Northrop Grumman,
The Stamford Advocate is reporting today a change of heart for Connecticut lawmakers who sent a letter to President George W. Bush objecting to Northrop Grumman's contract to build America's next generation of aerial refueling tankers.
Last month, 177 of Connecticut's 187 state legislators sent a letter to Bush asking him to overturn the contract because of its impact on home-state jet engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney, which had teamed up with losing bidder Boeing.
But now, the newspaper reports, some of those lawmakers are saying their opposition to the deal has withered away after getting a fact-based briefing in Norwalk Monday from Northrop Grumman representatives.
“There's no way I would have signed it,” said state Rep. Chris Perone, a Norwalk Democrat. “I wish I'd had this briefing back in February.”
Northrop Grumman won the contract after the Air Force determined that its bid was superior to Boeing's on 4 out of 5 major selection criteria. Boeing, which praised the competition as fair, open and transparent while it was going on, began complaining only after it lost and has now protested the contract to the Government Accountability Office, which has until June 19 to rule on Boeing's protest.
In the briefing for a half-dozen state lawmakers, Northrop Grumman officials discussed the ways in which its plane is superior to Boeing's proposed aircraft, and unraveled false claims being made about the project by Boeing and its backers. The lawmakers also now understand that the loss of the contract by Boeing won't translate into job losses at Pratt & Whitney.
After being told of the superiority of Northrop Grumman's bid, “Perone said many legislators now believe the letter is misleading,” the newspaper reports.
Another lawmaker, Democratic state Sen. Bob Duff, told The Advocate that he speedily signed the letter, without exploring its charges, during a crush of other legislative business just two days before the session ended. He was also realistic about its prospects.
“I highly doubt if a letter signed by (177) Connecticut legislators will have an effect,” Duff said.
