Via the Hirschen Left Coast Report/Newsmax
by James Hirschen
Employees at the Federal Emergency Management Agency ran up more than $247,100 in “improper” expenses using FEMA credit cards — including $4,318 for two “Happy Birthday” gift cards.
The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General examined purchases between October 2007 and June 2009 by FEMA employees who used “disaster-purchase” credit cards provided by the agency.
“Disaster purchase cards can be used only for disaster needs, using disaster funding, and are the preferred method to pay for disaster-related micro-purchases,” a report from the inspector general stated.
“With more effective internal controls, FEMA could have prevented more than $247,100 of improper purchases or detected them more quickly.”
Among the purchases deemed improper:
- Two “Happy Birthday” gift cards, each for $2,159, were bought with funds designated for Hurricane Ike disaster relief operations in Texas.
- 19 portable ceramic heaters were purchased for $1,098 with funds allocated for disaster relief efforts in Oklahoma. Homeland Security prohibits cardholders from buying personal convenience items such as heaters, according to the report.
- 360 golf umbrellas costing $9,000 were bought with Hurricane Ike disaster relief funds. Similar umbrellas were available for half the price. At least 60 of the umbrellas were never used.
- Cardholders spent more than $20,000 on software, printers, and other office supplies using funds designated for other purchases.
- More than $2,800 was spent on purchases “that appeared to have been made by individuals other than the cardholders,” the report discloses.
Not surprisingly, the inspector general recommended that FEMA “increase oversight.”
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