Halliburton Under Fire At Senate Committee

The new Democratic sheriff in town has a different set of suspects he likes to round up every now and then, and Halliburton’s at the top of that list. On Monday, the company sent vice president Shirley Williams to the firing line, where she took her share of shots for Halliburton’s involvement in Iran. Not a single Republican was on hand to back her up.

Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) organized the hearing of the Interstate Commerce, Trade and Tourism Subcommittee to take a few swings at the punching bag. The principal complaint is that Halliburton violated the spirit, if not the letter, of U.S. sanctions laws by doing business with Iran through a subsidiary.

“Why on Earth would we allow that?” Dorgan wondered.

“It’s impossible to imagine that American companies would try to circumvent the law,” said Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-N.J.), accusing Iran of bringing the unimaginable to reality. “Money is the lifeblood of terrorism,” he added, glaring at Williams. (Lautenberg is introducing legislation that would include foreign subsidiaries within the scope of the sanctions.)

“You’re doing business with terrorists, for God’s sake!” Dorgan shouted.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is introducing legislation to prevent companies who do business with Iran from getting federal contracts, Halliburton’s lifeblood. “I’m just sort of amazed at how this has unfolded,” he told Williams, asking her whether she knows why the American people are so mad at Halliburton.

“From a purely sympathetic standpoint, based on the information they get, they have a right to their opinion,” Williams offered.

“The information they get are facts,” said Brown.

-Ryan Grim