Party at the DOJ: Golf, Pool Parties and other Fun on the Taxpayer Dime
by PubliusFrom CBS News:
With a $13 trillion debt, why is the Department of Justice spending money on parties and rollercoaster rides rather than investigating crime, drug cartels, prosecuting terrorists?
Untold millions of your tax dollars are paying for recreation in the name of crime prevention: pool parties, rollercoaster rides, and police donut-eating contests. The idea is that fun activities keep kids out of trouble, build self-esteem and prevent crime.
CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports the problem is the money comes from the Department of Justice – which doesn’t even have enough resources to keep up on analyzing foreign intelligence.
Now, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)has found nobody is measuring just how much is spent on the recreation – or whether it even works.
Sen.Tom Coburn, R-Okla., estimates well over $100 million tax dollars over five years has been spent on recreation to fight crime. Coburn says poor tracking leads to questionable spending. At least $200,000 was spent for officials to attend conferences at golf resorts in Florida and Palm Springs, or a film festival featuring “Santa, The Fascist Years.”
Many of the grants are earmarked by Congress without the normal public review. Justice Department officials told the GAO that it makes them harder to scrutinize. So they rely on recipients to follow the rules: not all of them do.
Read the whole thing here.
Email this to a friend | Print |
Share on Facebook
| Tweet this
| 
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe via RSS
Got a Tip?
178 Comments
Great articel you should have wrote it when Cheney set out to fire the Clinton people and replace them with "Bushies". People for deregulation. So this messis Obama's to clean up. Another Bush mess!!!
Economic stimulus.
alGore also stimulated the economy.
Naturally someone comes out with the "Blame Bush" comment before anyone can even blink. At some point, you have to take responsibility for your own actions. But this Admin?? No way, they'll just keep on pretending it's not their fault.
You'd think some people would grow a brain, but then they'd be conservative or libertarian. Liberalism requires an atrophied crainium in order to take over minds.
No recreation budget ever fed a hungry child. (for some reason when i saw the picture I thought Bill Clinton)
I don't know about poolside partying preventing crimes… a few crimes flashed through my mind while examining this picture!
Wait…What???
CBS actually doing something other than polishing the Emperor's throne????
No there's got to be a catch.
Now granted, this news wouldn't surprise anybody who has actually been watching this administration, I'm just surprised it is on a MSM network.
Oops, if it's not the race card it's the Bush/Cheney card. I'll bet old Bush and Cheney are just kicked back with a big bowl of popcorn just have a great time! I know it gets better everyday!
Another party on my dime that my wife won't let me go to. Sigh……
CBS actually thinks someone will tune in to them……………………….NOT
Now we know why the doj(dept of jerks) can't enforce federal law. They are too busy spending tax payers' dollars partying.
After wasting the time to read your post I come away thinking BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.
First each every pres has gotten rid of people from the previous admin, it is called winning the election.
Second not all of our current problems are because of what Bush has done, for that matter they are not all BO or Clinton's.
From reading your post you seem to believe that the more regulation we have the better so when the govt is telling you when you can each dinner and how much you will be rationed you will be perfectly happy with the decisions.
It is time for you and each person like to you to grow up. It is time that we make the decisions that are necessary to save our country. The only way to save our country is for the people living to be free to excel.
Nicce spelllling annd grammmer.. did your mommmas teeeashes hows to writes liikke tthat?
My mistake, you Huff Po members are educated by highly skilled* union teachers.
Oh, wait, you are a highly skilled* union teacher!!! How's that summer vacation treating you?
* "highly skilled" is defined by the teachers union as a teacher with a pulse that belongs to the union.
So you're actually comparing something that is 100% LEGAL to do – An Administration replacing people.
With something that's 100% ILLEGAL???? Misuse of taxpayer monies.
Is that REALLY what you are doing???
I guess this just another form of deficit spending to help the economy recover or is this just another form of redistribution of wealth? It is time that the people in our govt understand who is paying the bill for all their benefits.
Nice party favors and eye candy…Part of Obama's massive "stimulus" package…for "working" college girls..
