NASA Official Guilty of Ethics Violations

A former top NASA official has been found guilty of breaking ethics laws by steering nearly $10 million of the agency's funds to a consulting client.

A jury found Courtney Stadd of Bethesda, Md., illegally benefited a private client while on the agency's payroll and lied to ethics officials.

Stadd was NASA's chief of staff from 2001-2003. He left to start a consulting business, but came back temporarily in 2005 to help a new administrator reorganize the agency.

During that time, he steered $12 million in agency funds for earth science research to the state of Mississippi. One of his clients, Mississippi State University, ended up with $9.6 million.

He faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing, scheduled for Nov. 6.

[kerry4ever]

But didn't Mike Griffin, the former administrator, insist that there was no need for Obama officials to "look under the hood", because that would imply that he was a liar. I wonder what else is under the hood?

[antoniof123]

Are you sure you really want to know?

[ahrats]

So that where all the NASA money goes to private people and not into the program. What contribution has MISS ST. provided, figured out if enough insualtion foam hits the shuttle on lift off it could cause damage. Their football team has gotten better.

[spaceatoms]

So its okay for the government to bailout their friends and not this guy to bailout his friends, you have to draw the line somewhere and I would rather give it to a person from NASA unless he is using it for a spa vacation!

[vuenbelvue]

It would be nice if the reporter gave the information as to how much kickback the State of Mississippi gave to Mr. Stadd to be threatened with 15 years. Also, if the schools were capable of fulfilling the contracts.
I don't remember anyone being prosecuted for their roles in the financial scandals that brought this country to its knees but this man may get 15 years. Since he is going to be a scapegoat of sorts, I think we should just kill him and hang him from a pine tree. Let that serve notice to the Wall Street community that we aren't going to take it anymore. pun intended