Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Sen. Reid trying to stop GSA investigation?

Details

  • Description

    Florida Congressman John Mica weighs in

  • Duration 5:25
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Latest News

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

-- back next scandals involving government employees dominating the headlines.

This week alone there were four congressional hearings on that high profile GSA lavish spending spree.

The agency which is often described as a government landlord is under fire for extravagant parties.

In Las Vegas at a conference there along with other questionable travel on the taxpayer's dime.

There's some rotten in Denmark.

-- not quite right here it's not just this there's going to be a lot more.

And he's not the only one who thinks there's more to this Florida Republican congressman John Mica is a senior member of the house oversight and Government Reform Committee and he's joining us now with more on this investigation welcome congressman great to have you here today.

-- good to be with -- and it is.

This is disgusting.

-- scandal for the taxpayers this -- -- -- Well -- said that over that the over the top standing in Las Vegas is just the tip of the iceberg and that.

There may be a pattern of abuse -- federal employees are spending taxpayer dollars and other ways can you elaborate on us.

Well I've been after TSA since I took the chairmanship.

Transportation and infrastructure committee and we have jurisdiction over public buildings sent.

Fact we produced a report before I became chairman entitled at the federal government must stop sitting on its assets.

With the lead.

Investigative report on GSA.

They have 141000.

Buildings -- less than 141000.

Build things that are either vacant.

Or underutilized.

Losing billions of dollars so this waste at this convention is only the tip of the iceberg.

Well are saying that you are indicting all federal workers are you.

Now absolutely not and nor am I going after Las Vegas you know Harry Reid came after me -- told me to get a life.

Oh didn't want me to do these say hearings in mr.

-- -- but it's not about it's not about Las Vegas is a great community a great tourist destination.

But I think that.

If this had happened and Disney -- there's a definite Disney World or someplace else close by my district.

It's still offensive when you may issues and abuse that federal taxpayer dollars the way we saw.

You know this -- issues that money.

You know some people are asking me lots of folks are asking why is it that the person at the center of this controversy from the 2010.

Las Vegas event Jeff -- and took the fifth this week and congressional hearings is still receiving full pay and benefits.

That that's outrageous and it's something else I'm looking into.

It's so hard to fire federal employee.

And this guy just kicked a dirt in this the face of I don't hit the White House which ship.

I believe for us up protecting him.

But in the face -- taxpayers you now we are seen as video in the hot tub and and and some of his comments were too which were just offensive in addition to be -- -- abuse and possible criminal misconduct.

Well do you believe that that effort should be made to get rid of the GSA altogether or at least -- about senior management.

I've had a meeting with that chairman -- -- heads a subcommittee under our jurisdiction and we're looking at that we're going to bring in people -- -- What we should do which would you or people listening give their property to the federal government to manage I don't think so it.

Here we have as you said in the opening the largest landlord in the world -- nation so landlord.

And they're sitting on assets that are worth an incredible amount of money wasting billions of dollars we did the first hearing -- it.

A year ago February and an empty vacant.

Building two blocks from the White House that's been vacant for -- Fifteen years and then to couple weeks before they hear that for this revelation on the scandal.

We did another hearing in the cotton annex.

Next to the mall a huge property very valuable vacant for five years now that's waste has to stop.

Now indeed and -- also suggested that because the White House was informed eleven months ago about the lavish spending at the Las Vegas conference.

That officials have tried to hide details of the spending spree are you saying the White House is directly tied to a cover up here and if so what evidence do you have to back that up.

Well will again that the whistle blowers have for former staffer from our committee.

And god bless her she she'd never let up when -- wasted this money and she found out about it in.

October she she notified immediately in November of 2010 that -- -- general -- he's saying then though that the White House today.

Thank you -- a new.

They knew and in June of 2011.

All about what was going on.

And if she hadn't come out again this staffer and -- whistle blown on them.

It would still probably be swept under the table and -- that's offensive.

All right congressman thank you so much for joining us today we appreciate I know this is investigation that you're going to be on top of and we're going to be hearing more obviously in the weeks and months to come.

Thank you.

Load More