The Federal Times reports that Jeff Neely, the guy who directed the gross misuse of hard-earned tax dollars at the GSA, retired this week. Retired? In the private sector, he would have been escorted out the door as soon as the fiasco came to light.
The report found Neely wasted tens of thousands of dollars in government funds on unnecessary trips, parties, activities and swag. GSA Inspector General Brian Miller said Neely fostered a culture of “putting people down” who objected to his spending decisions.
“One employee told me he ‘squashed someone like a bug,’ ” Miller told the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in April. “Spending was part of the culture of Region 9.”
In addition, Miller’s office found thousands of dollars of equipment — iPods, gift cards and other items bought by Neely’s Region 9 office for an employee awards program — went missing or was stolen. Miller said his office tracked one of the missing iPods to Neely’s daughter.
That committee’s chairman — Rep. John Mica, R-Fla. — one month ago called for Neely to be removed from the federal payroll.
