WASHINGTON, July 10, 2008
FDA Execs Reap Lavish Bonuses
Agency Criticized As "Broken," But FDA Executives Still Make Big Bank
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Play CBS Video Video FDA Employees Overcompensated? Members of Congress have criticized hefty salary bonuses awarded to some of the highest-ranking officials in the Food and Drug Administration. Nancy Cordes reports.
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(CBS)
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But based on their bonuses, you would think it was a banner year at the FDA.
Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., says he was stunned to learn that 28 senior FDA executives took in a combined $1 million in bonuses last year, pushing their pay above that of members of Congress, federal judges - and even some cabinet secretaries.
"They've done such a miserable job these last two years, I think they should leave! Not get bonuses of $40,000 [to] $50,000!" Stupak said. "Good grief."
For example:
"The kicker of course is the person who was hired to reform the bonus system received the biggest bonus," Stupak said. "$58,000."
On average, those 28 top executives received, on average, an extra $37,000 in 2007. CBS News asked the head of the FDA why.
"What we are talking about here is the need to have highly experienced, highly capable technical experts that, without which, the country would suffer," said FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach.
Small bonuses to experts, like scientists and doctors, are not what worry congressional investigators.
They're concerned that a quarter of the $35 million in bonuses the FDA handed out last year went to bureaucrats, not technical experts. And that the same bureaucrats are getting big retention bonuses year after year.
"These should be referred to not as retention bonuses but blackmail bonuses," said Tom Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste.
Not all FDA employees hit the jackpot. The biggest bonus among the rank-and-file went to the "Inspector of the Year." Her take? A mere $2,500.
Are there any limits placed on how much these government agencies can spend on bonuses?
They are not allowed to give a bonus that is larger than 25 percent of an employee's base pay. But beyond that, they don't have to prove an employee deserves to get a bonus or earned a bonus. Congressional investigators argue the FDA is rewarding its top staff more richly than other government agencies - even though it's the agency most frequently referred to as "broken."
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Add a Comment See all 69 Comments
- Quote: the agency most frequently referred to as "broken."
I did not know that. - Reply to this comment
- The FDA is all loud talk and no action. Someone give this agency a kick in the rear
- Reply to this comment
- The next administration will have dozens of Augean stables to clean. Unfortunately it can''t do much about the zealots, fundies and looneys who have already been appointed (for life, folks) to the bench, but we can hope new, hopefully qualified officials can sweep the present refuse into the gutter.
- Reply to this comment
- neo con nut cases know it is coming to an end even with all the media trying to find fault with the Demcrats. But hey remember these positions are appointed by the President or did you think we swing voters forgot that.
It is ending neo cons and really there is nothing you can do about it soon the Democrats will have 50 more in Congress and you will see the neo con party on its way to becoming the super minority. - Reply to this comment
- "Our First Muslim Leader!"
nolle61, you haven''t done your homework. You are listening to the ignorant diatribes of those who invent "facts" so you and your ilk will panic. Get educated on this stuff before you spout. - Reply to this comment
- [A Liberal can not be elected and stand firm on their Liberal beliefs. It just does not happen in this country. There is still some sort of moral fiber left here (no matter how much the Dem Libs want to destroy it). Unless the Liberal candidate moves toward the center, and even to the right, he or she will never win the White House.]
[Posted by nolle61 at 10:10 AM : Jul 11, 2008]
you been there all along but again you see only what you want to see.
all the candidates do this ... bush was a compassionate conservative who wasn''t going to nation build, support environmental policies, and co-opted all the democratic positions as a strategy during his 2000 and 2004 campaigns.
he was a conservative moving to the middle.
no candidate can win the presidency ... regardless of party ... without moving to the center.
now what''s your excuse ... since you say you''ve watched it all ... but don''t see anyone else doing it but liberals. - Reply to this comment
- Payoffs for those serving the corporate oligarchs as the last drop of blood from the United States economy is extracted.
