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Lawmakers want Department of Veterans Affairs to explain why it spent so much money on video parody of movie
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You just pay 52000 dollars to make a parody video but that's just a drop in the bucket cut the ice it chaired the house oversight reform committee is investigating the Department of Veterans Affairs to -- five million dollars just five million dollars.
-- two conferences in Orlando Florida last year.
We spoke with congressman I -- Yeah this is there.
-- make -- back on Greta.
I OK out another spending by our federal government this time 59 dollars to conferences including that 52000 dollars but that -- impersonation.
Video for I guess for HI represents.
How did this happen.
It happens the same way it's been happening throughout government the government doesn't respect your money there's a culture.
In government that you know they deserve to be treated like quote the other people.
And it's one of those changes it has to happen across government and has to start with leadership of the top.
Clearly general shinseki secretary insect he.
Needs to get on this at veterans but there needs to be real change -- the very -- -- how we fund these things and and what the expectation is for.
Men and women in all parts of all cabinet positions because G -- is an isolated.
The VA is an isolated this is something that keeps happening and it's gonna keep happening into the culture is changed.
-- accident the least -- conference is down for HR in Orlando and among the cost is 84000 for promotional items including -- -- in the hands sanitized is that on the restless but that's pretty pretty -- -- study.
Meanwhile there are 558000.
There's a backlog in department.
Found.
Veterans -- said the administration backlog in claims so while they're off going to this conference we've got all these facts who's got club have claims that -- -- and be looked at because of the backlog.
-- exactly right let's remember that you know our men and women in uniform are active duty military.
When they wanna -- -- further their education they go online in most cases are taking courses from Afghanistan over the Internet.
So it's not like the veterans administration couldn't do an awful lot of this without the cost of hotels.
Grab bags of goodies helicopter rides.
Free alcohol and lots of other things that have gone again and again either with the conference's.
For those lucky individuals -- -- around the country and pick out the -- in place for the -- Conference.
-- -- would expect I think this outrage upon outrage is this as you mentioned generation -- feet.
He hasn't ordered an outside independent review of the train policies and procedures and execution block -- conferences and ethics training for the conference planners.
Why in the first law and it seems common sense you know wasted taxpayers' money as some is so silly as a conference they've -- -- backlog of Obama's 600000 that claims.
But why does -- have to go outside and spend more Armani to -- something that the rest of us just know it isn't right.
Who I've known Rick for a long time and I think.
Former general should psyche doesn't have confidence in his own people -- in fact fix the culture problem.
-- just looking for.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Greta I'd like to see more outrage across government the one thing that I'll say I'm not defending anybody including generals -- -- But let's understand.
He is cannot talk to him personally his challenge is not that there aren't rules against -- it's that there's a culture of waste and this is part of what.
President Romney's going to have to change in government we're going to have to change the culture in addition to the rules.
-- part of my problem is there's a culture of not providing transparency.
Which makes it harder for us to see the waste.
When we finally see the waste there's typically a cover up.
As you know with fast and furious.
We have one of the worst possible ways right now.
ATF the acting director.
Has in fact had one of the worst offenders in fast and furious.
On administrative paid leave.
Adding to his retirement plus a six figure salary -- working at JPMorgan.
For another six figure salary and this is somebody who are reports said perjured himself before the congress.
We don't understand why JPMorgan would hire somebody who's lied to congress it'll probably be referred for good criminal prosecution.
We certainly don't understand why ATF is not only paying these people this person -- demand but they're they're also adding to his pension.
In fact is being further -- -- as part of effectively a cover up.
For his standing ranks with the administration.
-- -- -- and through a lot and since we're -- your letter is said you know that you -- -- of perjury and what his supervisors do is -- now they -- to keep them on the -- administrative -- they authorized him to take -- so -- as all -- back money.
His pension meanwhile he's going often is as high -- job someplace else we've double is suing gets twice is my passion wasn't -- much.
Plus what you say is it -- -- -- Although we don't have his dead border agent and an incomplete study it's like you know what the American -- that they what do what do they think about this.
Well this audio -- obviously they're outraged in the Terry's family is still waiting for answers in this is one empower more outraged the family of it's fallen Border Patrol agent Brian Terry.
We know that the IG report is finished we know that it said justice and we know that we can't see it.
We're hoping though that they will they will release it and we're positive that it's going to say the same thing are reported said which is this is somebody.
Who was responsible for and signed documents that he told our committee he didn't see didn't know about.
Now they only question is did he not read them and sign them and if he did.
Then in fact should he be guarding -- -- accounts that the men and women they're watching your show have a JPMorgan.
And that's effectively what we're dealing with is somebody who should have been fired from ATF.
Instead it's technically still on the payroll well in fact he's got a high paying job yet another company one that he only got because of his reputation.
Perhaps on earned an ATF but this is the problem with the culture of government it's the reason well I don't find it very strongly we need a new president.
-- -- -- but just I'm recommended the last word on the stay at the VA.
If say -- it looks like since its other people's money we the taxpayers that people don't don't care the culture and you're gonna have to come up with some rules to have real penalty would people.
Are you just been doing is wasting American testing in like secondary that's big money five million dollars to do a lot for a lot of people and that they the last word and -- -- -- -- -- Thank you -- change in the culture does mean they're happy penalties for wrong doings I'm with you a 100% credit.
Thanks so.