Looks like the BunnyRanch near Vegas…
m37
You are such a lame dick…
Are the girls pictured employees? I'm going to apply to work there; sounds and looks like one hell of a time.
Those are Eric Holder's personal bitches.
Where is the $10,000 sign that says "Your Tax Dollars at Work"??. Oh, that's it. Right behind the complimentary wet bar……….Sheeeeeeesh……
I can play this too…So the mess we're in now is Bush's fault who inherited it from Clinton who inherited from Bush who inherited it from Regan who inherited from Carter who inherited it from from Ford who inherited it from Nixon who inherited it from LBJ who inherited it from JFK who inherited from Ike who inherited it from Truman who inherited it from FDR….It's Adam's Fault!! No, wait…it's Gods fault, he made Adam…No, there's no God (per Left ideology) so it's no ones fault! Ya that's it, it's no ones fault. It never happened.
Get your head out of your troll monkey ass.
Boy howdy!
The progressive morons posting here lately here are getting even dumber by the day/hour/minute/second.
Keep up the work trying to finish your high school diploma/Harvard Law degree. Lenin was a good (and smart) lawyer also.
When it's inevitably proven the women pictured have nothing to do with the DOJ ,you'll hear: "Nobody said they did! That just proves you support wasteful government spending like the rest of your racist friends at Justice!"
Never mind working there, they can prosecute me – repeatedly!
Great articel sucka' should gots wrote it when Chiney set out t'fire da damn Clinton sucka's and replace dem wid "Bushies". Sucka's fo' deregulashun. So's dis messis Obama's t'clean down. Anoda' Bush mess! Preach it loud, bruddah!! Right on! /S
To bad Clinton wasn't investegated when he fired almost 100 people… "President Clinton fired all 93 U.S. attorneys"…
Good try tho, we are on to you morons.
Ironic. Eric Holder admits to not reading one of our States proposed Laws, (Az.) That is, one of our "United States" that is UNDER SEIGE, and desperately trying to protect itself.
Az is being invaded, and descimated by Illegal Alien Criminals, DrugCartels, Disease ridden rapists,murderers,terrorists in disguise, and other Illegals from many Countries around the world.
Obama's reaction is nothing, which reminds me of the statement "Inaction IS action" Thereby Obama is allowing, or maybe in alliance with Mexico, allowing Illegals to invade America unfettered!
Back to Holder: Az begs for assistance from our Fed Govt, who traditionally protects & defends America. The response by Attorney General Holder, with the blessing of obama-zombie, Janet Napolitano, with the usual suspects in the background, Obama, Pelosi, Reid etc. proceeds to Prosecute Arizona! because the Obama Dynasty is obsessed with CONTROLLING AMERICA! and they party? Vote in Nov. and start Impeachment and taking this Oppressive Anti-American Government apart asap!
Thats why his wife left him. Alwhore was stimulating the 'hooker's" economy.
No poolside party ever fed a hungry child!
Great minds think alike.
SPEW ALERT!!!!
This is much worse than strip clubs.
Tip of the iceberg…. Government has no concern with other peoples money. The best way to combat this is to shrink government to the bare bones. No matter what rules they put in place, there always will be waste.
Drop the partisan crap. government has little regard when spending other peoples money. It doesn't matter what president is on watch. This is impossible to completely control, so just cut the amount we give them to a minimum.
I bet First Dog, Bo wishes he could get in on some of that action. What? He got a private jet ride to his vacation destination.
Well, at least they PARTY with attractive chicks.
Betcha Reno, Kagan, an Napolitano put own day bess puhfewn fo diss potty!
Actually, there was only one he didn't fire. Michael Chertoff. Yup, ex- Homeland Security Chief. Never heard why, though.
your lyineyes are lying to you…
Bush II was an atrocious president when we most desperately needed a competent leader.
He pandered to the weak-minded and stirred up the worst sentiments in our country.
Believe my eyes when i promise that before you is a sea of loony right-wingers still frothing from the previous administration, desperate to out-do each other with meaningless insults hurled toward anyone with a brain. Check the classy comments.
Wow, commies vs the true Americans, eh? apparently this crowd has it all figured out.
ah, i miss Ronnie too, times were simpler then.
