The Washington Post is reporting on the expensive taste of National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) Chairman J. Mark McWatters and his chief of staff Sarah Vega.
According to the story, this information would have never seen the light of day except for a whistleblower complaint to the agency's inspector general about the extravagant spending by Mcwatters and Vega.
For example, the agency paid $250 for an UberBlack ride from Washington, D.C. to Alexandria.
The agency has decided that McWatters can no longer use UberBlack, but only regular Uber. This caused McWatters to lament: “I’m schlepping around in somebody’s Civic.”
The article also noted a fondness for wine and top-shelf liquor and pricey meals.
A recently retired assistant inspector general stated that "there was a sense of entitlement."
While these expenditures are lavish, they are permitted by the agency's rules.
As John Kutchey, deputy executive director of the NCUA, explained to agency investigators, "They have expensive taste."
Read the story (subscription required).
Both the article and your post miss some important questions:
ReplyDeleteDid McWatters have Vega pay the bill so that he could approve the "out of policy" expenses?
Why is it necessary for the Chair and chief of staff of a federal regulator to have a business dinner with a lobbyist..and if once perhaps fine but why so many times?
lobbyists lobby lawmakers (a practice that is ruining our system of government).
Why are they spending so much money is asked but why so often?
also, why is the federal regulator buying dinner for a lobbyist and a consultant (fryzel)?
is that even allowed?
what was the business discussed that would be related to a safety and soundness regulator?
why did Vega accept and then withdraw the trade association job?
was this questionable expense behavior behind her going back to the agency?
the only reason ncua hasn't been skewered by now is the congress is more dysfunctional than ncua.
Mr. Leggett, can you shed light or foia any of these questions?
Entitled?
ReplyDeleteI'll say!
anyone driving for Uber/Lyft, anyone driving a civic (or any car like that- millions of Americans and credit union members, anyone taking using uber but not "X", take note...
...the chairman and chief of staff of the regulator for non tax paying banks think they're above you.
and, credit unions approve of them.
nice!
nice job congress.
Pigs at the trough. Feed the needy, not the greedy. The federal tax exemption enables the credit unions to pay for these NCUA junkets. Make it a deep pour.
ReplyDelete