FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2009
Petaluma, Calif. – The Small Business Administration (SBA) is being sued by the American Small Business League (ASBL) in United States District Court, Northern District of California for refusing to release the telephone records of SBA Press Office Director Mike Stamler. The ASBL requested Mr. Stamler's phone records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The ASBL believes Mr. Stamler engaged in an aggressive campaign to mislead the media and damage the organization's reputation.
The ASBL has won a series of federal lawsuits against the SBA, which forced the disclosure of information showing that the SBA had fabricated federal small business contracting data and covered-up the diversion of hundreds of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 companies and other large businesses.
The ASBL expects to file an additional lawsuit against the SBA for refusing to release all of Mr. Stamler's emails for the years 2006 and 2007. The ASBL began requesting Mr. Stamler's communications after several journalists informed the organization that Mr. Stamler had libeled and slandered the ASBL and its President Lloyd Chapman, and embarked on an aggressive campaign to impugn the organization’s credibility with members of the media.
In one such example, after the Long Island Business News (LIBN) quoted ASBL President Lloyd Chapman in a story, the LIBN reporter received a profanity-riddled email from Mr. Stamler. In response, the LIBN reporter published a blog titled, "Expletives the SBA's Forte?" (http://libn.com/libizblog/2008/02/22/expletives-the-sbas-forte/)
The ASBL intends to continue gathering information on Mr. Stamler's campaign to libel and slander the organization and its President Lloyd Chapman in preparation for another lawsuit to be filed against the SBA for defamation of character.
The SBA's own Inspector General has released several investigations that found blatant fraud and abuses in SBA administered small business contracting programs. (http://www.sba.gov/IG/05-15.pdf)
In the past, the SBA responded to federal investigations and news stories, which found billions of dollars in small business contracts had gone to Fortune 500 corporations with a series of press releases claiming that the diversion of federal small business contracts to large corporations was a myth. (www.asbl.com/documents/sbamythvfact.pdf)
"There is no question that Mike Stamler and the SBA have tried to cover up the diversion of small business contracts to Fortune 500 corporations," ASBL President Lloyd Chapman said. "Based upon the information we have obtained so far, it's obvious that they have launched a massive campaign to attack our organization and impugn our credibility as we continue to expose the rampant fraud and abuse that has gone unchecked since 2002."
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Friday, March 13, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Obama Economic Policy Falters Without Small Business Stimulus
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Petaluma, Calif. - Since President Barack Obama signed the stimulus bill, the Dow has dropped to a 12-year low and unemployment has jumped to a 25-year high. The most recent U.S. Census Bureau statistics could be the key to understanding why President Obama's economic stimulus bill hasn't worked so far and may never achieve its intended goal of creating millions of new jobs.
According to the most recent data, 98 percent of all U.S. firms have less than 100 employees. These firms are responsible for 98 percent of all new jobs in America and employ 50.2 percent of the private sector workforce. American small businesses are responsible for over 97 percent of all exported goods and generate the majority of innovations that come from the United States.
Not one dollar of the $2.3 trillion in economic stimulus funds will go to the 27 million small businesses where most Americans work. One hundred percent of the stimulus bill funds not destined for states, will go to the top 1 percent of U.S. firms. The firms in that top 1 percent have not created one net new job in America since 1977.
In addition to ignoring small businesses, which are the nation's top job creators in the stimulus bill, President Obama has refused to stop rampant fraud and abuse in existing federal economic stimulus programs for small businesses. During the Bush Administration, a series of over a dozen federal investigations found hundreds of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts were diverted to Fortune 500 firms. Millions of small businesses were adversely affected and thousands of hardworking small businesses were forced to close their doors as a result of the fraud and abuse. (http://www.asbl.com/documentlibrary.html)
President Obama acknowledged the magnitude of the problems in government small business programs in February of 2008 when he released the statement, "It is time to end the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants." (http://www.barackobama.com/2008/02/26/the_american_small_business_le.php)
To date, President Obama has refused to make good on his campaign promise, by proposing policies to stop the fraud and abuse that have crippled federal economic stimulus programs for small businesses.
Things could get even worse for the economy and small business under the Obama Administration. President Obama has confirmed he will raise taxes on small business owners, and he is expected to support new loopholes in federal contracting law that will divert billions more in federal small business contracts away from the middle class and into the hands of wealthy venture capitalists that contributed heavily to his campaign.
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Petaluma, Calif. - Since President Barack Obama signed the stimulus bill, the Dow has dropped to a 12-year low and unemployment has jumped to a 25-year high. The most recent U.S. Census Bureau statistics could be the key to understanding why President Obama's economic stimulus bill hasn't worked so far and may never achieve its intended goal of creating millions of new jobs.
According to the most recent data, 98 percent of all U.S. firms have less than 100 employees. These firms are responsible for 98 percent of all new jobs in America and employ 50.2 percent of the private sector workforce. American small businesses are responsible for over 97 percent of all exported goods and generate the majority of innovations that come from the United States.
