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View Full Version : Wine, Deer Head, Cigars? Charge it to Uncle Sam!


Gilly
04-28-2004, 12:55 PM
RANT AHEAD

Yahoo News Post (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1896&ncid=1896&e=6&u=/nm/20040428/us_nm/crime_cards_dc)

By Sue Pleming

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 (news - web sites), 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.


The government-wide purchase card program began in 1989 with the aim of streamlining federal buying and cutting down on processing costs. Card use was initially restricted to procurement personnel but later expanded.


From 1994 to 2003, the GAO said the use of government purchase cards increased from $1 billion to $16 billion. In most instances bills are paid directly by the government.


GAO audits of purchase cards found ineffective management, oversight and weak internal controls at the departments of Agriculture, Army, Navy, Air Force, Interior, Justice, Transportation and Veterans Affairs.


"(This makes) agencies vulnerable to fraudulent, improper and abusive purchase card activity," said the report, released at a hearing of the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs.


NOVEL EXCUSES


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.


Excuses for buying items were often novel. Asked about a mounted deer head, auditors were told it was to educate airmen about the local deer population.


In another instance $200 of LEGO toy robots were bought to "teach Navy engineers about robotics" while the excuse for buying a $250 Louis Vuitton designer folio was simply listed as "personal preference."


The GAO found agencies did not generally try to get more favorable prices on purchase card buys with frequently used vendors -- those where an agency spends more than $1 million a year.


Using a "conservative approach," the GAO said if six agencies got discounts of just 10 percent from vendors where they spent more than $1 million a year, annual savings could be as much as $300 million.


The audit also found some cardholders were given limits that exceeded historical spending needs. For example, 60 Navy staff each had credit limits of $9.9 million.


The GAO said it supported the use of a well-managed and controlled purchase card program but stressed the need for greater controls.


"With the serious fiscal challenges facing our nation, it is important that the hundreds of millions of dollars of potential savings available through better management of the purchase card program be realized."




Just out of curiosity, how much has the education budget been cut over the past couple of years? Because, I'm willing to bet that the 300 million they estimate they can save by giving just 6 agencies a 10% discount would go a LONG ways towards education our youth, and compensating their instructors.

Seriously, come on, wake up. Slash government salaries by half, if not more, take away their charge cards, an make them live like normal people.

What the fuck, these people are buying new cars, which the government pays for, which the people in turn pay for. I for one would enjoy getting a car that's not 14 years old. Hell, I wouldn't even mind one that's only 10 years old. Think I can convince the government to pay for it? -snort- As if.

FussyPucker
04-28-2004, 02:39 PM
oh well could be worse.........I think.........well maybe not.........naughty buggers!

thedog
04-28-2004, 04:12 PM
Then of course, there's the Indoor Rain Forest scheduled to be built in Iowa ... everyone needs that.

No offense IAKG.

Gilly
04-28-2004, 04:21 PM
OooOO, Biodome!

east
04-28-2004, 10:11 PM
i need me one of these magical cards that they speak of.

cowgirltease
04-28-2004, 10:15 PM
Originally posted by east
i need me one of these magical cards that they speak of.

NO SHIT!!!!!! ME TOO!!!!!:rolleyes:

denny
04-28-2004, 10:21 PM
I want to know what surgical enhancements the one employee purchased on Uncle Sam. Sorry, I just can't help it.

Lilith
04-29-2004, 06:04 AM
tits:p

Gilly
04-29-2004, 06:54 AM
Swedish Penis Extender?

having_fun
04-29-2004, 03:30 PM
Some of those expenses are ligitimate, just finding the illigitimate ones makes all of them look suspicious. Point in fact, I purchased 14 F-150 pickup trucks on my Govt Credit card just prior to the first Gulf War. I also paid to have them repainted desert camo with the same card. In my case all 14 were shipped to Saudi a week later. None of them ever came back, never did know what happened to them there.

Gilly
04-29-2004, 04:20 PM
Yeah, I'm sure quite a few are legit, however, they aren't picking on the legit ones. They point out that one man put over a million dollars onto a card in illegitimate expenditures.

Another 'bought' products from her brother's fake company, which is nothing more than embezzlement.

It's people like that which put the spotlight on them.

Hell, I don't think people would even gripe if it were an occasional grocery visit, or putting gas in the tank. One guy bought what, 3 new vehicles, for himself, which he couldn't explain?

Why should we have to pay for that? If they are going to put out cards, make the people, and their bosses and departments, responsable for them. Make them account for their expenses, show receipts, and explain why it was a mandatory expense that the US citizens pay for.