Scandal: Postal Exec Caught Using USPS Budget to Unseat GOP Senator [Tim Hutchinson]

Townhall.com ^ | Nov 3, 2002 | Sean Rushton/Mark Carpenter

[The Raven]

Washington, D.C.) -- The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today reacted with outrage to reports that a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) executive has been forced to resign amidst allegations that she attempted to manipulate postal service resources to punish a candidate for the U.S. Senate who had been critical of the mismanaged government mail system.

"There has long been much to criticize at the USPS, from financial losses and taxpayer subsidies to regular price increases amidst poor service and low productivity," CCAGW Vice President Leslie Paige said. "But this is a new level of corruption and mismanagement. Taxpayers and their representatives in Congress should be up in arms."

USPS Senior Vice President Deborah Willhite resigned abruptly Friday amid allegations she used the federal mail budget to hurt the re-election chances of Arkansas Republican Sen. Tim Hutchinson. According to U.S. News and World Report, Willhite, the postal service's top lobbyist, pushed to have the budget of Arkansas post offices cut--and Hutchinson blamed. The dollars were to be transferred to Georgia's post offices, allowing supporters there to credit Democratic Sen. Max Cleland. The outcome of the Arkansas and Georgia races could tip the balance of power in the Senate.

"Since this spring, CCAGW has been calling for a complete and public audit of USPS books to root out the millions of dollars of waste, fraud, and abuse we know exists," Paige continued. "We have reiterated that call today with letters to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of both the House Committee on Government Reform and Senate Governmental Affairs. This latest scandal confirms that not only do postal officials lose, misspend and abuse the postal budget with impunity, they may also be using their scarce resources to manipulate elections, which is clearly prohibited by the 1970 Postal Reorganization Act. It's time for independent third party to get to the bottom of where all our money is going."

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, the nation's largest (one million members and supporters) nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.

[The Raven]

I wonder if Clinton still has resentments agaist the original House impeachment team.

[kcvl]

YES! Hillary has even MORE resentment. That's why she has Gene Lyons and her goons trashing Hutchinson over his divorce. It doesn't matter that she is married to a rapist!

[The Raven]

Bush was in PA yesterday - George Gekas territory - I wonder what's going on there? redrawn districts?

[Oak]

Is anyone really surprised?

I mean, they probably only catch one out of 20 of these Democrats. The federal Gov't is full of Bureauracy lovin'
fools.

[kcvl]

October 30, 2002

Postal layoffs said not political ploy

By Audrey Hudson
THE WASHINGTON TIMES


The Postal Service yesterday said the move to cut 500 jobs in Arkansas is not a politically motivated decision to hurt Republican Sen. Tim Hutchinson's re-election campaign.

A Postal Service spokesman said reports that their former top lobbyist ordered the move to embarrass Mr. Hutchinson and help his Democratic rival are false.

"There is not a shred of truth to it," Gerald McKiernan said.

Mr. Hutchinson is tied in the polls with Democratic opponent Mark Pryor in the Arkansas race. The race is especially important given that the winner may tip the balance of power in the closely divided U.S. Senate. Republicans say Deborah Willhite, a known Democratic operative, tried to cut 500 jobs — leaving the incumbent, Mr. Hutchinson, to be blamed for having lost jobs for the state.

Republicans say federal agencies never make major decisions with political implications this close to an election, and question the timing of the lobbyist's resignation last week.

Mr. McKiernan said Miss Willhite, senior vice president of government relations and public policy at the Postal Service, offered her resignation Oct. 21, but that it was not made public until Oct. 25. That is one day after Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, Mississippi Republican, called Postmaster General John E. Potter asking if the job cuts in Arkansas were politically motivated.

Mr. Lott asked for a cost-benefit analysis of how moving resources out of Arkansas would help the agency, said Lott spokesman Ron Bonjean.

Mr. Lott also told Mr. Potter that "anyone who may be involved in playing politics in the Postal Service should not be in the Postal Service," Mr. Bonjean said.

A native of Arkansas, Miss Willhite was the Postal Service's top congressional lobbyist, along with being a contributor to the Democratic Party and a former official at the Democratic National Committee. She was also director of events at President Clinton's swearing-in ceremony in 1993.

During this election cycle, she donated $1,000 to Mr. Hutchinson's opponent and $250 to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York Democrat, and $500 to Mrs. Clinton's political action committee. In the 2000 cycle, Miss Willhite contributed $1,250 to the Democratic National Committee and $750 to Mrs. Clinton.

