Troubled federal agency paid for cooking classes, hosted holiday video contest
Kansas City, Missouri (CNN) - Amid an ongoing congressional probe into the General Services Administration, a CNN investigation has uncovered more evidence of wasteful spending at the agency, including cooking classes for employees that cost as much as $3,350 per class.
For years, the GSA paid to send employees to these cooking classes to build team spirit, part of a spending pattern that the agency now says was inappropriate.
FULL STORYSenator encourages GSA to 'clean house'
Washington (CNN) - Describing the billions of dollars in contracts and services handled by the General Services Administration as a den of temptation, senators from both parties called Wednesday for the agency at the center of a spending scandal to clean house as it roots out corruption.
"The party's over," declared Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, at the third congressional hearing in three days on the controversy that has embarrassed the Obama administration in an election year.
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Romney chimes in on Secret Service, GSA
(CNN) - Mitt Romney on Wednesday weighed in on two scandals dogging the Obama administration, saying if he were president he would "clean house" and replace certain personnel with those who put "interests of the nation ahead of personal play time."
Asked about the recent U.S. Secret Service controversy as well as the General Services Administration scandal, Romney said on Laura Ingraham's radio show that he would bring "people into leadership of these organizations that are obviously committed to living by the highest standard of integrity."
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GSA whistle-blower testifies on scandal
Washington (CNN) - A General Services Administration official who first raised questions about overspending at a 2010 Las Vegas conference said Tuesday that she supported the findings of a government investigation and the steps taken in response to the controversy.
"I share your anger and disappointment in GSA's conduct," said Susan Brita, a GSA deputy administrator, at a House Transportation Committee hearing on the scandal that has raised questions of systemic abuses of spending by the government procurement agency.
FULL STORYGSA execs testify on Las Vegas spending scandal
Washington (CNN) - A government official at the center of lavish spending at a Las Vegas conference claimed his Fifth Amendment rights against testifying before congressional hearing Monday, while his boss said she mourned her departure from public service over the controversy.
Jeff Neely, the General Services Administration official who organized the 2010 conference that cost $800,000, repeatedly refused to answer questions, saying more than five times: "I respectfully decline to answer any questions here today based on my Fifth Amendment constitutional privileges."
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GSA acting head outlines more steps to halt wasteful spending
Washington (CNN) - The Government Services Administration has suspended an employee award program cited by congressional investigators for exceeding spending limits, the acting head of the agency said Tuesday.
In a video obtained by CNN, Acting Administrator Dan Tangherlini said halting the Hats Off Store that provided employee awards was one step in an effort to prevent the kind of "indefensible" wasteful spending involving a 2010 Las Vegas conference of GSA workers from happening again.
FULL STORYNew video offers a glimpse inside federal agency's lavish Las Vegas conference
(CNN) - Congressional investigators are accusing the General Services Administration of violating its employee gift limit with rewards of iPods, digital cameras and other electronics, just as a video emerged of a lavish conference that shows employees drinking and making jokes about wasteful spending.
The video, first obtained by The Huffington Post on Friday, offered a glimpse inside the agency's $820,000 conference in Las Vegas. An administration official confirmed the authenticity of the video and provided a copy to CNN.
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