UFE's Featured War Profiteer Throws $10 Million Bash

UFE's Featured War Profiteer Throws $10 Million Bash

Aerosmith's Steven Tyler at the party

David H. Brooks, CEO of DHB Industries, made gossip columns for throwing his daughter a lavish party in Manhattan on November 26, with Aerosmith, 50 Cent, Kenny G and other stars performing.

Where did the $10 million come from? Mr. Brooks' pay increased 13,349% from 2001 to 2004, according to "Executive Excess 2005: Defense Contractors Get More Bucks for the Bang," published August 30 by United for a Fair Economy and the Institute for Policy Studies.

The company saw its stock price soar after it won a military contract for bulletproof vests. After Brooks sold stock worth $186 million, the Marine Corps recalled 5,277 vests because of concerns about their effectiveness. The SEC is investigating the stock sale.

It's shocking to see a guy who has no shame like this. He may be the world champion war profiteer. The shareholders are up in arms over the defective equipment, the military is up in arms, and he's out partying.
-- Sarah Anderson, Institute for Policy Studies, co-author of "Executive Excess"

Our tax dollars are hard at work lining the pockets of greedy CEOs. David H. Brooks' behavior is one of many signs that in our winner-take-all society, we've lost the spirit of shared sacrifice during wartime.
-- Scott Klinger, United for a Fair Economy, co-author of "Executive Excess 2005"

It is already disturbing that anyone can live the high-life as a result of the booming war business, but it is particularly disheartening to hear about someone having their own private Lollapalooza, in part from the sale of defective equipment that put our troops in harm's way. America must take a long, hard look at the idea of profit on the battlefield.
-- Paul Rieckhoff, Iraq war veteran, founder of Operation Truth (http://optruth.org, mediaoptruth.org">mediaoptruth.org, 212-982-9699).