Her phone number is unlisted and she could not be reached for comment. However, she told U.S. News & World Report "it's all a plot" to discredit her and that she planned to resign anyway. "It spins a good story."

Mr. Hutchinson's campaign also said the shutdown of the Christmas postal operations in Blytheville is politically motivated.

"When you connect the dots in this picture, it becomes hauntingly clear that it smacks of politics," said Anthony Hulen, spokesman for Mr. Hutchinson.

"All of a sudden she planned to resign — that just paints a picture that is political. The bottom line is we received word from all directions that she has been put under review, that this has not been resolved, and Senator Hutchinson is still fighting to keep these jobs in Blytheville, Arkansas," Mr. Hulen said.

Mr. McKiernan said the Postal Service decided in August of last year to partner with FedEx, and that the work will instead be done out of the company's Memphis, Tenn., hub.

The Postal Service did not notify the state's congressional delegation until last month.

"The Memphis FedEx hub is only 80 miles away from the Arkansas facility, and we just didn't feel it was necessary any longer and decided not to activate this facility this year," Mr. McKiernan said.

Republicans say the closure will hurt the community of Mississippi County, which has an unemployment rate of 15.3 percent. The national average is 5.9 percent.

[kcvl]

Deborah Willhite, who is a former bigwig in the Democratic Party, is the Service's senior V.P. in charge of government relations---and she is now the key person to whom everyone (from senators to average citizens) must turn in order to be heard about what stamp designs finally get issued. Question: where is the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee to figure in this interesting (and horrid) new development?

You want a stamp issued for the 10th anniversary of your favorite tanning salon? See Deborah Willhite. And most especially: see her if you're a Democrat and you shall be heard.

[The Raven]

Good catch !! So the jobs have been lost already? And the Dems did it!! Wow!

[kayak]

There simply is no depth to which they will not stoop, is there?

[kcvl]

PostalMag.com
11/01/2002 | 3:40 PM CST

Coincidence or Conspiracy? It's hard to believe that Deborah Willhite, who recently resigned from her executive position with the USPS, had the audacity or the authority to transfer two postal hubs from Arkansas to Georgia to influence political contests in both states. However, PMG Potter has spent part of this last week trying to convince senior Republican Senators that Willhite's resignation was a coincidence that had nothing to do with trading postal facilities for votes

[timestax]

bump

[kcvl]

Postal Waste
Stamp Prices Up Amid Postal Budget Bloat



W A S H I N G T O N, April 4 — Government auditors have just placed the U.S. Postal Service on its "high-risk" list, meaning that among government departments, they are most susceptible to waste, fraud and abuse.

http://216.239.37.100/search?q=cache:Ut6qUKvv2ZgC:abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/GoodMorningAmerica/GMA010404Postal_waste.html+Deborah+Willhite&hl=en&ie=UTF-8


Over the past four years, government auditors have discovered that more than $1.4 billion have been wasted because of mismanagement, abuse and fraud. While the service was raising rates for first-class mail, they discovered, some managers were treating themselves to a variety of perks and bloated benefits.

The USPS Office of Inspector General found that some managers had misused chauffeur-driven cars, hundreds of times, for their personal use.

The Postal Service has not revealed the names of the managers misusing chauffeur-driven cars. Some of them have gone to other positions, but to Willhite's knowledge, none had been fired.

Monuments to Waste
Postal service managers have also received unusually large relocation packages in some cases.

When Richard Porras, the former chief financial officer of the Postal Service, moved from Fairfax, Va., to Vienna, Va. — a distance of 15 miles — he was given $142,000. On top of that he received $25,000 for miscellaneous expenses.

[kcvl]

"John Glenn's return voyage did more than advance our knowledge, it lifted our spirits," said Deborah Willhite, Senior Vice President, Government Relations and Public Policy, who unveiled the stamp. "It also reawakened our interest in space, inspired millions young and old, and cemented John Glenn's place as one of the world's greatest astronauts," she said.

----------------------------------------------------------------

At a special ceremony in Liverpool today, U.S. Postal Service Senior Vice President of Government Relations Deborah Willhite and the Lord Mayor of Liverpool unveiled the new Beatles commemorative U.S. postage stamp. The ceremony was part of a day-long event to celebrate the rerelease of the animated film Yellow Submarine.

