Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Quelle Scandale!!!

Wide-Ranging Ethics Scandal Emerges at Interior Dept.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/11/washington/11royalty.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&ref=business&pagewanted=print

WASHINGTON — As Congress prepares to debate expansion of drilling in taxpayer-owned coastal waters, the Interior Department agency that collects oil and gas royalties has been caught up in a wide-ranging ethics scandal — including allegations of financial self-dealing, accepting gifts from energy companies, cocaine use and sexual misconduct.

In three reports delivered to Congress on Wednesday, the department’s inspector general, Earl E. Devaney, found wrongdoing by a dozen current and former employees of the Minerals Management Service, which collects about $10 billion in royalties annually and is one of the government’s largest sources of revenue other than taxes.

“A culture of ethical failure” besets the agency, Mr. Devaney wrote in a cover memo.

And this has been going on for much of the Bush Administration! X(

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