$16 muffins? No, says Hilton - TOTAL cost per person, for everything, at the reception was $14.74

[Tx4obama]

WASHINGTON — The government did not pay $16 apiece for breakfast muffins at a Justice Department conference, no matter what the department's inspector general thinks.

So says Hilton Worldwide, which hosted the 2009 legal training conference in Washington. Even the IG's own report issued this week acknowledges that for the price paid, they also got some free fruit and drinks.

Hilton Worldwide, which manages and franchises hotels including the Capital Hilton where the conference took place, says the price included not only breakfast baked goods but also fresh fruit, coffee, tea, soft drinks, tax and tips. It says the report misinterpreted its invoices, which often use shorthand and don't reflect the full menu and service provided.

The IG's report allocates $4,200 for the muffins but also noted 15 gallons of complimentary coffee, 30 gallons of complimentary ice tea and 200 pieces of free fruit included in the overall price of $39,360.

The IG says that the total cost per person at the reception was $14.74 – 2 cents over the allowable Justice Department limit. Totaling up the items in the IG's report, the 534 attendees over five days were given 1,150 pastries, 1,350 pieces of candy and fruit, 1,250 cups of coffee and tea and 250 soft drinks.

SNIP

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20110922/us-16-muffins/

[NYC_SKP]

1. $14.74 per person is very reasonable for on-site catering of this sort.

So much so that the $16/muffin thing seemed pretty believable.

Hotel room service and catering is ridiculously expensive, usually.

K/R

[RB TexLa]

6. Except they can buy their own damn food

[ohheckyeah]

2. I worked in conference services at a Hilton

and $14.75 per person is absolutely spot on.

[Marie Marie]

3. Another non-issue that the MSM jumped all over

Why aren't they talking about some REAL waste- like the Pentagon and Defense

[KT2000]

4. figured that was bogus

Someone from the inspector general's office better issue a correction.

That RW rag - UK Mail - was runnning a story that said Michelle Obama spent $10 million of taxpayer dollars on herself while on their vacation.
I guess people will believe anything.

[CAG]

5. Why do you people INSIST on basing things on facts?? How is

Brian Williams supposed to get his ratings if he's not feeding the sheep the storylines they want??

[RB TexLa]

7. Why are they at a hotel? The Justice Department doesn't have conference facilities?

[isuphighyeah]

8. They used to come to the hotel I worked in a lot.

So did the Dept. of Homeland Security.

[RB TexLa]

9. That's very wasteful

[ellisonz]

10. When I was contracted to the State of Hawaii...

...we were not even allowed to use state funds to buy water for outdoor work. Then Americorps through us a 3 day training seminar at a 4-star hotel complete with buffet. I think it's time for a ban on the purchase of any item at the federal level except for water and maybe coffee and tea.