----------------------------------------------------------------

USPS Senior Vice President Deborah Willhite, asked by reporters why postal workers had not been tested when the politicians and aides on Capitol Hill were, said her agency had followed the advice of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC, declared Willhite, said that testing would not be necessary "until there was an evidence chain that indicated there was anthrax present in the facility."

That evidence was provided by the deaths of two workers.

--------------------------------------------------------------

USPS Warns It May Cut Back Delivery To Save Money

Universal delivery of mail or six-day delivery may become a thing of the past if the U.S. Postal Service doesn't get more flexibility to adjust prices, a postal official warned.

"This would certainly be one of our last choices," said Deborah Willhite, the agency's senior vice president for public affairs. "But there is a reality that has to be faced - with the continuing growth of delivery points and the inability to respond quickly to other changes in the marketplace - that to remain financially sound, we'll have to look at things above and beyond the actions we are taking."

"The current system has run its course, and our options are not the ones that a good business would use." Willhite declined to be more specific about her comments. Industry insiders questioned whether the statement is a ploy to get public sympathy.

[Southack]

Outrageous, yet not surprising.

How sad that 500 postal workers in Arkansas were fired so that a lobbyist could blame one Senator while "creating" 500 new jobs in another state to credit another Senator.

[The Raven]

Issue follows twisted path

10/31/02
Email this story to a friend

Allegations of wrongdoing and misuse of power within the infrastructure of the U.S. Postal Service have generated a whole basketful of vague information. One fact, however, seems very clear in this pre-election mess—the Blytheville community, and the economic impact of the CNet Christmas mail-sorting operation on this community, was being used as an expendable pawn by someone in some sort of political chess game.

According to a senior GOP leadership aide in Washington, D.C., who asked that his name not appear in print, when the postal service announced its decision to shut down the CNet operation in Blytheville, that decision sparked a number of questions on Capitol Hill.

The Postal Service, he said, never makes a major decision of this sort so close to a major election. When U.S. Sen. Tim Hutchinson, R-Arkansas, learned of the decision, he placed a hold on supplemental funding for the Postal Service, and asked for assistance from Sen. Ben Nighthorse-Campbell, R-Colorado, Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tennessee, and Sen. Trent Lott, R-Mississippi. Thompson, the ranking Republican on the Senate Government Affairs Committee which oversees the Postal Service, requested a review of the decision by the Postal Service. That request was granted.

On Monday, Oct. 21, Postmaster General John Potter notified members of the Arkansas delegation he was upholding the decision to shut down the Blytheville CNet operation. Hutchinson contacted Thompson, Nighthorse-Campbell and Lott and once again asked for their assistance. On Wednesday, Thompson sent another request to the Postmaster General, asking him to resubmit his decision with a financial cost to benefit breakdown of savings to the postal service by discontinuing the CNet operation in Blytheville. Potter immediately revoked his decision, and agreed to provide the information.

On Thursday, Lott and Nighthorse-Campbell both contacted Potter, indicating their concern over this unconventional election year decision, and stating they intended to investigate the situation further.

That investigation revealed there was a plan among top postal officials to move resources connected with the Blytheville CNet operation to another location outside of Arkansas.

On Friday, Deborah Willhite, senior vice president of government relations and public policy for the Postal Service, abruptly resigned. It was learned by those investigating that Willhite, a former member of the Bill Clinton presidential campaign and political appointee to the Postal Service, was involved in the discussions concerning the moving of those resources from Blytheville.

Willhite's position with the postal service involved acting as an informational liaison between Capitol Hill and the Postal ervice, and as a legislative lobbyist for the Postal Service.

The big question in the GOP leadership's mind, the aide said, is "how is she involved in budget and finance? We don't know. That's our big question."

Willhite could not be reached for comment. However, she told Paul Bedard, a writer for U.S. News and World Report, she planned to resign anyway, and her resignation had nothing to do with the Blytheville CNet operation.

Bedard originally reported the story about the moving of resources from the Blytheville CNet operation Monday in his Washington Whispers feature section. That article can be viewed by visiting the U.S. News and World Web site at www.usnews.com.

