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Rep. Chaffetz on the GSA Spending Scandal

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    Rep. Jason Chaffetz, (R-Utah), on the investigation into the GSA’s wasteful spending.

  • Duration 5:15
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House oversight committee demanding answers today about the GSA spending scandal why did the government -- itself an 820000.

Dollar Vegas vacation.

Republican congressman -- Not a part of that hearing he joins us now.

-- are you know where to start.

This IG report on this of that I mean they used taxpayer dollars to bite commemorative points fake money.

This is it's astonishing to me at first we thought it was a little scandal -- you see it this.

Her basin.

Culture of corruption.

I know it Gerri it's just absolutely stunning -- its mean more infuriated than just about anything I'd seen here.

In fact at one point during the hearing.

I asked why this person who would put together this conference which originally budgeted 250000.

Dollars came in at over 820000.

Dollars.

All sorts of waste fraud abuse you see these obnoxious pictures I asked the former administrator why did he get -- nine.

Thousand dollar bonus and her answer was he was entitled to it and I just I mean I -- that so obnoxious I can't even stand it.

Well you know -- -- word on hand is that he was trying to act as if -- were in the private sector so we adopted these practices that he thought the private sector used.

But the look I don't care -- the private sector spend its money lavishly that's not my problem but when the government is playing with my -- now I'm bank.

Absolutely got to remember the government services administration annually spends about 595.

Million dollars under the stimulus they got six billion on top of that.

Then the administrator have the nerve in the call -- that presidents.

Budget submission to acts asked for an additional eighty million dollars.

When you're not spending the government's dime left -- when you're not actually it did -- take care of it in a responsible way why should we give you.

Literally hundreds of millions of dollars more over the course of time it's just obnoxious and -- -- you everywhere you turn.

Well you know we've been hearing about the so -- The blackjack dealers jackets that everybody -- -- into the conference the commemorative coins which I mentioned.

And at the top of the show I showed a picture of Jeff -- -- in a bathtub with wines a glass of wine in front of them.

He had a private party before the event now also supposed to be in -- -- Junket for a -- top leaders of his organization.

What are we talking about unemployment at the time was through the roof.

And these people are getting a word -- kidding.

We're talking about 300 people that went to this conference they had to -- eight count of eight.

Scouting trips out to Las Vegas that one time they stay at the Ritz Carlton they said multiple times at the end -- is a very nice hotel there.

All on the taxpayer dimes trying to scout out and planned this event for 300.

They actually -- full time planner for this event.

And yet they hired an outside service to find BM hotel that outside service was paid twelve -- to do the planning for this February -- handing out coins these coins has about twenty dollars apiece.

To recognize and celebrate the stimulus that's where this went to these coins it's -- -- saw obnoxious -- well it.

I I know I think one of the things -- that that did did astonish me is that there was no competitive bidding if you're mentioning for a lot of these.

Contracts and to me that really is contrary.

To what we expect our government to do.

You know there's a difference between.

Overlapping government programs.

Programs where where maybe there's a little too much fat in the budget and then there's just throwing money away.

-- is there any point where where we say hey this is criminality.

This isn't garden variety you know I spent too much money I didn't get that this is a real problem that we have to get rid up.

Well they these people the GSA are the ones that set the per Diem rates and the travel restrictions for the US the government and it just -- seven.

How -- That is begs the question of what they're doing and what bothers me about this Obama administration is this is put this event took place in 2010.

They have known about this for a very very long time.

The IG gave them preliminary investigations and it wasn't telling came out of the media.

That they actually fired somebody but did they he had of the GSA she wasn't fired she was allowed to retire and this -- mr.

-- was a charge of this he's still on the taxpayer dime he still hasn't been fired.

How many employees it takes actually backfire forty isn't exactly as having and you and who else needs to go we need some action on this because my feeling is listen.

If it's happening at the GSA it's gotta be -- And everywhere.

This is pervasive in the Obama administration they haven't fired any of the senior people to fast and -- investigation.

You don't see people get fired over in this and so lenders scandal that's going on and -- -- got this TSA scandal whether or not they said well there's due process we got to go through this -- hoops and a but I think it's time to take some responsibilities -- firing some people hold them accountable and -- -- That look it's not their money it's the comedy it's the people's money and in this administration does not hold -- senior most people to to the high standards it -- don't we look at the market any.

Any other standard at all.

-- right I mean there is no standard clearly you get to do whatever you want to.

In this idea that you're operating a private enterprise I don't think so that was one of the things that really shocked me.

Congressman -- thanks for coming on tonight it's always a pleasure to have you on the show.

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