Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

EPA Employees Used Gov’t Purchase Card to Spend $14,985 on Fitness Memberships
freebeacon.com ^ | 2/26/17 | Ali Meyer

Posted on 02/26/2017 7:59:24 AM PST by ColdOne

click here to read article


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-44 next last
To: polymuser
Can’t be fired, eh? Then pull the cards and garnish their wages until it’s all paid back.

This is the federal government we're talking about. Know what'll happen? The purchase cards will be pulled from every card holder who has *never* been dinged in an audit, but the clueless and/or criminal employees won't be touched.

21 posted on 02/26/2017 8:35:12 AM PST by Charles Martel (Progressives are the crab grass in the lawn of life.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Swirl
The article implies that purchases using the "government purchase cards" are paid by the agency, although it doesn't say so directly. For example:

In March of 2014, the inspector general released a report noting that of the $152,602 in transactions that they evaluated, $79,254 went to purchases that were prohibited, improper, or erroneous.

If the user would be denied reimbursement for "prohibited, improper, or erroneous" transactions, then there's not really much of an issue.

22 posted on 02/26/2017 8:35:40 AM PST by Tax-chick ("I prefer to think of myself as ... civilized." ~Jonathan Q. Higgins)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: DCmarcher-976453

“Criminals.”

THE operative word here.

GO TRUMP!


23 posted on 02/26/2017 8:37:42 AM PST by polymuser (There's a yuuuge basket of deportables.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Swirl

It’s to the individual through the organization. All purchases are supposed to be reviewed and approved by the groups accounting personnel. Anything not ok’ed, the individual then must pay out of pocket or within 90 days have it taken out of his/hers pay. Clearly for whatever reason that is not happening. There is no oversight and no consequences for failure to comply.


24 posted on 02/26/2017 8:41:15 AM PST by Reily
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: DCmarcher-976453

Ahhh, spending up to their budget. Forgot about that SOP. Must never spend less than the budget, lest it be reduced.


25 posted on 02/26/2017 8:42:14 AM PST by polymuser (There's a yuuuge basket of deportables.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: ColdOne

Fire ‘em...


26 posted on 02/26/2017 8:48:50 AM PST by GOPJ ("Acting' is the art of lying convincingly. Outside of Hollywood that's the skiill of 'con artists'.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ichabod1

I worked for a large corporation and had a credit card. I had to sit down at the computer every month and input all my purchases and what the purchases were for, then print it out and interoffice the report and all my receipts to the finance person in my division.
If I had done something like this I would have been fired in a heartbeat.


27 posted on 02/26/2017 8:55:59 AM PST by sheana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Reily

Ahhh..... champagne in bathtub, five star hotel conference, high fives from the government workforce.


28 posted on 02/26/2017 8:57:37 AM PST by blackdog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: ColdOne

Fire them


29 posted on 02/26/2017 8:59:36 AM PST by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ColdOne

Seems like a good way to get rid of libs in agencies. Their grand sense of righteousness and entitlement would lead them to thinking that they could get away with this (especially during the Obama years).

Give expense accounts a fine-tooth-comb audit, and give violators the option of resigning or being prosecuted.


30 posted on 02/26/2017 9:00:41 AM PST by PapaBear3625 (Big government is attractive to those who think that THEY will be in control of it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: PapaBear3625

And prosecute any management personnel who gave the go ahead to pay those bills.


31 posted on 02/26/2017 9:21:32 AM PST by Betty Jane
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: ColdOne

YADA YADA YADA!! Nothing ever happens in cases like this. IG’s are like the commercials on TV - “”we only monitor”” - we don’t actually do ANYTHING worthwhile except dig up stuff that will enrage anyone in their right mind!!!!


32 posted on 02/26/2017 9:33:51 AM PST by Thank You Rush
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: txrefugee

“”The US taxpayers could save billions by shutting down the EPA””

The US taxpayers could save a lot of money in salaries and benefits by abolishing Inspectors General....


33 posted on 02/26/2017 9:35:44 AM PST by Thank You Rush
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Reily

“Anything not ok’ed, the individual then must pay out of pocket or within 90 days have it taken out of his/hers pay. Clearly for whatever reason that is not happening. There is no oversight and no consequences for failure to comply.”

So it’s really a multi-level fraud system. The approving managers are in on the scam. Fire all of them! These kinds of flagrant abuses are, at this point in time, a cheap way to get rid of someone for cause. Their unions will have no mechanism to help them to stay on.


34 posted on 02/26/2017 9:44:18 AM PST by vette6387
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: ColdOne

Drain the swamp. This is as good a place as any to start.


35 posted on 02/26/2017 9:57:54 AM PST by Parley Baer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ColdOne
Environmental Protection Agency employees used their government purchase cards to spend $14,985 on fitness memberships...

Those employees need to be arrested and held for trial. That's OUR money they are stealing.

Trump's people (DOJ, etc.) need to be all over this.

36 posted on 02/26/2017 10:00:11 AM PST by upchuck (Progressives need to defeat Trump with outreach, but all they have is outrage. ~ Kyle Smith, NY Post)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ColdOne

Theft bring charges make example of stealing other peoples money.


37 posted on 02/26/2017 10:01:38 AM PST by Vaduz (women and children to be impacted the most.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tax-chick

Your point is true. That is why these people need to be charged with Theft. A criminal conviction will get them fired. It is in these same contracts and work regulations that they would have signed to preserve the funds for work purposes only. The entire problem is these people are never charged. Then the debate of whether they are crimes or misdemeanors? They are CRIMES! just more Gov’t BS.


38 posted on 02/26/2017 10:02:12 AM PST by DrDude (To the Victor go the spoils! Kick A$$ Trump.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: ColdOne

Stripping federal employees of the right to join a union is first step. SEcond is a complete rework of civil service laws to make employees more accountable.


39 posted on 02/26/2017 10:09:48 AM PST by georgiarat (The To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize - Voltaire)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ColdOne

Honestly this is a nothing burger. Tiny sum of money and we pay for their health care so fitness membership could save money. $15000 will buy you about 30 mins in an operating room.


40 posted on 02/26/2017 10:13:41 AM PST by douginthearmy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-44 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson