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House Transportation Committee chairman reveals plan to root out and fire GSA officials who have a penchant for a life of luxury and waste on taxpayer...
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But first.
He's now the man behind the lattice GSA conference in Las Vegas is no longer with the agency.
Good evening -- -- and bring in tonight for Greta Van Susteren.
Regional commissioner Jeff nearly organized the now infamous GSA convention that cost taxpayers cost you more than 800000.
Dollars.
-- is finally off the taxpayers' tab.
Well sort out as a former government worker -- still likely to receive an annual pension of more than 100000.
Dollars.
Seems to be no end of the waste of your tax dollars but now.
Congressman John Mica says -- an idea to stop any future Jeff Healey is from cashing at the time high -- joins us tonight sir thanks for your time.
Good to be with you -- are you happy to see that Jeff Neely is gone do you think it shouldn't happen sooner he think others should leave the GSA as a result of what happened.
Well when Jeff nearly refused.
To testify.
Before our committee in the day before.
He took the Fifth Amendment.
I thought he should be dismissed immediately without pay.
This is not you know some low level civil servant.
That has civil service protection.
This is a senior at executive service administrative.
Official.
Through through you know just has a horrible record of waste and abuse of taxpayer dollars.
And he's been paid up until this weekend now it looks like some got about retirement -- has been struck we're gonna look at the terms of -- is.
So called deal.
And why he was paid and then if this that this is allowed that we need to stop it in the future.
And we know that you're working on some legislation to that and can you tell us what it would do -- a situation and make a difference.
Well first of all again at the senior executive service -- -- high level administration official.
Comes before congress and that refuses to testify takes the fifth.
And then refuses to cooperate you know they've taken out these are again high level officials.
And -- their paid and then you know they slip out by.
Cutting a deal on their retirement.
That should be allowed to another.
-- taxpayers no pun intended already took -- -- where this guy.
And he should be held accountable also.
I think we're going to pursue making certain that he pays back every year a dollar of spending.
He needs to be held accountable and a number of ways and then why did GSA continue to pay him until this week.
I asked for immediate suspension of this pay it's like another vacation for this guy and he went on.
But seventeen -- -- at taxpayers' expense.
I ask you about a bigger problem because -- -- something that you all been working on on Capitol Hill the fact that a number of federal agencies do not have permanent inspector general's right now.
They're somewhere they're acting inspector general's but in a lot of cases the person who would be watching over these agencies.
That position is -- for some of them is being years including the State Department.
It's made it very difficult you know we took over the house and we've had to deal with all -- ours that have put in these agencies that are not accountable to congress and they're really running the show behind the scenes.
Now the little game that's being played and we just held -- Hearing on this is they're not appointing the inspector general's well I can only do so much -- -- and investigative staff.
We rely an inspector general's to do.
The real digging -- the dirt remember this is how we got Jeff -- that was on the second time a whistle blower came forward.
And and the White House swept -- -- that.
The rug get back last year in June when when they learned of his first -- miss -- stuff.
Even when you have an inspector general and place it's difficult imagine them.
Stonewalling us with the appointment of putting more of these officials in place that are are safe -- Do you think there will be bipartisan cooperation on the legislation you're proposing -- folks say this is an -- a party problem.
Is that something it affects every single American -- tax dollars.
This is -- that Republican or Democrat issue and have a nose -- during some of the Republican.
Administration we've had that people who vote abuse public trust.
But we need to put safeguards in the place -- in place to protect the public interest.
Again this is a very high level -- placed official.
We can't have this happen they've got to be gone immediately and then.
We also need to look at.
Recouping the losses when people run off with taxpayers' money they need to be held accountable and finally -- -- on retirement now the guys.
Getting yet I heard far in excess of a 100000 dollars a year probably collect millions in retirement.
And we don't know what kind of the deal GSA.
You know concocted to get the guy out this past week.
That we we've got to make -- the protection web is where that taxpayer and not these people running off with the public treasury.
That sounds like something to both sides of the aisle and support congressman Don might have some.
