you scream “too much information,” let me tell you about the limousines. The company that supplied them is Shirlington Limo and Transportation, and it is operated by Christopher Baker, a person with quite a long Rap Sheet. That in itself would not be much of a surprise or concern, considering who else they might have been ferrying to the poker games. What is of concern, however, is the fact that Shirlington has a $25.2 million contract with the Department of Homeland Security to drive some of their officials around Washington.

And what are we the public getting for our $25.2 million? Shirlington supplies 12 minibuses five days a week to Homeland Security plus 10 drivers to operate department-owned sedans.

Let me do a little arithmetic: On the high side, let’s say each minibus costs $100,000. That’s $1.2 million. Each bus driver gets $100,000 in salary and benefits (I assume they all have Green Cards). That’s another $1.2 million. For the sedan drivers, again let’s generously assume $100,000 each, totaling a million. In direct costs then, we’re up to $3.4 million.

Shirlington gets $25.2 in taxpayer money and for the services it provides has direct costs of just $3.4. Though in fairness I should add that gas is now more than $3.00 per gallon. But still, not all that bad for Shirlington since I assume someone else provided the hookers and that there is another government contract for that.