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April 21, 2005

Not about the sex -- it's about the lying!

I mean, it's not about the artwork and silk flowers -- it's about the corruption and incompetence:

"The Transportation Security Administration has failed to stop excessive spending, raising concerns of "unethical and possibly illegal activities" by employees who spent $500,000 on artwork and silk plants for a new operations center, according to a government report released yesterday.

Working under a self-imposed deadline in 2003 and with little oversight, some TSA employees spared little expense to outfit the new Transportation Security Operations Center, ignored federal contracting rules and appeared to conceal their spending, according to the inspector general's report. When the center opened in September 2003, it included a 4,200-square-foot gym for 79 employees that cost $350,000; seven kitchens outfitted with numerous appliances, including Sub-Zero refrigerators costing $3,000 each; and large offices -- even for lower-level employees -- equipped with cable television at a cost of $63,099 for three years.

An unidentified manager at the center steered much of the contract work to an unnamed tool company, which was encouraged to provide office supplies and artwork for the facility even though the company had little experience in that business, the report said."

Yep, 9/11 changed everything. Everything but the business-as-usual part. Feeling safer now?

Posted by Jeff at April 21, 2005 07:44 AM