That article also indicated the CNet resources were being moved to Georgia, the area represented by Sen. Max Cleland, D-Georgia, and that Willhite had made campaign contributions to both Cleland, and Arkansas Attorney Gen. Mark Pryor, D-Arkansas, who is running against Hutchinson for the Arkansas senate seat. That race is one of the most closely watched in the country, and the outcome could affect the balance of party political power in Washington. The aide said there is no evidence either Pryor or Cleland were involved in the plan to move the resources out of Blytheville. There is also no clear indication where those funds were to be moved, although it is clear they were being moved from this area to another state. Senate Republicans continue to investigate the closing of the Blytheville CNet operations and any possible political connections. A complete review of the decision and the moving of resources is being conducted at this time by the Postal Service, the aide said.

[fire and forget]

We have reason to be encouraged these days. The FBI under Bush is actually investigating cases of vote fraud and other election "irregularities", which oddly enough always seem to benefit the dems. And matters like the subject of this thread are coming to light ... BEFORE elections.

I expect that a lot of Republicans are hyper-vigilant right now, and that when they blow the whistle on acts subverting our true democratic process (our most sacred institution), the State Department, not being owned and controlled by the clintons, is all over it.

That's not to detract from the obviousness of your point that a lot of them will get away with it.

[kcvl]

DEBORAH K. WILLHITE

Needless to say...Hillary Clinton appointed.

[The Raven]

Potter's letter

[kcvl]

During this election cycle, she donated $1,000 to Mr. Hutchinson's opponent and $250 to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York Democrat, and $500 to Mrs. Clinton's political action committee. In the 2000 cycle, Miss Willhite contributed $1,250 to the Democratic National Committee and $750 to Mrs. Clinton.

[Timesink]

Potter's letter

They probably had to FedEx it to get to the magazine in time.

[kcvl]

Playing post office --

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, a non-partisan government watchdog group, is reacting angrily to reports that a senior executive of the Postal Service was forced to resign amidst allegations she attempted to punish a candidate for the U.S. Senate who had been critical of the alleged mismanaged government mail system through a redirection of USPS resources. Saying the alleged activity represents "a new level of corruption and mismanagement," CCAGW Vice President Leslie Paige said, "Taxpayers and their representatives in Congress should be up in arms." USPS Senior Vice President Deborah Willhite resigned abruptly Friday amid allegations she used the federal mail budget to hurt the re-election chances of Arkansas Republican Sen. Tim Hutchinson.

"Since this spring, CCAGW has been calling for a complete and public audit of USPS books to root out the millions of dollars of waste, fraud, and abuse we know exists," Paige said. "This latest scandal confirms that not only do postal officials lose, misspend and abuse the postal budget with impunity, they may also be using their scarce resources to manipulate elections, which is clearly prohibited by the 1970 Postal Reorganization Act. It's time for independent third party to get to the bottom of where all our money is going."

[kcvl]

A federal audit indicates the Postal Service wasted more than $1 billion over the last four years, Good Morning America's Consumer Correspondent Greg Hunter has learned.

Hunter tried to get an interview with Postmaster General William Henderson to discuss the auditors' findings, but Henderson would not talk to ABCNEWS.

"The postmaster is highly accountable," said USPS Senior Vice President Deborah Willhite. "He's just simply not doing an interview with you." Postal officials say the Postal Service is a $65 billion business. Waste, and abuse are a small fraction of that total budget, they say.

Meanwhile, Americans are paying more to have their mail delivered. The Postal Service recently boosted the price of stamps by a penny, to 34 cents. Now it seeks another increase that would raise stamp prices anywhere from 3 to 5 cents. And the agency is planning to study how much it could save by ending Saturday service.

Over the past four years, government auditors have discovered that more than $1.4 billion have been wasted because of mismanagement, abuse and fraud. While the service was raising rates for first-class mail, they discovered, some managers were treating themselves to a variety of perks and bloated benefits.

[kcvl]

"It's outrageous," says Edward Hudgins of the Cato Institute. "If it did happen in the private sector, heads would roll, the people who wasted $23 million would be out looking for a job."

The Postal Service has also been criticized for spending $158 million in advertising for their overnight delivery services. Critics argue that the post office is a monopoly, and there is no need to advertise. The government agency even sponsors Lance Armstrong and the United States Cycling Team.

Despite criticism and big losses, postal officials have said that they will not cut their advertising budget.

"No business our size would operate without advertising to make people aware of the products they produce," Willhite said.

First-class mail volume is dropping, so the post office has spent and lost millions on new ventures.

It has spent $3.9 million trying to sell stamps from foreign countries. And it lost $84 million selling things like phone cards and postal clothing — everything from bike shirts to hats to socks.

