F-35 boosters had CLEAR conflicts of interests while lobbying in support of the plane.

Thanks to BlackTail Defense for the link!

via POGO

This year’s Department of Defense budget request included six fewer F-35 Joint Strike Fighters than planned, setting off a firestorm of protests from the program’s boosters. Part of that pushback, organized by the Congressional F-35 Caucus, was a letter in support of the program signed by 128 retired senior military officers. The letter failed to disclose that 50 of the signatories stand to benefit if Congress authorizes more F-35 purchases because of their actual or potential personal or financial ties to the program.

Story here. 

Just plain wow.

Interesting isn't it.  Many have said this but I always shuttled it off to the side and didn't dig into it.

I should have.

This is classic conflict of interest requiring full disclosure.  If the law doesn't require it, then the "honor code" of the US military does.

This program is the living embodiment of waste (the tremendous amount of money spent and the failure to execute), fraud (shoddy bookkeeping) and abuse (stuff like the story covers).

I wish I could say I was surprised but that would be a lie.  The real question is this.  Are you?