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Inspector general for General Services Administration begins probe on one-day $270,000 gala awards ceremony
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To our government gone wild guess the GSA remember the I was million dollar taxpayer fun and lavish party in October of 2010 and today -- We'll listen to this.
That's a Friday night concert.
That's another GSA awards ceremony from just one month after that lavish -- part of that cost taxpayers awesome feeling I thought this second one is it one day awards ceremony it cost only.
270000.
Dollars in Nevada held at a suburban Washington hotel there are no clowns mind readers -- bosses in the bathtub with -- matching wine glasses but the event -- -- violinist and a guitarist.
And that's not off -- 1000 dollars worth of drum sticks.
I have to hear this -- not really from that particular when these are just together and 35000 dollars worth the picture frames were given -- the guest.
Gifts and yes of course now that the GSA has gotten caught -- his pants down again.
Is now insisting that hundreds nude -- SA leadership this event and type of spending is not tolerated.
But the GSA inspector general the house -- launching another investigation Cashman Jeff -- joins us nice see you sir thank you didn't hear -- they get to that -- drum sticks.
Not paid for by taxpayers you say this is so I now use what's went on here.
It is a -- abuse of taxpayer dollars you don't originally when the biggest story came out.
GSA try to say well this is just region nine -- it's just.
The regions of them in public building area and now this is a completely different area GSA and don't forget GSA is -- agency that sets a standard.
For every other agency and so this is going is more widely across GSA -- wanna find out how deep it goes in their fathers of the bureaucracy.
And put a stop to it.
It's -- 21000 dollars and drum sticks.
I look at how many did but 4000 -- a drum sticks and what was the purpose of the drum sticks.
Well the the audience was playing along with the drummers that you saw.
That wasn't possible funny it is -- very un thinkable Bennett as if I realize that's a small amount of the entire cost many.
It is so unbelievably.
Insane to take taxpayer money do something like that.
It's a blatant abuse I mean this is the airlines so that you -- -- I say stealing you know meaning meaning you have a fiduciary responsibility of taxpayers.
Coming I think since I I think has -- just have a flagrant abuse.
Yeah and that they -- they came back to me and said well do you want us to not have conference is altogether as absolutely I don't want conferences but if you're gonna have a -- if you have.
A legitimate reason -- -- conference you'll 141000.
Vacant buildings under GSA that they give -- holding a conference and hold -- one of the national parks.
But to have he's very different types of vacations all around the nation.
As unacceptable the awards for by the way.
What did you see awards for -- we actually are doing and an investigation right now the investigator.
Investigated IG's offices coming back with a full report about everything of their findings.
And how many other of these vacations and services that have happened.
Nice speaking of the vacant buildings there's a new lease of GSA has signed one World Trade Center.
Tom in New York office space what I -- is riding in this office space.
They haven't just decided they haven't told -- -- the -- are the one thing it is very clear is they're breaking the law.
Even by GSA's standards or by the -- in three different areas.
It says that any time they spend more than two point six million dollars.
-- -- larger than that they have to go for congressional approval well I didn't feel like they were gonna get approved and so they went around congress.
Well it -- have once I read senator Schumer is his jurisdiction he was -- -- it appears he was encouraging that I assume he's kind of you're trying to get money into showing support for New York trying to show support for the World Trade Center.
But probably got -- we don't know with a tenants are right to suggesting is front -- that's just.
Have -- and in the highest -- is -- we've done stories here on the record of and you mentioned empty office space.
Problem I don't know with -- tenants are New York but it seems to me that really should look at some of these empty office space we have moved past news that first.
Yeah absolutely.
Tough course and to justify and you know we've got all these vacant buildings in effect we've got huge vacant buildings and New York right now.
-- yet they're gonna go up outside of congress go around the laws started to -- this -- And they did the same thing to do here in Washington DC with the SEC.
Went out and back dated document broke the law again -- to covered -- and we actually pulled releasing authority backs and -- GSA who said they would never do this again.
If they had policing authority has done very little -- within a year.
Who broke the law and what's special in this SEC.
All of their the SEC was very clear that they've -- documents we headed to different document that it over the weekend no competitive -- why you're permanent just start -- their backdating documents.
Finally have my -- any criminal investigations if people are are backdating documents.
And committing -- fraud.
Yeah -- if I did that I did I -- my name is referred to justice.
Absolutely in fact we did refer.
One did to the justice a couple people were let go after that is like.
I don't INS.
They had the slammer if I ever guys elect don't -- so -- problems.
It does -- -- visited there's certainly a different standard was in GSA and what's end.
Government altogether and that didn't document -- -- didn't do a minute at a lesser committed a crime.
I agree that's why we we reverted to justice.
And that they done anything except that I guess someone loses a job offensive Sunday.
It's one of the things that come up -- are hearing a week and a half from now we want to love signed -- directly from GSA we're gonna use subpoena power there's -- -- -- have to do.
Well ultimately we have asked for this information we demanded this information -- passed laws to.
Foursome to give us information and we end up just like Fed Chairman -- -- getting all this information either from whistle blowers.
-- from doing and -- zero.
Or highlighted -- on my wife -- favorite SEC story ever was the lawyers who are downloading porn on American taxpayer -- it downloads electronic computer that they action to do -- external hard drive but that's what we're paying for around and anyway.
Well -- -- I look forward to your investigation to see what you discover about this but the GSA and -- of their awards ceremony and also the -- of office space thanks to thank you.