[kcvl]

Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., is frustrated at what he calls postal mismanagement.

"The post office would have broken even if they hadn't paid themselves a couple of hundred million in bonuses," he said. "And that speaks for itself."

Taxpayer groups say the government should stop giving the Postal Service money until it cuts the waste.

The Postal Service says it may lose $2 billion to $3 billion this year, prompting another stamp price increase. The agency says it has addressed some of the abuses, such as the town cars, which will not happen again.

[Gracey]

This is only one part of the postal scam. Anyone ever get political mail from Republicans AFTER the event has passed? I did last election cycle, here in Austin, TX.

[kcvl]

WILLHITE, DEBORAH
8/16/01 $250.00
ARLINGTON, VA 22206
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE -[Contribution]
Transaction itemized by: FRIENDS OF HILLARY

[Southack]

Results: Individual Donors Search

14 records found in 3.59 seconds. SEARCH CRITERIA: Donor name: Willhite Donor state: VA Election cycle(s): 2002 2000 1998 1996 1994 1992 1990 Start another search

Sort by Name Sort by Date Sort by Amount

Contributor	Occupation	Date	Amount	Recipient
WILLHITE, DEBBIE ARLINGTON, VA 22206	US POSTAL SERVICE	3/31/2002	$500	Cleland, Max
WILLHITE, DEBORAH ARLINGTON, VA 22206	BLACK MANIFORD AND STONE	9/16/1994	$250	Emily's List
WILLHITE, DEBORAH ARLINGTON, VA 22206	U S GOVERNMENT	11/26/2001	$1,000	Pryor, Mark Lunsford
WILLHITE, DEBORAH ARLINGTON, VA 22206	UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE	12/16/1999	$500	Clinton, Hillary Rodham
WILLHITE, DEBORAH ARLINGTON, VA 22206	UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE	7/28/2000	$250	Clinton, Hillary Rodham
WILLHITE, DEBORAH ARLINGTON, VA 22206	US POSTAL SERVICE	11/17/1999	$250	Dunn, Donald
WILLHITE, DEBORAH ARLINGTON, VA 22206	CONSULTING FIRM	2/27/1996	$250	Bristow, Bill W
WILLHITE, DEBORAH ARLINGTON, VA 22206	UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE	8/16/2001	$250	Clinton, Hillary Rodham
WILLHITE, DEBORAH ARLINGTON, VA 22206	US POSTAL SERVICE	6/22/1998	$300	Rapoport, Miles S
WILLHITE, DEBORAH ARLINGTON, VA 22206	US POSTAL SERVICE	5/25/2000	$250	Dunn, Donald
WILLHITE, DEBORAH K ARLINGTON, VA 22206	BLACK, MANFORT, STONE & KELLY	6/22/1995	$1,000	Clinton, Bill
WILLHITE, DEBORAH K ARLINGTON, VA 22206	U S POSTAL SERVICE	8/17/2000	$1,250	Democratic National Cmte
WILLHITE, DEBORAH K ARLINGTON, VA 22206	U.S. POSTAL SERVICE/SENIOR VICE PRE	3/1/2002	$500	HILLPAC
WILLHITE, DEBORAH K ARLINGTON, VA 22206	CONSULTANT	10/22/1996	$500	Henry, Ann

2002 cycle data downloaded from FEC on October 21, 2002. Date of request: November 3, 2002

[Lion's Cub]

Thanks for these uplifting posts. It's about time the GOP ditched this "can't we all get along" facade and started fighting back! I'd love to see all the Toon toadies rooted out--they all hate America and every one of them is a thief.

[kcvl]

I hope you DON'T expect them to deliver the mail since they have MORE IMPORTANT problems to solve like "a sticky enviromental situation"!

Postal Service addresses sticky situation with adhesive breakthrough

"This breakthrough in the development of environmentally safe adhesives will change the face of recycling around the world," said opening session speaker Deborah Willhite, Postal Service Senior Vice President, Government Relations and Public Policy. "Not only will it improve the environmental performance of postage stamps," she said, "it will also reach a much larger audience of adhesive users. This new technology will have a tremendous financial and environmental benefit for the Postal Service and for the American people."

[kcvl]

I bet you it's NOT her money she is donating either!!!

[kcvl]

Willhite called the current anti-lobbying rules "reasonable," given the Postal Service's federally blessed monopoly on delivering first-class mail. Still, she argued, the rules ultimately limit her ability to make the Postal Service's case in Washington. "My goodness gracious, if I could lobby and have a PAC, given our size and ubiquity, I believe we'd be very, very effective," Willhite said with a laugh.

