“So, let's get this straight. You changed the bidding rules on the first phase?”
“Yes, because the contractor we wanted failed the technical score. Eliminated.”
“And this contractor, his nickname is "The Change-Order Artist" ... he is, in fact, notorious for ripping off the state of California?”
“Oh sure, it's a whole business model. Partners with Richard Blum for years. You know, Feinstein's husband.”
“OK. So, there were experienced bidders who had actually built HSR, who had core competency and a delivery record.”
“Sure. But Ron's a big donor, you see. He also took a bath buying Miramax, so it was a way for the party to funnel some money back to him. Aside from the film tax credits, obviously. Jerry Brown pulled some strings.”
“And the change orders?”
“Not even any documentation needed. They tried an audit back in 2018, they found change orders for tens of millions of dollars without documentation. Easy money. Now they're sealing the records.”
“They're ... sealing the records?”
“People are starting to ask too many questions now, the public get antsy once you get up to half a billion dollars in a single change order, so the IG is going to shield the records. It might "harm the state" if people see them, haha.”