Posted on 03/26/2007 11:13:12 AM PDT by jazusamo
Monday, March 26, 2007; 1:02 PM
Lawrence M. Small, the banker who took over the Smithsonian Institution seven years ago, was replaced Monday, according to congressional sources.
Roger Sant, head of the Smithsonian's executive committee, was expected to make an announcement this afternoon.
Small's management of the Smithsonian has been sharply criticized by members of Congress, and his compensation and spending practices have been subjected to scrutiny by the Smithsonian's inspector general. Last week, two separate committees were appointed to look into management operations at the museum complex, which includes 18 museums and research facilities as well as the National Zoo.
Small's spending has been the subject of intense public scrutiny after The Washington Post published details last month from a confidential inspector general's report examining his $2 million in housing and office expenses over the past six years.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Smithsonian Documents Detail Chief's Expenses
Former IG Says Small Asked Her To Drop Audit: Smithsonian Secretary's Expenses Questioned in Senate
- $4,000 for two chairs from the English furniture-maker George Smith,
- $13,000 for a custom-built conference table
- $31,000 for Berkeley stripe upholstery.
Small has also received $1.15 million in housing
Small has submitted receipts for
"Regents have boosted his salary 60 percent, from $333,000 in 2000 to $884,733 in 2006"
Looks like the Smithsonian and the Washington Post need some remedial math schooling.
No wonder they're against standards.
Yikes!
Washington Times = Washington Post
Lawrence M. Small should get in touch with Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and they can compare notes on interior decorators.
Where were the Pubbies while this nonsense was going on? They were the ones holding the gavels the past six years.
At least they finally got him but it took way too long.
I wish I could get a '60%' raise (actually closer to 160%!!) like that. I'd settle for a 6% or even 3% raise!
"Sant said that Small raised more money for the Smithsonian in his seven-year tenure than had been raised in the previous history of the institution."
He apparently did his job well, even kicking a half mil of his own money to his job. Considering all the wasted money in Iraq and elsewhere, this probably wasn't such a bad deal for the taxpayer.
I couldn't say one way or the other.
Oliver North's columns shed some light on on Small's business dealings with America's treasures, they're worth reading if you haven't done so.
There are other things in his past that don't reflect well on him.
Thanks for the ping. We got an email from them this morning letting us know he resigned. I came here immediately...
It was less than 7 years ago, I think...
I haven't read about that one but it's possible I guess.
Good news.
:"D
No, that was Martin O. Harwit, feel free to call him Martin O. Halfwit, I'm sure he's gotten used to it during his lifetime.
http://www.afa.org/media/enolagay/07-14.asp
[quote] Dr. Harwit had been director of the Air and Space Museum since 1987. Previously, he was a professor of astronomy at Cornell University. Early in his tenure at the museum, he talked about an exhibit that would be a "counterpoint" to presentations of heroism because "we just can't afford to make war a heroic event where people could prove their manliness and then come home to woo the fair damsel."
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