10:06am: Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval

Hoppy’s Commentary for Monday

One of the planners of the 2010 U.S. Government General Services Administration’s regional conference in Las Vegas said he wanted an event that would be “over the top.”

Mission accomplished.

We’ve learned over the last two weeks that the four-day Western Regions Conference by the Public Buildings Services division was marked by excess that we, the taxpayers, paid for.  

You can read the full report here by the Office of the Inspector General. 

The conference cost us $823,000.  That’s pennies when put in context of the federal budget, but it’s the waste, fraud and abuse that is infuriating.  For example:

–Conference planners spent $130,000 on two “scouting trips” to Vegas and five off-site planning meetings where government employees wined and dined themselves.

–The GSA spent nearly $150,000 on catering for the conference, including $5,500 for three semi-private in-room parties and $31,000—or $95 per person—on a closing reception.

–In one team-building exercise, attendees put together 24 bicycles at a cost $75,000.

–Thousands were spent on commemorative coins and a mind reader was paid $3,200 to provide entertainment.

–When the projected room costs went over budget, GSA shifted costs to the food and beverage side.

–Emails show that GSA official Jeff Neely organized a private party during the conference and had his wife, who does not work for GSA, invite personal friends, on the taxpayer’s dime.   Wrote Neely, “I know.  I’m bad.  But as Deb (his wife) and I often say, why not enjoy it while we have it and while we can.  Ain’t going to last forever.”

We can only hope not.  

At least four Congressional hearings are scheduled for this week to investigate the scandal.  Neely has been subpoenaed to testify, but his attorney says Neely plans to invoke his Fifth Amendment rights to avoid self-incrimination.

Neely is among eight officials, including the head of GSA, Martha Johnson, who have either been fired or resigned because of the fallout from the infamous training conference.  Certainly, more heads are going to roll.

Acting GSA administrator Dan Tangherlini posted a video on the agency’s website apologizing for expensive shenanigans.  “Those responsible violated the rules of common sense, the spirit of public service and the trust that American taxpayers have placed in all of us.”

Indeed. 

What’s even more troubling is that GSA is the agency responsible for creating and managing the rules and regulations governing travel and conferences.  The corrupt, arrogant and wasteful behavior of top GSA officials is infuriating, especially at a time when our country is sinking deeper into debt and most Americans are worried about their economic well-being. 

Of course, those responsible need to be held accountable, perhaps even criminally.  Additionally, GSA should cancel any future regional conferences.  It doesn’t take a $3,200 mind reader to know the Republic will survive. 

 





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