Wait and see how much the obama mess cost's the taxpayers! So far 800 million in wasted stimulus money. Hope your contributing marrob
Good factual argument. Calling us all loony right wingers then accusing us of trying to out-do each other with meaningless insults. Is this your best? Because if it is, you've made my day very boring. Why don't you give me an argument with some backing.
makes sense then to avoid all learning, reading, etc.
soon they'll have machines that tell me what to think, so i don't have to, finally!
When i grow up, i'm gonna be a MO-ron.
dur, and high school/JC is the same as HAR-vard.
you embarrass yourself with logic like that.
does anybody have troll off, there seems to be lots of trolls at breitbart, what huffington doesn't let you troll there?
Go away.
Better calm down – your Bush Derangement Syndrome is shining through.
Yes, Bush 43 made mistakes and went along when he was misled (like TARP and Prescription Meds), but he was FAR from atrocious. Can you imagine Gore after 9/11?!??!?!
Reagan even made mistakes (pulling out of Lebenon, and trusting the Dems to cut spending as part of the deal to cut taxes).
I'll even say Clinton actually made some Good decisions – when he signed the Republican Congress Tax cut – yes, so HE could take credit. At least HE has some smarts.
BoBo and the current libs – they WANT to destroy our FREE country so THEY can take control. If you can't see that, then there is no hope for you.
Al Gore won the popular vote and had the right-wing nuts running Florida not intervened, we would have Trillions less debt. No, we would not have gone to war in Iraq if Al Gore was president, he would not have had Rummie promising the world, if only he would go to war.
what a shame the insane right has decided to make Al their favorite joke.
all your offspring will wonder how you could be so deceived by illogical, reactionary arguments, when their world shows dramatic impacts of the changes Gore spoke of.
NO, NOT heat 24/7/365, but changes to normal seasonal weather patterns. simple-minded people, please try to ready something not from BREIT and RUSH (rush is radio, btw).
YEP. honesty in _______ is not the forte of this crowd.
Well if my tax dollars purchased those 4 fine ladies then I'm all for that!!!
The picture could just be what is known as a 'hook' I like it. You must be impotent, that would explain a lot.
I think it's just a picture of people partying and not intended to reflect the actions at the DOJ. Lots of blogs use scenery pictures.
Wow, I am glad to see the left is still in control of most of the MORONS.
Everyone is missing the point here. This investigation has been going on for 5 years. This isn't a problem with a single administration or political party. This is a systemic problem with the mentality of the typical federal bureaucrat. They believe they should be allowed to spend this money because it's not "real". By that I mean it's not coming out of their pocket. After some time you'll begin to forget that the money comes from their neighbor.
It gets taken for granted like we take for granted that water comes out of the tap when we turn it on. No matter who is spending the money the behavior is WRONG. The Federal Government has NO authority to provide non-government services to anyone with public funds. Period.
Ahhahahhahhaha – in EVERY recount by LIBERAL media and groups – Bush 43 WON the votes in Florida.
Ya know, it "used" to be you couldn't change the rules AFTER something happened – until Clinton made tax increases retro-active to the PREVIOUS year. But now it's open game, just look at Minn and Frankin – so many rules were changed ON THE FLY while the recounts were going on, and the Attorney Gen. ignoring it, our Founders were doing centrifuge speed spinning in their graves. And in Florida the lawyers and the State Courts CHANGING the election laws AFTER the election to change the outcome.
And to think in your first posts you claim to like Reagan. You should've stopped posting after that.
Hey, I'm your neighbor, the next time you go to Agway to buy a tree to plant, just remember, it's green side up, Moron
Oops. My mistake for thinking that you were coherent enough to understand. From your grammar it is evident that you do not even possess the basic understanding of simple American English. Your union supplied public high school education is really helping you out and you I am sure are very proud.
The clarity with which you write is evident that you do not have to grow up to be a moron.
No, actually your blame-Bush expiration date has passed. A year and a half is plenty of time for Obama to have had this country well on the way to economic recovery among other things. Time to start putting the blame where it belongs–on the most incompetent president we'll ever have. Grow up.
