I’d rather have an after-hours office party than taking hundreds to a resort retreat in Hawaii.
I once worked in a Gubmint office that was loaded with tension and was involved in very difficult work. Come Friday at 4;45 the “Narcotics” drawer was opened and the booze came out. Drinks were served to as many as twenty people. We never thought of it as wasting taxpayer money. We figured the taxpayer would understand if he or she was given the same job.
Not taking Heritage Fd. Advice on staffing ( going back to the Reagan years) resulted in all his many staffing failures.
Another fun place to work must be the personnel office at the FBI, where Peter Strozk has been “parked.”