Republicans FIRE ALL 60 Investigators Of Waste-Fraud & Abuse

[kpete]

Republicans fire all 60 investigators of waste, fraud and abuse in appropriations.

CQ: Facing Fed Probe, House GOP Spending Chief Axes Investigative Staff
By Justin Rood - October 19, 2006, 7:11 PM
House spending chief fires investigative staff

My goodness. As TPMm readers know well, House Appropriations chairman Jerry Lewis (R-CA) is under federal investigation for possible improprieties in how he oversaw Congress' spending of $900 billion annually. Yesterday, we reported that Lewis had dropped nearly $800,000 in legal fees to defend himself against the probe.

This evening, Congressional Quarterly reports (sub. req.) that in a round of calls Monday evening, Lewis fired 60 investigators who had worked for his committee rooting out fraud, waste and abuse, effective immediately. As in, don't bother coming in on Tuesday.

The investigators were contract workers, brought on to handle the extraordinary level of fraud investigations facing the panel. Sixteen permanent investigative staff are staying on, according to CQ. More:

http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001845.php

[Erika]

1. We can't afford the GOP or their corruption anymore.

Get rid of all of them.

[Tellurian]

2. Hey, Ralphie...Bring In the Industrial Strength Shredder...

"This staff has saved billions and billions of dollars, we’ve turned up malfeasance and misfeasance,” the contractor said. “It’s results justify the expense of the staff. I have no idea why the chairman would do this.”"

And bring those 107 boxes down to the furnace room!

[riderinthestorm]

4. Shit, 107 boxes? I'll raise you by ten, if not 100 on the box #'s. nt

[Tellurian]

11. hahahaha!

I meant the LAST 107 boxes..:)

Would be kool if the fbi/cia worked together for
once and Fed-Xed the boxes to an off-road warehouse
in Nome, Alaska or an undisclosed location in the
the hood..:hi:

[AlCzervik]

3. i'm so waiting for his indictment, it's only a matter of time

[kestrel91316]

8. Bush will pardon him, unfortunately.

[Bitwit1234]

5. And where's the question

The 800,000 he spent in legal fees is said to have come out of his campaign funds. Well 3,000 (but repaid) to a Holiday fund has made the rounds over and over and over, haven't seen anything on this.

[originalpckelly]

15. I guess if you break the law...

it hurts your campaign? :shrug: :rofl:

[Old and In the Way]

6. Think maybe they were uncovering Lewis corruption?

The Republican Syndicate must be getting mighty nervous....

[originalpckelly]

20. Well yes, it does appear that way because he dropped his defense...

why else would he do that then fire the people investigating him?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

7. Is this some kind of Monday Night Massacre?

[TomInTib]

10. Yep. And it will eventually have the same consequences. nt

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

12. Tom, is Lewis up for reelection? If so, how was that looking prior to

this news?

[TomInTib]

13. Yep, I watch the bastard. He doesn't like vets.

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=H0530103&type=category&category=Veterans+Issues

Fuck him.

And I am going to start a thread on this, M M.

[originalpckelly]

14. You are completely correct...

it has accomplished the same goals, however, the Congress won't impeach itself.

[razors edge]

9. They have been overworked, so

three months off with retroactive back pay is OK, they can come back to work in february.

[The Backlash Cometh]

16. They're not even trying to be discrete anymore.

It's right in the open now. I guess that's what happens when you live under a monarchy.

[originalpckelly]

19. Well, I think this is a typical criminal mis-step...

if you are in a state of mind to make the mistake of committing a crime, you probably aren't in the state to make the right decisions in covering it up.

[Cheney Killed Bambi]

17. Saturday Night Massacre Redux

:nuke:

[originalpckelly]

18. It just came out tonight, let's see if it makes it into the news tomorrow.

If it doesn't I am going to raise holy hell! We need to call the networks on this if they don't report it because it is so obviously wrong.

[Monk06]

21. Ken Lay !!! What an amateur !!!!! n/t