House Committee Leader to Investigate Agency for Preferential Treatment of Politically Connected Startup

[erronis]

https://www.propublica.org/article/investigation-ramp-gsa-smartpay-trump-peter-thiel-gerald-connolly
by Christopher Bing and Avi Asher-Schapiro

The probe comes in the wake of a ProPublica investigation that revealed the General Services Administration was eyeing a tech firm with strong ties to the Trump administration to remake a massive, $700 billion federal credit card program.

The ranking member of the House Oversight Committee is launching an investigation into whether the General Services Administration has given preferential treatment to a technology startup competing for a lucrative government contract. The startup is backed by some of President Donald Trump’s most influential Silicon Valley allies.

The committee’s action follows reporting by ProPublica last month that revealed the GSA was eyeing New York-based payments company Ramp to remake a massive, $700 billion federal credit card program known as SmartPay. Our reporting showed that senior GSA officials met with Ramp executives at least four times before publicly opening up a SmartPay contract opportunity.

Ethics experts flagged the early meetings as unusual and potentially problematic. Insiders at the GSA told ProPublica that, internally, Ramp was seen as the clear favorite for an initial $25 million pilot contract, which could act as an introduction to larger SmartPay work. The contract for the pilot program hasn’t been awarded yet.

A letter sent Friday to the GSA by Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., and reviewed by ProPublica says Democrats on the committee want information about the GSA’s dealings with “Ramp, a company with zero federal contracting experience that is backed by prominent Trump supporters, Trump family connections, and allies of Elon Musk.”

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[Phoenix61]

1. I'll save them some time, of course it's a grift.

EVERYTHING he does is a grift.

[SheltieLover]

2. 10,000%!