Issa to GSA official: Attend my hearing

Rep. Darrell Issa

/ U.S. House of Representatives

(CBS News) Rep. Darrell Issa, chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said Jeff Neely, the General Services Administration (GSA) official allegedly involved in a costly Las Vegas conference, must appear before the committee on Monday.

Neely's attorney, Preston Burton, sent a letter to Issa saying Neely planned not to attend because he would "assert his constitutional privilege to remain silent."

In a responding letter, Issa wrote, "I write to advise that the subpoena you accepted on Mr. Neely's behalf remains in effect."

Issa initially issued a subpoena to Neely to appear at Monday's hearing with five other witnesses, including the GSA's Inspector General and the agency's former administrator, Martha Johnson, who resigned after the scandal was made public.

Neely was put on administration leave for overseeing a conference for 300 GSA employees at a Las Vegas-area resort that cost $822,751, which the Inspector General called "excessive, wasteful and in some cases impermissible."

GSA aware of spending scandal last July
GSA interns treated to conference at resort
GSA employees told to report waste

Inspector General Brian Miller has recommended the Justice Department open an investigation, according to the Washington Post.

"Mr. Neely is uniquely qualified to answer questions," Issa wrote in the letter. "He has been invited to appear with the expectation that his testimony will advance the committee's investigation of wasteful spending by GSA."

[DebraBergey]

Jay Bergey was my father and I remember the "stolen car" incident very well. My father was out of town for the Army and his challenger was parked at the Nike Site base and when he returned it was gone. Issa had taken it to his mothers in Cleveland. After threatening Issa the car mysteriously returned.

[antoniof123]

You know what is wrong with this country Republicans and Democrats.

[vanwahlgren]

Why doesn't Darryl Issa check into why Holder allowed the Bush/Cheney "gun walking" to continue. First we need to find out about Issa's background.. car and insurance fraud, arson. Assault and threat, Arson insurance fraud.. etc. Issa is a real pillar of integrity.

[wfw3536]

The GSA is just one of many problems with this administration, first we have Holder allowing a couple thousand gun walk into Mexico that killed 2 Americans and hundreds of innocent Mexicans, they give Solinydra and other green energy companies billions that now have gone bankrupt or are close to it, and now we have the GSA spending our money. How sad things are so out of control with this administration.

[sandiegopete]

Is this the same Darrell Issa that thinks U.S. marines should ignore their enlistment oath and refuse to obey orders of the officers appointed over them, including the Commander in Chief?

[Frankftw]

Issa promised continuous investigations and hearings of the Obama administration once the teabag Republicans took over in 2010. Oversight Committee subpoenas that disappeared into the wind during the Bush Administration while Issa sat and watched. A number of Bush adminstration people ignored subpeonas about matters such as US Attorney firing scandal, air pollution at Ground Zero in New York, warrantless wiretapping programs, the gang-rape of a Halliburton employee while on federal contract in Iraq, and several failed attempts to compel Karl Rove to testify. Darrell Issa even refused a subpoena himself, related to the meteoric fall of corrupt San Diego Representative Duke Cunningham.

[GrouchyGaijin]

I have a question. Are you saying that you feel GSA did nothing wrong, should not be held accountable and he should not appear before Congress to explain himself?

[fwd23515]

Oh, yeah, Darrell Issa. The guy who stole cars, carried unregistered guns, and likely burned down his own business for the insurance? Yeah, that guy.

[BlindWillieJackson]

Okay, here's the insanely ironic side of this: The GSA was established to manage and develop government-wide cost-minimizing policies. Hilarious!

[Ourdoc1]

Maybe its time for American citizens to start suing and sending subpoenas to Issa, he is NOT an officer OR a judge, stop pretending you are jacka$$. He needs to be REMOVED from office forever.

Personally I'd like to see the Senate start investigating the House Oversight Committee for abuse of powers, and subpoena Issa's a$$ to the wall. Issa IS the biggest waste in Congress.

[kscaptain]

Sorry about the extra posts. First time here and didn't see that it was posting.