Congressman gives an inside look at GSA hearings

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Congress is digging into the GSA spending scandal trying to figure out just how widespread the problem may be.

Last week for hearings were held on Capitol Hill to investigate among other issues the more than 800000.

Dollar spent on a single Las Vegas conference.

Joining us now live as congressman Jeff Denham who chaired one of the hearings thank you for coming in today announced that thanks for comment you have some pretty bold statements about what's going on including some -- I'm prepared to systematically pull apart GSA do you think that'll be necessary.

Hopefully not but certainly they need to justify their existence what benefit -- -- -- provide back to the taxpayer and are they able to do their job better than the private industry could do for them.

So managing our properties.

They've identified 141000 properties that are unneeded or vacant properties -- they've only sold 82 over the last decade.

I mean my question has been to them and why wouldn't private industry what -- local realtors around the nation be able to do a better job and what GSA's doing today in the same thing with all of the vehicles that they.

Control and sell and buy -- for for all the different agencies the same thing exists could create.

Private online agency be able to sell those vehicles and so that equipment cheaper and more efficiently than what GSA does bringing a bigger return back the taxpayer.

And and the mission the agency is to responsibly manage -- taxpayer money but there's been a lot of backlash obviously a lot of unhappy taxpayers and and lawmakers out there.

Who have seen how this money's been spent what's your reaction to the hearings this week and what you learned -- maybe didn't learn.

You -- dissect him a pretty strong these hearings I've been angry I mean you know I just came back from my district -- we've got.

Twice the national average on unemployment so high foreclosure rates -- mean people are.

Are frustrated and you have a president -- out -- talking about tax increases at a time that they're just lavishly spending and wasting money.

I mean this is a blatant abuse of taxpayer dollars and so.

Oh were ready to implement legislation this week -- continue to have these hearings and investigations until we actually get rid of this culture I mean this is not.

A rogue person -- rogue department this is a culture within the agency that sets the standards for every other agency and so.

We -- to see how deep this goes certainly in the hearings it came out that this went all the way to the White House that they could have done something a year and a half ago when the investigation started.

-- we're gonna continue to take its -- fight back and make sure that taxpayers are getting what they should from from their government.

We understand there are at least by one account thirty plus investigations going on from the inspector general's office connected these issues you say.

Whistle blowers are now just coming forward and and the floodgates have been open -- you're hearing more and more from people make you're free to speak up and out an attack on public.

And you're getting your fall.

Yes certainly there were a number of people -- -- pressured and intimidated into not coming up making a statement that was fully.

And that IG report.

And now that.

We've actually I mean we applaud those that you know have been brave enough to come forward and save enough is enough.

That are continue to talk about these trips and send -- via email chains have gone to them and you know we applaud them for being willing and and being brave enough to come out and now we've got more and more people doing it and we have two investigations just -- the region nine all of -- lavish trips to Vegas in Palm Springs Napa.

But all of the other investigations will be all over GSA in some -- -- these are it will continue to follow the -- your agency is doing and the legislation you'll be introducing transparency as well this week.

Congressman thanks for -- thank you.

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Congressman gives an inside look at GSA hearings

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