Read the "sea" of comments before you defend your cohorts. they're nuts.
UH, backing… before Obama took the oath of office, we had lost over 400,000 jobs for 5 straight months, and over 100k jobs for 10 straight months.
so, pretending that this recession is Obama's making, is fantasy.
We never found WMD in Iraq. most people can now admit that we were wrong in that assertion, unless of course you believe Iraq shipped all the weapons to their neighboring countries just to spite us, instead of using them. I don't think that's a credible argument.
you can't ignore the previous administration's actions, they're relevant.
(in reference the the lying eyes, it's not the BUSH/CHENEY card, it's reality)
"the left is still in control of most of the MORONS." 'Wish they really were.
An ongoing 5 year investigation!! Really, how many parties have those investigators gone to?Well enjoy the parties while they last because people are not going to pay for them too much longer….
see above–syndrome, not so much.
you've got a short list of Bush failures, seems pretty selective. and the explanation–he was misled. wow, seems like a lack of accountability. not surprising considering that when he was asked (by the LSM) he couldn't name anything of substance that he would do differently.
haha, ok, now how about some substance on your most extreme comments–BOBO and the libs want to destroy the FREE country? this is the off-the-wall stuff i was referring to above… it just doesn't have any factual basis, it's made-up loony-tunes stuff.
Even the health care reform bill uses PRIVATE insurance companies within our current framework–check the repub's suggestion under Hillary Care, and check Romney's Massachussets' plan– both require individual mandates for coverage. but the level of insane vitriol coming from the right is not indicative of a rational debate or someone who has thought for themselves. it's the reactionary scared mentality that is coming through.
keep it classy Billy. you want help planting trees, i got some amigos that need work.
hasta la proxima cabron.
this guy.
The photo is fake! Those gals are too pretty to be Liberal Democrat party goers!
Not surprising at all. They're just following Obama's example.
People will look back on this administration and find it noteworthy for two things: (1) the systematic destruction of our economy and (2) the amount of downtime our "hardworking" officials had.
your disparaging an icon of the American university system, one of the greatest universities in the world, by any measure, speaks to your lack of education.
One of the few things we export anymore is our educational system, universities in particular. learn something before you repeat another Palin stump speech. without all the ra-ra, someone (me) can actually tell you to your face that your argument makes no sense. talk about Harvard like it's a high school and you are the fool.
not to mention the not-so-subtle comparison of Lenin to Obama. wow, deep original stuff here. you sound like a parrot, n/m, you are one. Without any facts to back-up your assertions, please keep your weak talking points at home.
brilliant analysis by a brilliant raceway.
let's be honest, it's all god's fault, right? i mean, we can just blame the lord, right? cuz i'd like that–it's the simplest way.
Those aren't democrats, but the hired help, if you get my meaning.
Bush started the stimulus bill, and most economists now agree that it was too small.
YUP.
Al Gore won the popular vote
Know what? He still wasn't president 2000-2008 and he never ever will be president.
…we would have Trillions less debt. No, we would not have gone to war in Iraq if Al Gore was president
Please provide links to your bizarro world proof of this. Do you also realize Obama (even more liberal) has doubled down in Afghanistan? And take a wild stab at which party has brought this country to war more in the last hundred years?
what a shame the insane right has decided to make Al their favorite joke.
Wait, is that you Al? How are your chakras doing today?
rules changing, you mean court rulings? like, court rulings saying, stop the recount in certain Florida counties. huh…
talk about hypocrites… we love the court rulings when it works for Bush, but not when rules in favor of Franken.
and sore losers? yeah, Al Gore was bigger than the partisan nonsense, once it was final, he asked the country to come together. the right-wingers are still looking for ways to discredit Franken's election.
he's proposed some good bills in too — for example, employers can't force employees to waive their rights (i.e. can't force employees to waive right to prosecute someone who rapes them on the job). Guess how many republicans voted for that one. what a joke.
you know Reagan raised taxes multiple times? he did, it's true.
http://www.raisemyire.com/
huh, now why would anyone mention the previous president's job legacy?
see the chart above.
if you can't see the connection, you're lying to yourself. some people can do this without any problem, sorry i can't–the affects of the previous administration are clear as day and extremely relevant.
