8.08.2012

Missing Government-Funded Equipment? Play the Name Shame Game!

From a recent story on www.cnsnews.com:

An audit conducted by the Energy Department’s Office of Inspector General was "unable to locate" $500,000 worth of equipment purchased with stimulus money by a recipient of funds distributed through the department's “Advanced Batteries and Hybrid Components Program,” according to an audit report published by the OIG.

The DOE said it would not be "appropriate" to release the name of stimulus-money recipient where the $500,000 worth of equipment could not be located.

I, as a taxpayer, strongly question just why not. It seems to me that the best tool to safeguard against such 'accidents' in the future would be shame. Maybe the company responsible would lose business, or credibility, or even its ability to continue as a going concern if it were outed. However, I would bet that they and other like companies might work a little harder to protect taxpayer-funded assets in the future as a result.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous8/8/12 13:35

    Here, here! DOE, "appropriate" does not mean what you think it means.

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  2. Thanks for the comment Anon.

    My only guess is that 'it would not be appropriate' can be roughly translated as 'it would be embarassing' in this case. Maybe Solyndra misplaced half a million in batteries in addition to the tax dollars it misplaced?

    It is unlikely that we will ever know, but I will be sure to post any updates I come across.

    JS

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