Absolutely astounding, considering what this company is worth. A disgrace.
An aircraft fleet owned by Google’s founders and former CEO received improper discounts on jet fuel that saved the three billionaires up to $5.3 million dating back to depths of the Great Recession in 2009, according to a government report released Wednesday.
The findings by NASA’s inspector general surfaced during a review of a government airfield lease for seven planes and two helicopters controlled by Google’s founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and the Internet search company’s former CEO, Eric Schmidt.
The aircraft are managed through a company called H211 set up by the three men through the tremendous wealth that they have accumulated as Google Inc.’s stock price has soared from $85 in 2004 to nearly $1,100. … The H211 aircraft saved somewhere from $3.3 million to $5.3 million beginning in 2009 by buying fuel through an arm of the U.S. Department of Defense at below-market prices that allowed them to avoid state and local taxes, according to the report. The discounts didn’t result in any losses for NASA or the Department of Defense, the report said, but probably deprived the state of California and local government agencies of tax revenue. Other fuel suppliers probably missed out on an opportunity to make money had H211 not worked out the special arrangement with the government.
… “We think it’s pretty outrageous,” said John Simpson of Consumer Watchdog. “Basically, it’s just another example of preferential treatment for the Google guys.”
Thanks to Tony Munter.
It’s surprising that this story was in the MSM. For the most part the 1% media no longer serves the interests of “we the people.” It serves the interests of the corporate state (also known as the Fascist state). So the foreign press has had to step in and fill the vacuum. Aljazeera tv and the Guardian newspaper are two of the best.
why “probably” cost the state and local agencies tax revenue? Did they avoid state and local taxes? Yes. So where is the ambiguity?
How does this square with “don’t be evil?” Probably not as well as with “Money is the root of all evil.”
Well, 59 flights that might actually have gathered some climate data useful to NASA out of 229 total flights – meaning 170 flights resulted in no data gathering or benefit to NASA whatsoever – isn’t bad.
I mean. Trickle down. Always with an option to trickle or not to trickle.
It’s the law of the land. When we bother with laws.
You know?
Yet another example of how massive wealth makes its holders into massive
a$$holes.
Or, as Leona Helmsley put it,” We don’t pay taxes. Taxes are for the little people.”
Those who become that rich really do believe they are exempted from normal rules and laws. And they sure do forget the “Do no evil” thinking of their youths.