Geeks on Call Charge Lots of Money to Cover Up Something

What's left of The Wall Street Journal reports that Scott Boch, the head of the Office of Special Counsel, which is supposed to protect government whistleblowers and keep federal employees from behaving like partisan political hacks, is under investigation for allegedly improperly deleting computer files. Also, they are the least effective agency EVER.

Bloch is investigating Karl Rove's use of government agencies for partisan purposes.

The missing email appears unrelated to the Rove investigation.

Bloch brought in some serious intellectual firepower to perform the wipe.

From WSJ:

Recently, investigators learned that Mr. Bloch erased all the files on his office personal computer late last year. They are now trying to determine whether the deletions were improper or part of a cover-up, lawyers close to the case said.

Bypassing his agency's computer technicians, Mr. Bloch phoned 1-800-905-GEEKS for Geeks on Call, the mobile PC-help service. It dispatched a technician in one of its signature PT Cruiser wagons. In an interview, the 49-year-old former labor-law litigator from Lawrence, Kan., confirmed that he contacted Geeks on Call but said he was trying to eradicate a virus that had seized control of his computer.

[...]

Mr. Bloch had his computer's hard disk completely cleansed using a "seven-level" wipe: a thorough scrubbing that conforms to Defense Department data-security standards. The process makes it nearly impossible for forensics experts to restore the data later. He also directed Geeks on Call to erase laptop computers that had been used by his two top political deputies, who had recently left the agency.

Geeks on Call visited Mr. Bloch's government office in a nondescript office building on M Street in Washington twice, on Dec. 18 and Dec. 21, 2006, according to a receipt reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The total charge was $1,149, paid with an agency credit card, the receipt shows. The receipt says a seven-level wipe was performed but doesn't mention any computer virus.

(more)

The Geeks charged $1,149? Dude, I know people who will wipe your computer and your ass for half that much.

UPDATE: Cenk Uygur has a different take on these doings. He believes that WSJ and The White House are going after Bloch because he's really trying to bring down Rove. Makes sense. I probably should have come to that conclusion myself. Still, $1,149?