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• Sandia issued a similar statement, but claimed it has documentation that "demonstrates we received commensurate value" from Wilson in support of the lab's missions.
• The National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees the national labs, requested the DOE review of whether the agreement between the contractor that runs Los Alamos and Wilson was properly administered.
• In addition to problems with the contracts and documentation of services provided by Wilson, the report said an agency contract officer was "subjected to pressure'" when Los Alamos National Security, LLC, which runs Los Alamos, requested approval to enter an agreement with Wilson. The report said inspectors were unable to identify any evidence of that pressure.
• It noted that the separate investigation continues. The report was issued by the civil division. The office also conducts criminal investigations.
• The report is the latest in a string of reprimands from government oversight agencies for a lack of oversight of contracts and projects at the nation's nuclear facilities.
• Congress has created a special committee to study a potential overhaul of the NNSA, which oversees about $8 billion in federal contracts. The agency suffered another blow last month, when its acting director suddenly announced she is stepping down after less than six months in the top spot.
• Wilson is a member of the oversight panel, having been appointed by House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. A nuclear watchdog group called on Wilson to recuse herself or be barred from the committee.
• "The problems are not limited to Ms. Wilson," said Greg Mello, who heads the Los Alamos Study Group in Albuquerque. "There are pervasive problems with improper contracting at NNSA. Billions of dollars in contract extensions can be awarded by the stroke of an administrator's pen."
• Wilson gave up her seat five years ago to run for the nomination to replace her mentor, longtime New Mexico Republican Sen. Pete Domenici. She lost in a tight primary, but ran again last year against Heinrich in a race to replace retiring Sen. Jeff Bingaman, a Democrat.
• Wilson called herself a consultant and said she turned down a top spot at Sandia to make her second run for Senate.
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