Are you trolls hitting the bottle when writing these drive-by posts or something? I know it's a depressing year to be a Democrat but lighten up, take up Zen, go with the flow.
This is getting rather pathetic. The above picture is a hook, something to set the mood of the piece, not purporting to be actual DOJ personnel on vacation (I can tell because they're actually rather cute, and it goes against leftism to hire any woman who doesn't make Hillary Clinton look good by comparison).
"your lyineyes are lying to you…
Obama was an atrocious president when we most desperately needed a competent leader.
He pandered to the weak-minded and stirred up the worst sentiments in our country.
Believe my eyes when i promise that before you is a sea of loony left-wingers still frothing from the previous administration, desperate to out-do each other with meaningless insults hurled toward anyone with a brain …"
There, fixed it for you.
Remember your remarks when you are told that you cannot have this or that treatment.
Maybe the private companies are still there, but the government is the one writing the plans, all of 'em, and if you like the insurance you currently have, you better hope nothing about it changes or you're forced into the system before it's grandfather clause expires.
That chart would be absolutely wonderful if it wasn't based on fabricated numbers. Go on fellow posters, take a peek and laugh.
It's Laurel and Hardy all over again.
"Well Bush, here's another fine mess you've gotten us into."
Ummm, it's "you're" as in "you are" not "your."
we know how smart you are when you say "you should have wrote it" instead of you should have written it. Clearly you are a half wit and should not be commenting on anything. All Obama has done is borrow untold more sums of money. Have you ever heard the term debt?
Bush was responsible for TARP. The stimulus bill was an entirely different animal that was the first thing Obama's Congress sent him to sign. And as for it being too small, well, half of that money is still unspent; they couldn;t even spend it to pay for the Unemployment benefit extension.
"Naturally someone comes out with the "Blame Bush" comment before anyone can even blink"
Do you know how hard it is to be the first comment that posts? You almost have to skip reading the article, suspend all reason, and just repeat some pre-programmed response.
Oops. That actually IS how they do it.
It's either that or get lucky. I've gotten lucky a time or two, but I'm pretty sure that in this case, your description was exactly the process that took place.
No? Really?
Great picture, I mean article.
"Another Bush mess!!! "
Really, really? Wow, listen, this admin is either in charge of it's various departments and czars or it is disasterously incompetent. Which is it? If it's in charge then this mess is YOURS as you voted this crew in. And if not, then things are just going on unsupervised – so which is it?
Take your PICK.
uh huh. did you read–wait, nevermind. no shit.
The man with the foresight to foster the invention of the internet would not have allowed us to take such a huge mis-step.
especially, Rumsfeld and Cheney, who overstated the abilities of our armed forces and were willing to put them into foreign countries as peace-keepers, would not have been in the white house.
and, Al, while not perfect, at least understands that war is the last resort, and without some real evidence of imminent danger, a more moderate approach would have been warranted. Huge mis-step–that's all BUSH.
yeah, it's me. they're great. I'm rich as hell.
"'Even the health care reform bill uses PRIVATE insurance companies within our current framework–"
First of all the President lied about this not being a tax increase. In fact it's the largest tax increase in history. Second there are 2400 pages of huge, onerous regulations and we all hear Dingy Harry tellin' us that the public option is next. You socialists have a tax and spend vehicle that you intend to ride right into the Marxist pearly gates.
Sorry Charlie – you'll need to get other suckers.
"keep it classy Billy."
You want to come over here to a conservative site and lecture us? Have you ever seen a conservative treated well on KOS or DU – why don't you preach to the choir sir??
clever, but Obama has actually reversed the unprecedented job losses and turned the economy around.
and, he's competent.
if you look here and see a sea of left-wingers, then i must be speaking with Rush.
to you sir, i spit in your face for the years of lies and deceit.
good day.
OH, and who had the purse strings in Congress since 2006 (of which BoBo was in the SENATE for idiot)?? That's right the Dem's. You people ALWAYS seem to "conveniently" forget that part.
