DOD IG clears Shanahan of Boeing bias
By
Nick Wakeman
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, a key figure in the JEDI cloud procurement, has been cleared of concerns he used his influence to favor his former employer Boeing.
Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has been cleared of concerns that he used his position to favor his former employer Boeing.
The Washington Post is reporting that this ruling by the Defense Department's inspector general clears the way for Shanahan to be nominated by President Trump for the defense secretary post.
Shanahan, who served as deputy defense secretary, has been in the acting role since Jan. 1 when Sec. Jim Mattis resigned.
As the Pentagon's number two official, Shanahan has been a leading voice advocating for DOD to go forward on its controversial $10 billion, single-award commercial cloud infrastructure contract known as the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure, or JEDI.
In an administration that has gotten by with numerous “acting” officials in lead roles, Shanahan has stood out because he has set a new record as the longest serving acting defense secretary at 115 days and counting as of Thursday.
If confirmed, Shanahan will have to back fill his former position and find a new Air Force secretary as Heather Wilson will step down effective May 31.
In addition to getting JEDI out of the starting gate, the next secretaries of defense and the Air Force will be tasked with establishing the new Space Force inside the Air Force.
The U.S. also is continuing to face military challenges from Russia and China.
The inspector general began investigating Shanahan’s Boeing connection after the IG received complaints that Shanahan was making disparaging comments about Boeing competitors.
Shanahan worked at Boeing for 30 years. He ran divisions in both the commercial and defense businesses over that span.