- Reply to this comment
- [He is doing what all Dem Libs do to get elected. Pretending to go to the right.]
[Posted by nolle61 at 10:00 AM : Jul 11, 2008]
how strange you only see it one way. it''s every candidate ... regardless of party ... that starts out at the extreme to pick up that part of the base ... then moves to the ''center'' to temper their positions.
it''s not like this hasn''t happened over and over thru history. where have you been? - Reply to this comment
- come on everyone!
down to the repub feeding trough - eat all you want - for free!
oh, you lost money on crazy betting speculation! Oh, dear, we can''t let that happen! If Wall Street falls, so does America!
how many kids won''t get their college education because these slimy "free-marketers"? - Reply to this comment
- It amazes me how the Dem Libs can turn everything into a Bush Bashing session.
Posted by nolle61 at 09:51 AM : Jul 11, 2008
It''s ohhh so easy when you see what DUMBYA and BUTTHEAD have done to our country these past 8 years! That''s why OBAMA will be your President in November! Only 193 days left! Enjoy! - Reply to this comment
- Bushites stealing and stuffing their pockets with our tax dollars before they''re booted out in November. Only 193 days left! Plenty of time left for more looting of the treasury.
- Reply to this comment
- With less than 6 months left of his reign as Great Emperor, the court of the Great Emperor Bush II has come under increasing attack by everyone who is not a neocon Fascist Nazi Republican.
Charges of misuse of funds, huge payoffs (they are called "bonuses"), mishandling of information (some of it intentional) and simple BAD judgement are surfacing in every aspect of the Bush court.
Meanwhile, the man responsible for all this, the Great Emperor Bush II, makes jokes at the G8 summit, while "Bagdad John McBush" McCain''s "economic advisor"(????!!!!), the senile old but rich crocodile Phil Gramm, accuses us all of being "whiners" living through a recession that is "mental"!
There certainly is something "MENTAL" here, but it''s not the recession which is VERY REAL!
SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!!
sig heil, TOTALLY MORE OF THE SAME, McCain!!!! - Reply to this comment
- They should do away with all bonuses...
Don''t they already get paid for the job they''re expected to do?
What''s the sense of a bonus? who went over the top to deserve a bonus? - Reply to this comment
- WHY are government officials getting bonuses?
They have phenominal benefits, excellent retirement / pension plans, and they already make WAY MORE than their civilian counterparts.
So WHY are they getting bonuses?!? - Reply to this comment
- No surprise here. Corruption abounds throughout all levels of gov''t.
- Reply to this comment
- This blatant slap in the face of the american tax payer.Its sheet like this is why i moved back to the reservation and quit paying taxes.does this tick you off? Well it probably should but being native american has its rewards,i kill my meat out back in the forest and dont need the fda to tell me when to eat a deer in any season.
- Reply to this comment
- Once again the taxpayer gets taken, Congress makes noise and then will forget about the problem.
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Posted by jjp735i at 07:55 AM : Jul 11, 2008
The country is in need of some good new men and women, who value public service, and the sound health and welfare of their country. These parasites in Washington are about to be fumegated and sent back to where they came from; they''ve done nothing for us but make our lives and futures a mess. We should take the blame for letting it happen, but we should now take the responsibility for doing it ourselves if need be, and thats starting by sending these frauds and organized criminals back to where their true callings await them. - Reply to this comment
- Indeed, just think how many people who actually did work could be on the job, and doing the job, that these wannabe Wall Street corporate types in government are each getting paid for do nothing, if not harm. Each of these government agencies should be either cleansed of these parasites, or the buildings should be razed in order to facilitate public works and provide meaningful government employment. Immediately.
- Reply to this comment
- Once again the taxpayer gets taken, Congress makes noise and then will forget about the problem.
- Reply to this comment
- FDA is part of the Bush administration ... the buck stops with President Bush. More of his terrible legacy of mismanagement and cronyism.
- Reply to this comment
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