And WMD's WERE found – but your MSMSMSMSMNSS idiots "forgot" to report it – so we can all see why you missed it.
And what is the "greatest universities in the world" you speak of??
Cause it ain't where you or BoBo went.
yeah, because the key to good health care is any treatment you want, anytime. foolish mentality.
surely all health care providers will leave the USA in the near future, nothing worthwhile here but 60 million aging baby boomers.
Maybe they're liberal males.
no, the largest tax increase in history will be when we do-away with the bush tax-cuts, finally!
You socialists – glad we could share our political ideologies in such clear terms that I'm a socialist now. you are clueless.
no, we're not Bush II. we're not tax and spend. actually, it's gotta be paid for, unlike the past administration. (for example, including the wars in the budget… huh, maybe they should be planned-for?)
However, understand the economy that was handed to this administration was the worst in 80 years. read that twice. now jump up and down so maybe it will penetrate your thick skull.
And all economists agreed that the stimulus plan was necessary, even the not-so-fiscally-adept GWB.
back to healthcare read the Heritage foundation proposal put forth in 1994. so sad the current republican mentality is so dim they can't even see that they got what they proposed 16 years ago, and what Romney had in Mass.
after you do some research, come back, lemme know. i'll be hear to help explain it to you in more detail.
ummmm is right. this is an unconventional usage of "your", figure it out. (search strunk and white).
proper nouns intentionally left un-capitalized for the grammar police, Mr. Harris, sir.
Brucie, I'm not on KOS, not on DU, frankly don't even know what DU is.
You want a cocoon free of non-conformers? TS.
your buddy Billy seemed to be making a wise remark, void of any point, just personal attack.
he will get zero respect and a similar reply as you noted.
so happens that i'd prefer to preach to the un-saved, i.e. non-obama believers.
that's a joke of course, but with dear leader and all, you guys are asking for more like that, luckily i'm exercising restraint today.
the choir is the problem. too easy to believe what your cocoon tells you and never engage an alternate mentality. it's the vitriol that gets in the way. think about the ideas, not the hatred for the person expressing them.
good job omitting a rather important part of my statement.
now, go re-read my words and see what part you've left out that dramatically changes my meaning.
think on it wolfie.
This story really makes me love being a taxpayer. Knowing that my hard earned income can create such passionate joy amongst those admirable people serving my interests. Oh boy, I cant wait till April 15th again! Lets spread some joy!
uh huh.
but Obama didn't invent the stimulus bill in only 1 month. actually, congress was working on it while bush was packing up and leaving. there was desperate need for it and it couldn't wait.
the house passed the stimulus January 28th. you think this bill was created and passed in the 7 days after Obama took office?
This was bipartisan, though your republican representative will deny, deny, deny.
how dare they stick to the plan on the stimulus spending!
your chart's no good! RDRR… u got a chart, skeptical guy?
the DEMS!!!! always out to get you, the hard working white man!! AAHHHHH!!
if you weren't so paranoid you'd understand there's a lot more complications to how things work. but overall, the bush year's tax policies added unprecedented amounts to the deficit, when he was in fact given a surplus upon entering the white house.
WMD- please let us know where. where were they found? any link, would be great.
(wait, except the link to the long-buried rocket in the sand, yeah, that is not WMD's, but a warhead-less rocket, proves nothing at all and actually shows how desperate we are to convince ourselves that we didn't waste so many resources, lives, etc for a WORTHLESS war, bolsted by irresponsible government propaganda. Scotter LIbby, you are now PARDONED.)
oh yeah, and that acronym MSMSMSMSMSNSS–i got some guesses, but what's that supposed to stand for?
I wish I had read this before you did because that was my first thought, I was more shocked that CBS had an Investigative Correspondent than the fact that this kind of crap goes on. Who'd of thunk it?
Who needs a chart? Unemployment still hovering around 10% (nearly 20% if you count those that have given up). All these so called "created jobs" were mostly temp Census jobs that poofed in the last two weeks etc etc.
Charts look fancy but they are only as good as the data used to create them. Go on keep spinning if you want, but it's not going to do you any good.
You must be logged in to post a comment.