Today’s Oregonian includes this thoughtful editorial about what is at stake in our on-going case against KBR for Oregon National Guard Soldiers. I have to agree with the editorial board that what is at issue is more than whether and how KBR will be required to repair the damage… Continue Reading →
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D. Or.) has done his part to get to the bottom of the sad story of Oregon National Guard soldiers exposed to toxic chemicals at the KBR Qarmat Ali facility. Rep. Blumenauer previously asked the Secretary of Defense to provide information about the agreements–both for KBR and… Continue Reading →
In a ground-breaking opinion issued hours ago, Magistrate Judge Paul Papak denied KBR’s motions to dismiss in Bixby v. KBR. I’ve attached a pdf copy of the opinion here: 89 – Opinion and Order For law geeks: It’s a detailed opinion addressing subject matter jurisdiction that touches on political… Continue Reading →
Yesterday, Mike Doyle and I appeared in U.S. District Court here in Oregon to argue against dismissal of 26 Oregon National Guard soldiers’ toxic exposure claims against Kellogg Brown and Root. Judge Papak heard oral argument for close to an hour and half. As always, he was well prepared with… Continue Reading →
Just came across this passionate and detailed response by KBR to questions posed by MSNBC regarding our soldiers’ sodium dichromate exposure at the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant in Iraq. “Wow,” is about all I can muster by way of comment. I really can’t wait to try… Continue Reading →
Yes, I’m going to name names here. That’s how we do things. But before I start throwing the dirt, I want to be clear about what they’ve done. Last week, a case I’ve been working on–Bixby v. KBR–got a lot of press. This is the Oregon National… Continue Reading →
Mike Doyle and I were in court this morning fighting off more KBR motions. The KBR defendants asked Judge Papak to prohibit us from taking discovery because–according to KBR–their motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction required no discovery. They also asked Judge Papak to prohibit discovery until… Continue Reading →
Late Friday, KBR filed its next motion to dismiss in Bixby v. KBR, Inc., 3:09 cv 00632-PK (D. Or.). Now the KBR defendants argue that the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction. KBR raises the political question doctrine, sovereign immunity and the Federal Tort Claims Act, and combatant activities doctrine. I’m… Continue Reading →
This is an update on our case, Bixby v. KBR, U.S. District Court Case No. CV 09-632-PK (D. Or.). In the case, soldiers serving in the Oregon National Guard claim that KBR defendants are responsible for their exposures to hexavalent chromium, a cancer-causing toxic chemical. The soldiers claim that KBR… Continue Reading →
I haven’t seen the complaint yet, but multiple media reports indicate that the U.S. Department of Justice filed a False Claims Act case against KBR, Inc. and its subcontractors over allegedly improper bills for security in Iraq. Here is the CNN report. I’m taken… Continue Reading →