MEDIUM RARE
By Jim Rarey
September 8, 2001
IS CHANDRA AT FORT LEE AFTERALL?
The day after an anonymous tip was received by the WeTip organization, and forwarded to law enforcement authorities, the FBI foreclosed any investigation when spokeswoman Mary Johlie was quoted, The FBI…determined that there is no site on or around the Fort Lee military base that corresponds with information in the anonymous tip."
Unnamed Fort Lee officials were quoted as saying, "the last construction project on the base was completed in October 2000."
Presumably the FBI decided not to investigate the tip based on someone’s representation that no construction had taken place on the base since October of last year. This, despite the D.C. Police saying they had confirmed construction and a parking lot at the base.
WeTip reacted to the FBI pronouncement by posting the following statement on their website. "WeTip’s concern is that the information will be dismissed before the appropriate investigative action is taken."
Apparently WeTip’s "concern" was well founded. As a result of a tip from a "Freeper" with the user name Nick Danger at the FreeRepublic.com website, this writer was able to compile a list of construction projects at the fort (from the Government Procurement Office records through Commerce Business Daily). Several are ongoing and most certainly would have been in progress over the crucial period of April 30th through August 2nd when the tip was received.
Clearly, the statement attributed to anonymous Fort Lee officials that the last construction on the base was completed in October 2000 is at best, irresponsibly incorrect, but more probably deliberate disinformation.
The largest of the ongoing construction at the fort is the Harrison Villa project. This is an area of housing for the military and their families. It comprises four phases with the final phase (Harrison Villa IV) planned for completion sometime in the year 2003.
Phase III of the project almost certainly is still in progress. The initial preproposal conference was scheduled for Feb. 2, 2000. Under normal procedures the contract for the job would have been awarded a couple of months later. The project duration is stated at 680 calendar days. That would put completion of that phase somewhere near the end of 2001 or early 2002.
The project includes demolition of existing housing units and construction of new units including; tot lots, basketball courts, roadways, sidewalks, parking areas, and other features normally included in residential developments.
Phase IV of the Harrison Villa project could have been started by April 30th. Documents were to be available to prospective bidders by Feb. 20, 2001. In the ensuing two months, bids may have been submitted and the contract awarded.
The Commerce Business Daily does not normally list contract awards or construction progress. This writer’s telephone call to the procurement officer for the project has not been returned.
However, the Harrison Villa project is not the only ongoing construction at the fort. In April 1999 a contract was advertised for bid that included repair and maintenance on real property in the fort. The contract was for work beginning in August of 1999 with four one-year option periods. Maximum amount each year was $5 million. Tasks to be performed would be ordered by individual task orders.
Also, each year a contract is let designated for "small businesses" for repairs and maintenance to "bituminous roads and parking lots."
With all this construction activity on the base, it is incomprehensible how the military and FBI could so cavalierly dismiss the information from WeTip unless there is a deliberate coverup in progress.
Disposal of Chandra’s body on a military installation in the unlikely event it was recovered would give the FBI jurisdiction. We now know that the Chandra Levy case is under the control of FBI coverup artist Bradley (Vince Foster was a suicide) Garrett.
It is inconceivable to this writer that such a coverup would be mounted merely to shield Democrat Representative Gary Condit. The presence of Beth Wilkinson on the Condit defense team offers more evidence that something much larger than Condit is afoot. Wilkinson successfully kept any mention of government involvement out of the trials of Manuel Noriega, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols.
The logical first step in resolving the disappearance of Chandra Levy must be holding the FBI accountable for its duplicity in the Fort Lee matter.
Who can do that is problematic. Certainly the FBI and Justice Department can not be trusted to expose their own. Congress’ apparent disinterest in getting involved may be from fear of exposure of their own peccadillos.
Perhaps investigative reporting is the only answer but that’s daunting given the location and the FBI’s jurisdiction.
Stay tuned.
Permission is granted to reproduce this article in its entirety.
The author is a free lance writer based in Romulus, Michigan. He is a former newspaper editor and investigative reporter, a retired customs administrator and accountant, and a student of history and the U.S. Constitution.
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