Not one dollar of the $2.3 trillion in economic stimulus funds will go to the 27 million small businesses where most Americans work. One hundred percent of the stimulus bill funds not destined for states, will go to the top 1 percent of U.S. firms. The firms in that top 1 percent have not created one net new job in America since 1977.
In addition to ignoring small businesses, which are the nation's top job creators in the stimulus bill, President Obama has refused to stop rampant fraud and abuse in existing federal economic stimulus programs for small businesses. During the Bush Administration, a series of over a dozen federal investigations found hundreds of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts were diverted to Fortune 500 firms. Millions of small businesses were adversely affected and thousands of hardworking small businesses were forced to close their doors as a result of the fraud and abuse. (http://www.asbl.com/documentlibrary.html)
President Obama acknowledged the magnitude of the problems in government small business programs in February of 2008 when he released the statement, "It is time to end the diversion of federal small business contracts to corporate giants." (http://www.barackobama.com/2008/02/26/the_american_small_business_le.php)
To date, President Obama has refused to make good on his campaign promise, by proposing policies to stop the fraud and abuse that have crippled federal economic stimulus programs for small businesses.
Things could get even worse for the economy and small business under the Obama Administration. President Obama has confirmed he will raise taxes on small business owners, and he is expected to support new loopholes in federal contracting law that will divert billions more in federal small business contracts away from the middle class and into the hands of wealthy venture capitalists that contributed heavily to his campaign.
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Monday, March 9, 2009
SBA Loses Fourth Lawsuit For Refusing to Release Contracting Data
Petaluma, Calif. – The Small Business Administration (SBA) has lost its fourth lawsuit to the American Small Business League (ASBL) in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The ruling will increase transparency and set a new legal standard. The SBA will now be forced to release the names of any and all firms that received federal small business contracts.
In September of 2008, the SBA appealed a United States District Court ruling, which directed the agency to release the specific names of all recipients of federal small business contracts during fiscal years (FY) 2005 and 2006.
The ASBL filed suit against the SBA under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) after the SBA refused to comply with the ASBL’s request. The ASBL requested the data from the SBA as a means of proving the Bush Administration diverted billions of dollars in federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 corporations, their subsidiaries and other clearly large businesses.
Although the SBA is charged with the responsibility of overseeing and administering virtually every aspect of federal small business contracting programs; during proceedings in United States District Court, Northern District of California, SBA attorneys attempted to convince United States District Judge Marilyn H. Patel that the agency maintained no such information.
Patel dismissed the SBA’s excuse, ruling in favor of the ASBL. In the court’s decision, Patel stated, “The court finds curious the SBA’s argument that it does not ‘control’ the very information it needs to carry out its duties and functions.”
(www.asbl.com/documents/26-2.pdf)
Since 2002, over a dozen federal investigations have found that hundreds of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts have been diverted to corporate giants such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, Raytheon, L-3 Communications, Northrop Grumman and British Aerospace (BAE).
Report 5-15 from the SBA Office of Inspector General stated, “One of the most important challenges facing the Small Business Administration and the entire Federal government today is that large businesses are receiving small business procurement awards and agencies are receiving credit for these awards." (http://www.sba.gov/IG/05-15.pdf)
The ASBL has drafted legislative language titled the, “Small Business Fairness and Transparency in Contracting Act,” which would end the diversion of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms, and redirect over $100 billion a year back into the middle class economy where over 97 percent of new jobs are created.
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In September of 2008, the SBA appealed a United States District Court ruling, which directed the agency to release the specific names of all recipients of federal small business contracts during fiscal years (FY) 2005 and 2006.
The ASBL filed suit against the SBA under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) after the SBA refused to comply with the ASBL’s request. The ASBL requested the data from the SBA as a means of proving the Bush Administration diverted billions of dollars in federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 corporations, their subsidiaries and other clearly large businesses.
Although the SBA is charged with the responsibility of overseeing and administering virtually every aspect of federal small business contracting programs; during proceedings in United States District Court, Northern District of California, SBA attorneys attempted to convince United States District Judge Marilyn H. Patel that the agency maintained no such information.
Patel dismissed the SBA’s excuse, ruling in favor of the ASBL. In the court’s decision, Patel stated, “The court finds curious the SBA’s argument that it does not ‘control’ the very information it needs to carry out its duties and functions.”
(www.asbl.com/documents/26-2.pdf)
Since 2002, over a dozen federal investigations have found that hundreds of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts have been diverted to corporate giants such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, General Dynamics, Raytheon, L-3 Communications, Northrop Grumman and British Aerospace (BAE).
Report 5-15 from the SBA Office of Inspector General stated, “One of the most important challenges facing the Small Business Administration and the entire Federal government today is that large businesses are receiving small business procurement awards and agencies are receiving credit for these awards." (http://www.sba.gov/IG/05-15.pdf)
The ASBL has drafted legislative language titled the, “Small Business Fairness and Transparency in Contracting Act,” which would end the diversion of billions of dollars in federal small business contracts to Fortune 500 firms, and redirect over $100 billion a year back into the middle class economy where over 97 percent of new jobs are created.
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