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GSA inspector: Findings have not been pretty

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    California Congressman Darell Issa on scandal

  • Duration 4:10
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More -- getting kicked up as congress digs deeper to the GSA spending scandal.

Democrats now taking control the hearings today but it is the Republicans -- -- making the White House quo.

Congressman John Mica accusing the white house of covering up the GSA scandal.

Two Republican congressman Darryl myself congressman the would it cover up is pretty strong to be used in connection with the president of the United States.

Would you use that -- But certainly in the case of fast and furious I use the word cover up.

In the case of this particular scandal we discovered just two days ago.

That the White House -- eleven months ago eleven months before they said they acted quickly and decisively.

So misleading would be a word that clearly fits right now but if we don't get kind of cooperation and our discovery about.

Who all in the White House found out and took no action for eleven months.

Then it would become a cover up.

Has it really become a question a -- did the president know.

And when did he know it because again that's a very strongly worded expression to use again in connection with the president United States.

Was -- you know John Mica serves as chairman of his committee and and serves on my committee is one of my senior members.

So -- have a great respect for how he views I hearing I wasn't in today.

But it's very clear that a close confidant of the president it was and is -- out.

At the GS today he was intimately familiar with this all the way in May of last year.

He reported to the White House that there was a problem and then after it only after we pressed him to get that information.

And after the hearing he began backpedaling and implying that it was a casual conversation and might not -- been seen.

But again this is a high ranking political appointee of the president friend -- the president prior staffer when he was senator.

Who knew in plenty of time to have this dealt with -- long before we finally found out eleven months later.

So the big question for our committee is why are you saying quick and decisive why are you implying that this went on at this level in previous administrations.

Own up to failure to control.

Own up to knowing and not acting.

And then let's get together and let's fix it the ranking member and -- -- sending a letter to the president.

Asking for an appointment of a permanent GSA administrator to be put up to the senate.

And put up soon there's a lot of things we can do on a bipartisan basis but finger pointing isn't gonna get us there.

So you're looking for a complete to rehash of the whole GSA administration -- redo all of the senior management right I mean clean house.

What we certainly have a problem with the existing chief of staff.

Who told us that he knew and reported the White House and somehow now we're saying it wasn't important enough for him to be important in a way in which they would of understood.

His keeping his job there or in fact the new administrator not being a permanent -- position able to choose -- chief of staff.

Be holding not to the president but to -- getting this this.

Troubled agency fixed all of that have to be done in that pro former Perino proactive thinking have to Begin today.

I agree with it with congressman mica.

So far we haven't seen the kind of transparency we need to see.

And we have not yet seen the kind of proactive -- forward thinking reform that we're gonna need to see even though his acting seems to be a good choice.

From some sources this has become an indictment of old federal Welker is and above a stain on that work habits -- ethics is not fat.

Well I think what's.

-- to say is that you can have 95%.

Good workers really good hard working workers who don't steal.

Who don't defrauded don't -- -- in the people's money.

But the 5% of there seemed to operate with impunity seem to -- never be fired understand that the gentleman after nearly Jeff Neely who took the fifth before our committee he's still on full pay and benefits that the GSA.

And undoubtedly will be for a long period to come because the process of getting rid of bad apples is either slow or nonexistent.

So I would join with anyone in saying.

The vast majority of federal workers work hard and do a good job.

But we have to have a system to get rid of the bad actors and get rid of a lot quicker than has been -- history.

Congressman Darrell I said thanks for joining us so we should thank you --

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