Wine, Cigars, Deer Head -- Charge It to Uncle Sam

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Surgical enhancements, a mounted deer head, designer briefcases and pricey wine are among goods improperly charged to U.S. government credit cards by employees, according to a report released on Wednesday.

The General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress, said in a report that hundreds of millions of dollars could be saved each year if there were stricter controls on the use of government credit cards.

~snip~

In one case, the Defense Department's inspector general found a Navy employee used a government card to buy two cars, surgical enhancements and a motorbike. The cardholder made 59 fraudulent purchases worth more than $132,000.

In another case, a Defense Department employee used a purchase card to charge $1.7 million in fraudulent purchases from a fictitious company set up by her brother.

"Examples like this one demonstrate the need for better controls over the purchase card program and demonstrates why it is vital to give agencies the tools they need to control fraud and abuse," said U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, in a prepared opening statement at the committee hearing.

~snip~
more: http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=domesticNews&storyID=4971993§ion=news

[liarliartieonfire]

1. And John Kerry paid for his haircut with HIS OWN MONEY.

Repug freeps need to "sweep their own filthy front steps" before looking at their next door neighbors'.

Lets put our hands together for the freeps!

[maddezmom]

3. clap clap

[Sinistrous]

2. I love it.

First the government jams these government credit cards into all its employees pockets by making the cards the only way to get reimbursed for official travel expenses, then makes the employees responsible for paying off the charges (OK, after the employees have <maybe> received reimbursement direct-deposited to their checking accounts).

So now a government employee has plastic in their pockets, which the employee has to pay off every month with a personal check. Yeah, the "rules" say that the cards are not to be used for anything except "official expenses", but it is hardly surprising that a few employees succumb to the temptation to use them for personal purchases, especially when such use doesen't cost the government one cent and the employees know it. Sanctimonious tut-tutting over this activity makes me want to hurl.

Abuse of PURCHASE CARDS, on the other hand, are an entirly different matter, but the distinction between credit cards and purchase cards is one of those fine distinctions that are lost on the masses. Ah, but the report of any malfeasance by the hated "guvmint employees" is such tasty red meat for the petit-libertarians who vote republican because they are still under the delusion that Retrogs will "rein in" big government.

[JohnLocke]

4. Kick (nt).

:kick::kick::kick: