Grassley calls for more changes in the wake of credit card abuse

An investigation has uncovered more federal employees misusing government credit cards, and Senator Charles Grassley — a frequent critic of government excess — says changes must be made. The Ag Department Inspector General has found USDA employees used government credit cards to buy Ozzy Osborne tickets, make a downpayment on a car, and tuition to bartender school. Senator Grassley says when he blew the whistle on credit card abuse within the Defense Department, things changed pretty quickly. Grassley says about 400-thousand government credit cards were taken away from employees who should not have had them, and Bank of America — which issued the Defense Department’s plastic — started doing credit checks of all Pentagon workers who were applying for a credit card. Grassley says some of the Defense Department employees who used the government credit cards for personal use are being prosecuted, and Grassley says Ag Secretary Ann Veneman will have to handle it. Grassley says government credit cards should never be used for personal items. Grassley says using a government credit card for personal entertainment is particularly reprehensible. He cites the example of a Pentagon employee who used their credit card to pay for a lap dance. Grassley earned a reputation early in his Senate career for blowing the whistle on such excess, and he’ll get involved if the USDA doesn’t come clean. Grassley says he’s been involved in establishing better financial oversight of the Pentagon and the Education Department, and he’ll get involved with the USDA if need be. Grassley made his comments last night on Iowa Public Television.