For one thing, the Postal Service has a big government-relations staff--a 50-person team that has grown by roughly 16 employees during Willhite's tenure. It includes 20 "liaison officers" who meet with members of Congress.

Willhite is deeply familiar with both politics and K Street. A Navy enlistee in her youth, she later worked on five Democratic presidential campaigns, most recently for President Clinton in 1996. In between, she served as policy director for the speaker of the Connecticut House and as a lobbyist for the firm formerly known as Black, Manafort, Stone & Kelly.

At Black, Manafort, Willhite handled lobbying work for such blue-chip clients as American Airlines Inc., AT&T Corp., and--ironically--UPS, which is considered the Postal Service's most bare-knuckled rival. She moved over to the Postal Service in early 1998 when William J. Henderson-the now-retired postmaster general and longtime Willhite family friend-recruited her to beef up the USPS's government-relations effort.

Postal employees can attend fundraisers as private citizens, but Willhite said she refrains from going. She acknowledged, however, that some of her staffers--in their capacity as private citizens--have attended political fundraisers.

[kcvl]

“We cannot manage ourselves totally out of this crisis,” says Deborah K. Willhite, the Postal Service’s senior vice president for government relations and public policy and a veteran Democratic operative who coordinated President Clinton’s inaugural festivities. “Long term, we’re just going to constantly be in this cycle of crisis management and that is not in the best interests of American commerce.”

[PeaceBeWithYou]

Good find.

Another FOB down in flames.

Pinging Arkansas.

[muawiyah]

Misusing chauffered vehicles still doesn't add up to $1,400,000,000!

I think the article you copied is referring to a presumption by the Postal OIG that it was possible to obtain greater efficiencies by changing various postal operations - not that there was that much waste, fraud and abuse going on.

Leastwise the OIG has admitted as much and the folks who prepared the studies claim they never used those words anyway.

Here's a choice for you - it's always been there - would you rather have reliable postal service, the fastest possible postal service, or the cheapest possible postal service?

The Postal Service OIG assumes that you want the cheapest possible postal service. "Fast" and "reliable" are words which are not in their lexicon! But if USPS listens to the OIG and starts "saving" that $1.4 billion, you are going to see your First-Class mail taken off of airplanes and put on trucks.

[kcvl]

Monuments to Waste

Postal service managers have also received unusually large relocation packages in some cases.

When Richard Porras, the former chief financial officer of the Postal Service, moved from Fairfax, Va., to Vienna, Va. — a distance of 15 miles — he was given $142,000. On top of that he received $25,000 for miscellaneous expenses.

Porras has since retired, but he told ABCNEWS by telephone that the expenses were approved.

The inspector general's report reveals managers at the Postal Service have also squandered millions of dollars on buildings and equipment.

In Charlottesville, Va., the Postal Service leased a building for $4.2 million for 20 years. Then it left that building empty for two years before subleasing it to a tractor supply company.

In Chicago, the construction of the main post office ended up costing $128 million more than the original budget.

In Seattle, postal officials bought a building without getting a detailed inspection. Later they discovered the building needed $23 million in repairs.

"It's outrageous," says Edward Hudgins of the Cato Institute. "If it did happen in the private sector, heads would roll, the people who wasted $23 million would be out looking for a job."

The Postal Service has also been criticized for spending $158 million in advertising for their overnight delivery services. Critics argue that the post office is a monopoly, and there is no need to advertise. The government agency even sponsors Lance Armstrong and the United States Cycling Team.

Despite criticism and big losses, postal officials have said that they will not cut their advertising budget.

"No business our size would operate without advertising to make people aware of the products they produce," Willhite said.

[muawiyah]

Notice that Mr. Hudgins works for a well funded non-profit institution. If the CATO Institute had to pay taxes, he'd be on the street, now wouldn't he?

It's time to take away the privilege of tax avoidance from non-profit organizations, and also their postage subsidies! (Can you imagine the gall of this man criticizing an organization that's paying all his bills!)

[kcvl]

On June 30th, the Postal Service will raise the price of a First-Class stamp from $0.34 to $0.37. The U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) confirms that, despite recent annual rate increases, the Postal Service is headed for its third consecutive annual deficit since fiscal year 2000. In addition, it is nearly $13 billion in debt with more than $80 billion in additional liabilities looming, and it has no debt reduction plan in place. Due to this bleak financial outlook, GAO placed the Postal Service on its "high-risk" list.

