U.S. Postal Service

Postal Employees Charge 'Adult Entertainment,' Plane Tickets For Family To Gov't Credit Card

Ryan J. Reilly | February 14, 2011, 9:46AM

One Postal Service employee used his government travel card at adult entertainment establishments more than 50 times. Another paid for an Apple computer and his mortgage. Three others purchased airfare tickets (including tickets to Spain and Italy) for family and friends.

That's all according to a Postal Service Inspector General report issued last week on non-compliance with travel policies. The travel cards are actually placed in the employees names, so it isn't clear whether the government paid for the expenditures in question. But regulations do clearly state that "employees may not use their official government travel card for personal business," according to the report.

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Topics: Inspector General Report, Susan Collins, Tom Carper, U.S. Postal Service

Health Care

Did White House Pressure FDA To Help Kill Measure To Make Drugs Cheaper?

Justin Elliott | December 18, 2009, 3:08PM

After the Food and Drug Administration fired off a letter that helped kill a measure fiercely opposed by the drug industry, one Democratic senator is accusing the Obama White House of using the FDA -- which is supposed to offer apolitical opinions -- as a bludgeon.

The drug importation amendment to the health reform bill, which would have saved the government and consumers billions of dollars by allowing prescription purchases from Canada and elsewhere, was killed in the Senate late Tuesday with an assist from the FDA letter. The 51-48 vote fell short of the 60 votes needed.

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Topics: Barack Obama, Byron Dorgan, FDA, Frank Lautenberg, Health Care, Margaret Hamburg, Meghan Scott, Obama Administration, Prescription Drugs, Sam Brownback, Tom Carper