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Romney Campaign Press Release - It's Another Party At The GSA

August 01, 2012

"Middle-class Americans are struggling to make ends meet — but bureaucrats in President Obama's government have never had it so good. While the country has piled on record levels of debt, millions of taxpayer dollars have been wasted on lavish parties and exclusive retreats. It's unacceptable, and Americans deserve better from their government." —Andrea Saul, Romney Campaign Spokesperson

On Dozens Of Occasions, President Obama's GSA "Dumped Money Into Questionable Conferences":

President Obama's GSA "Dumped Money" Into As Many As 77 Taxpayer-Funded Conferences. "Remember Jeff Neely, the government official photographed living it up in a hot tub at a Las Vegas conference? ... Mica's committee is now looking into wasteful spending at as many as 77 other General Services Administration (GSA) conferences -- all uncovered in documents obtained by Fox News.  The documents, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, show the extent to which GSA dumped money into questionable conferences, sometimes with little or no record of spending." (Doug McKelway, "Documents Show Dozens Of Questionable GSA Conferences, Millions In Bonuses," Fox News, 7/31/12)

While The GSA Was "Hosting Lavish Parties, They Were Also Doling Out" Bonuses With Taxpayer Dollars. "They also show that while the GSA was hosting lavish affairs, they were also doling out bonuses to their party guest employees. "(Doug McKelway, "Documents Show Dozens Of Questionable GSA Conferences, Millions In Bonuses," Fox News, 7/31/12)

A Lavish One-Day Conference Cost Taxpayers More Than A Quarter Of A Million Dollars, Including Over $100,000 To A Consultant And $55,000 On Drumsticks And Picture Frames. "Soon after House members probed that 'lavish' conference, it was reported that GSA held another conference in Virginia in 2010, at which $270,000 was spent in just one day. 'One-day conference, a quarter of a million dollars, $104,000 to a consultant for one day, $20,000 spent on drumsticks, another $35,000 on picture frames,' Mica said." (Pete Kasperowicz, "Mica Says There Could Be 70 GSA Conferences To Examine For Waste," The Hill, 7/31/12)

  • "The Event Was The Setting For Millions Of Dollars Worth Of Bonus Handouts. ...  The Cost To Taxpayers Was $3.6 Million..." "But while lawmakers first uncovered that conference earlier this month, documents obtained exclusively by Fox News show the event was the setting for millions of dollars worth of bonus handouts. According to the records, more than 3,700 employees received bonuses averaging about $1,000 apiece at the conference. The cost to taxpayers was $3.6 million -- minus the cost of the drumsticks, and the consultant who headed up the exercise." (Doug McKelway, "Documents Show Dozens Of Questionable GSA Conferences, Millions In Bonuses," Fox News, 7/31/12)

This Isn't The First Time President Obama's GSA Has Thrown Taxpayer-Funded Parties — They've Hosted Lavish Conferences Around The Country:

President Obama's GSA Sent Five Employees To Hawaii "For Up To A Week" To Attend A Single One-Hour Event. "The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said Wednesday that five employees associated with the recently scandal-plagued Government Services Administration went to Hawaii for up to a week in 2011 to attend an hour-long ribbon cutting on space leased by the federal government for the FBI." (Chad Pergram, "GSA Employees Travel To Hawaii Five-Days For A One-Hour Ribbon Cutting," Fox News, 4/11/12)

"Taxpayer Dollars Were Squandered" After GSA Officials Spent Nearly $1 Million For A Lavish Conference For Only 300 Attendees. "GSA Administrator Martha Johnson admitted in a letter of resignation that her agency had made a 'significant misstep' and that 'taxpayer dollars were squandered.' A GSA Inspector General's report on the 2010 GSA 'Western Regions' training conference in Las Vegas shows the government spent more than $822,000 for the 300 attendees..." (Lesa Jansen, "GSA Head Resigns Over 'Wasteful' Las Vegas Seminar," CNN, 4/2/12)

GSA's "Lavish Spending" On The Conference Included "A Clown, A Mind Reader And A $31,208 Reception." "The chief of the General Services Administration resigned, two of her top deputies were fired and four managers were placed on leave Monday amid reports of lavish spending at a conference off the Las Vegas Strip that featured a clown, a mind reader and a $31,208 reception." (Lisa Rein and Joe Davidson, "GSA Chief Resigns Amid Reports Of Excessive Spending," The Washington Post, 4/2/12)

GSA Conference Organizers "Received Bonuses Ranging From $500 To $1,500 For Their Contributions" To The GSA's Lavish Conference In Las Vegas. "Four congressional hearings on the scandal are scheduled for next week. One will be held by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), who said Tuesday that several conference organizers received bonuses ranging from $500 to $1,500 for their contributions to the event. She is seeking a list of those officials from the GSA."  (Lisa Rein, "Acting GSA Chief Calls Las Vegas Spree 'Completely Unacceptable'," The Washington Post, 4/10/12)

Mitt Romney, Romney Campaign Press Release - It's Another Party At The GSA Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/302397

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