To back its call for greater accountability, CAGW released a new Wirthlin Worldwide survey confirming that 85 percent of the public wants independent auditors to investigate the Postal Service's finances and make the results public, before the Postal Service is allowed to raise rates again. Paige added, "If Enron had to open its financial books to the world, doesn't the public have the right to demand the same of our debt-ridden and hopelessly mismanaged Postal Service?"

To highlight the need for Postal officials to act more responsibly, CAGW unveiled a series of "commemorative stamps" depicting egregious examples of recent Postal waste and mismanagement. CAGW and other groups are making the stamps available online to their members and the public at www.cagw.org. CAGW is launching a national protest to encourage supporters to download the "stamps" from the Internet, and - after affixing the proper postage - affix them elsewhere on letters to federal officials demanding a Postal Service audit. [Note: these stamps are clearly labeled as having "no cash value."]

The six "commemorative stamps" visually depict the following:

"Where's Our Money Going?" - represents the fact that the GAO confirms the Postal Service is billions of dollars in debt, despite annual rate increases, and has no debt reduction plan in place.

"Postal Execs Gone Fishin'" - represents the fact that the very day after consumers are forced to pay higher Postal rates, top Postal officials are set to jet away on a junket to a luxury resort hotel in Anchorage, Alaska.

"Priority Mail Not a Priority" - represents the fact that the Postal Rate Commission's Office of Consumer Advocate recently revealed that Priority Mail is no faster, and sometimes slower, than First-Class Mail - and the Postal Service continues to mislead consumers about this service.

"Fat Cat Executive Bonuses" - represents the fact that the Postal Service's own Inspector General confirms that the managers responsible for allowing the Postal Service to amass billions of dollars of debt, paid themselves $805 million in "performance" bonuses between 1998 and 2000. Still others used Postal funds to help pay their personal home mortgages.

"Postal Execs Limo Lawbreakers" - represents the fact that top Postal managers were caught breaking federal law - over 500 times - by using chauffeured-driven limousines to shop and travel between home and office.

"Postal Service High Risk" - represents the fact that, due to its deteriorated financial situation, the Postal Service was placed on GAO's "High Risk" list.

[kcvl]

Moving 2 USPS executives: $248,000
USPS funds wasted: $1.1 billion

A total of $1.1 billion has been uncovered in wasted spending by the inspector general. The inspector general office was established by the Republican Congress and this waste was documented in just three years. For example, the Postal Service abused its authority to pay relocation benefits to employees when two high-level executives were paid $248,000 last year for local moves that did not involve a transfer in duty station. In fact, one officer, the Chief Financial Officer, only moved 2.5 miles, and the other, the Service's Controller, moved a total of 20 miles. The Postal Service's Board agreed that these payments were not justified, and they acted swiftly to amend their Bylaws and increase Board oversight to prevent such problems in the future.

[muawiyah]

This particular organization is reputedly a United Parcel Service/Teamsters Union front operation.

Have any Freepers actually tried to join it?

No doubt the "mob" behind those guys would really like to "open the books" and see what all those independent truckers who haul mail are actually getting paid, eh?!

[muawiyah]

Add to your list that the USPS once purchased a building in Josephine Ferraro's Congressional district for the purpose of getting it off the Hazmat lists.

It had once been the site of a copper smelter.

It took USPS years and years to get out of that situation, and the dollar values involved dwarf anything you mentioned.

That Ward guy you mention was involved in that particular deal as well as the others in various capacities. Mr. Porras left quickly. Ward hung around. Henderson, Ms. Willhite's buddy, just couldn't bear to see him go.

Sometimes mistakes are made, but in USPS what's going on is that almost 100% of the management team consists of Democrats. I don't think we've had a single Republican in one of the VP or SR.VP. positions in the last 25 years, and that includes when Mr. Casey (now on the Board of Governors) was PMG. In fact, he came in and set in motion a process that resulted in the removal or demotion of almost every management capable Republican in the USPS. Who recommended him for appointment to the USPS Board? That individual should be horsewhipped and sent packing!

[kcvl]

What is YOUR PROBLEM?! They find the Postal Service is abusing and wasting TAX DOLLARS and you have a fit! No one is saying that the regular postal workers are anything but hard-working. They are saying that the BIG BOSSES are WASTING MONEY, which is true.

