Barret investigation of Cisneros, closed in Jan., still costing taxpayers

[BurtWorm]

From Down with Tyranny:

http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2006/10/your-tax-dollars-at-work-when-your.html


Your tax dollars at work: When your Republican gov't smells blood, it will go to any (spending) lengths to try to nail a prominent Democrat

Another nugget from Al Kamen's Washington Post "In the Loop" column (once again offered without further comment):

The Bill That Keeps on Billing

The bills won't stop coming in from the 11-year-old independent counsel investigation of former housing secretary Henry G. Cisneros , who pleaded guilty in 1999 to a misdemeanor for understating the amount of money he had been giving his mistress.

The independent counsel, David M. Barrett, filed his final 474-page report in January, conceding he couldn't say for sure "whether any criminal laws were broken" by government officials when he went after Cisneros on tax charges. At that point, Barrett had billed the taxpayers $21 million.

Barrett's office closed May 3. His latest bills, according to a GAO report, totaled nearly $850,00 for the six months ending March 31. Personnel costs of $375,000 and utilities at $239,000 were the biggest items. Unclear whether there's another bill coming for April.

[Wickerman]

1. My god

the man was just trying to keep an affair from his wife. Yeah, he was wrong, but was he 21 million dollars wrong?

Seeing Henry taken down like this was one of the singular most disappointing political happening of my life. As a former San Antonian I was a huge fan of Henry and thought he might go all the way. Unbelievable they are still investigating that - I thought it wa sover years ago.

[Horse with no Name]

4. He could have gone all the way

He had the charisma to do it.
I was disappointed in him as well.

[AnneD]

2. Why isn't

charges being brought against this guy for fraud. This is outlandish. $21 mill and we didn't even get a dress.

[dsc]

3. 40k a month for utilities?

I don't make 40k a year.