OP/ED: Going After GSA's Culture of Waste

Picture a lavish conference in Las Vegas, complete with luxury hotel suites, glitzy high-dollar entertainment, elegant food and private parties for VIP’s.  It sounds like a big bucks getaway for corporate fat cats, a Bacchanalia carrying the very hefty price-tag of more than $820,000.

But this was no self-indulgent Fortune 500 gala.  I’m describing an actual conference held for federal employees of the General Services Administration (GSA).  And that $820k tab was picked up by you, me and every taxpayer in America. 

The GSA is the federal agency in charge of overseeing your government’s buildings, cars and trucks, and billions of dollars in contracts.  In an ironic twist, it also determines how much reimbursement government employees can receive for food, hotel housing, mileage and other travel expenses.  It is entrusted with making sure government funds are spent wisely, affordably and with the best value for the money.

But the GSA had no trouble approving an extravagant cash outlay for its own Western Regions Conference in October 2010.  About 300 GSA employees attended what turned out to be a textbook example of self-indulgent waste of your tax dollars, all for the personal benefit of a handful of workers who are supposed to be public servants.

The GSA showed no restraint in doling out cash for the Vegas extravaganza.  It paid $146,527 for catered food, $6,325 for special commemorative coins, and even $75,000 for a team building exercise where employees constructed bicycles that were donated to charity – but which was improperly put out to bid, in direct violation of GSA rules. 

And get this: after all was said and done, Jeff Neely, the GSA regional official who played a large role in staging this show, was rewarded with a $9,000 bonus – again, paid for with your tax dollars.

As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform (OGR), I was outraged at the testimony I heard from GSA officials during a hearing earlier this month.  I was annoyed when Mr. Neely chose to invoke his Fifth Amendment rights rather than tell the American people exactly what went on.  And I was angered when my questions aimed at trying to learn when the Obama Administration first learned about this scandal, were answered in a less than forthcoming manner.  (You can watch a video of my questioning at www.Guinta.House.Gov.)

That hearing was the first of four separate Congressional inquiries into this outrageous waste of public funds.  And I assure you, we haven’t heard the last of it.  Democrats, Republicans and Independents all agree there’s no tolerance for a mindset that openly allows –and even encourages – the wholesale squandering of limited public funds, especially amid a tepid economic recovery when revenues are way down.  House OGR Committee Chairman Darrell Issa said a report on the scandal “is just the tip of the iceberg” on wasteful spending within the GSA.

Let me be very clear: this involved more than bad judgment and the wanton waste of large sums of your money.  This is a direct violation of public trust.  GSA employees, like all federal workers, serve American citizens.  They have the profound responsibility of handling federal property and funds wisely, responsibly and to produce effective results with that money.

The GSA workers involved in this scandal betrayed your trust.  They misused the funds we sent them through our taxes, and used them to shower goodies and good times on themselves.  They turned the agency’s official budget into their personal cookie jar; and afterward, instead of displaying shame, guilt or remorse for their exposed greed, but they were deeply embarrassed at having been caught.

This scandal is far from resolved.  It is my sincere hope that any federal employee who knowingly violated your trust will eventually have to step forward and face one simple question:  “Why did you do it?”

They owe you and me an answer.        

I look forward to reporting back to you in two weeks on the latest developments in Washington.  In the meantime, if I can be of service to you, or if you want to share your thoughts, suggestions or concerns with me, please call either my district office in Manchester at (603) 641-9536 or my Washington office at (202) 225-5456, or contact me through my website at www.Guinta.House.Gov.  You can also follow what I’m doing 24/7 on Facebook at www.facebook.com/repfrankguinta and on Twitter at @RepFrankGuinta.   

Until next time, please know that I am always on your side and am actively fighting for New Hampshire’s interests in Washington.