For instance, we just had a NEW POST OFFICE built when there was absolutely NOTHING WRONG with the older one. It still houses the FEDERAL COURTS, the FEDERAL JUDGE and office spaces for some probation officers. They were suppose to CLOSE the old one but guess what? NO ONE USES THE NEW ONE!!! It's OUT OF THE WAY! DUH! That was a WASTE!!! People are STILL USING the OLD POST OFFICE but NOT THE NEW ONE!!! WASTED $$$$$$$$!!!!!

[kcvl]

It is NOT "my list" it happens to be "the list" of CITIZENS AGAINST GOVERNMENT WASTE. What do you have against THAT?! They don't just pick on the Postal Service they do exactly what they say...CITIZENS AGAINST GOVERNMENT WASTE! That is a bad thing, to you?!

[muawiyah]

Concerning that statment to the effect that "Fat Cat Executive Bonuses" - represents the fact that the Postal Service's own Inspector General confirms that the managers responsible for allowing the Postal Service to amass billions of dollars of debt, paid themselves $805 million in "performance" bonuses between 1998 and 2000...."

There is a linkage discontinuity here. The USPS Board of Governors, appointed by the President of the United States, amassed billions of dollars in debt. None of the bureaucrats and managers at the USPS has authority to amass debt!

As far as "performance" bonuses are concerned, this system replaced a pay system linked primarily to inflation and increases in cost of living. If it had not have been, the pay for the affected employees owuld have been much higher. In reality, this "performance" bonus system was used to rip off the supervisors and technicians!

[JoeSixPack1]

Those "independant truckers" must lease back their trucks to the trucking companies who are "AWARDED" mail contracts.

And trucking companies must provide an equipment list before those contracts are awarded. So by the time an independant trucker gets hired on to haul mail, he's making minimal profit but on a continual basis. USPS rarely brokers loads directly to independents. But they do that too!

PS: air mail usually means a fast truck when stateside. But we're not supposed to tell. :-)

[muawiyah]

Sometimes the "old" postal lobby is left open until the public adjusts itself to the "new" posal lobby in a new building.

If you will, go and demand that the "old" lobby be closed immediately so that the savings can be realized.

Really make a big stink about this, please!

[kcvl]

Well, how about NO ONE IN THE GOVERNMENT "RIPPING OFF" ANYONE?! But let's not touch THAT golden egg! Screw the taxpayers...

If they want to send a Hillary Clinton clone all over the world to "promote" the Postal Service, YES, I have a problem with THAT!!!

[muawiyah]

It's a phony list. If you check back through the sources, you will find this group is actually operated by a competing company.

[kcvl]

It's a little late for that! The people who made the "stink" are the ones who WANTED the OLD POST OFFICE! You can't lead "the elites" to do anything they don't want to do. Not if they OWN THE TOWN! Not even for the government postal service!

[kcvl]

Are YOU trying to tell me that the postal service doesn't waste money? Yeah, RIGHT! lol!

[muawiyah]

I have absolutely no problem with them getting rid of Willhite. However, I do have a problem with Trent Lott and Dennis Hastert not having an interest in getting rid of all the rest of the Democrats holding down ALL of the management positions at USPS.

I'd like to see Willhite as a "first" rather than as an "only". Your Citizens against, etc. buddies would prefer to see their Democratic Party friends continue running USPS.

[kcvl]

Testimony given in April by the U.S. Postal Service’s Inspector General to the House Government Reform Committee highlighted $500 million spent on a failed mail automation project. The agency based the investment on flawed projections the system would achieve a 5% return on investment. The actual return was a counterproductive negative 9%. Of the failed investment Merritt said, “No private sector enterprise would ever consider investing capital for a 20-year (5%) return on investment. Given the magnitude of the investment, this is clearly a problem systemic in nature. If this is the criterion for productivity enhancing investments, it is no wonder the agency has only cumulatively increased productivity 11% during the past 30 years.

The Inspector General’s testimony also chronicled an estimated $1.4 billion in Postal waste, fraud and mismanagement including, such well-publicized incidences as; the two senior executives who received $250,000 in relocation benefits for moving less than 50 miles and the 500 cases of executives commandeering chauffeured cars for personal use. Merritt stated, “Raising rates in order to cover over a billion dollars of waste, fraud and mismanagement is extremely poor public policy.