Those 7 times when government employees had too much fun on your dime

By Andrew Collins and Dustin Hurst | Watchdog.org

Earlier this week, a House committee grilled IRS officials for spending stacks of taxpayer cash on lavish conferences and silly training videos.

In light of the hearing, we thought we’d take a look at a few times when government employees had too much fun using your tax dollars.

1. Beam up your 1040, Scotty

The IRS will make a few appearances in this list. Here’s the first: IRS official attempted to remake a Star Trek episode in a training video. This video, which was produced in conjunction with the next entry on this list, cost $60,000 to produce.

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2. All aboard the S.S. Screw the Taxpayer

Here, IRS personnel spoofed an episode of Gilligan’s Island.

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3. The Cupid Shuffle

Again, IRS folks having too much fun on the taxpayer dime. Groovy, eh? This slick video cost a mere $1,600 to produce.

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4. Sin City

While President Barack Obama is sometimes down on Las Vegas, it appears workers in his administration aren’t. Last year, Government Services Administration workers traveled to Sin City for a conference at the swanky Hotel M.

The trip produced some bad publicity for the agency, including this incredible photo of GSA regional administrator Jeffrey Neely living it up in a bathtub:

5. The FAA’s $5 million booze-fueled Christmas bash

In December 2009, Federal Aviation Administration employees descended upon Atlanta, Ga., for what watchdogs called little more than a posh Christmas party.

One employee reportedly asked if a female ABC News reporter was a hooker, while others said they wanted to dance on the tables at the bash.

6. The Secret Service’s secret is out

While FAA officials might only search for hooker at their junkets, we now know that Secret Service workers spent a wild night with 20 prostitutes in a hotel in Columbia.

7. King of the throne

Remember for U.S. Department of Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne? He spent $235,000 to remodel a bathroom in his office. The refinished room even featured its own mini-fridge.

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