Waste, possible fraud reported at Transportation Security Administration

Waste, possible fraud reported at TSA
From Jeanne Meserve
CNN Washington Bureau
Wednesday, April 20, 2005 Posted: 4:04 AM EDT (0804 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Transportation Security Administration official spent $500,000 on art, silk plants and other decorations for a new operations center and then went to work for the vendor after leaving the agency, according to a report from the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general.

The report found that self-imposed deadline pressures, combined with "inappropriate decision-making by individuals who operated with unchecked autonomy" led to waste and abuse in the construction process.

The operations center, located just outside Washington, has a 4,200-foot fitness center with a towel laundry service for 79 federal employees. It also has seven kitchens equipped with refrigerators, microwave ovens, ice makers and dishwashers.

The report said that the center's offices and work stations were larger than federal standards allow and that most had cable television....