My goodness. As TPMm readers know well, House Appropriations chairman Jerry Lewis (R-CA) is under federal investigation for possible improprieties in how he oversaw Congress' spending of $900 billion annually. Yesterday, we reported that Lewis had dropped nearly $800,000 in legal fees to defend himself against the probe.
This evening, Congressional Quarterly reports (sub. req.) that in a round of calls Monday evening, Lewis fired 60 investigators who had worked for his committee rooting out fraud, waste and abuse, effective immediately. As in, don't bother coming in on Tuesday.
The investigators were contract workers, brought on to handle the extraordinary level of fraud investigations facing the panel. Sixteen permanent investigative staff are staying on, according to CQ. Read on...
An informant buried deep inside Lewis's sausage deli was able to record this exchange:
Stooge: They are looking at you pretty good, boss...
Tweed: So, tell me somethin' I don't know.
Stooge: At least it only cost you 800G's to keep you outta trouble.
Tweed: Say, what?
Stooge: I said, it only cost you 800G's to keep you outta trouble.
Tweed: 800 G's? You ain't serious. I thought you said 80 G's.
Stooge: No, no...we had to grease a lot of wheels.
Tweed: That's a lot of sausages, I say we dump the whole bunch of em.
Stooge: But we can't do that, boss. It'll look really bad.
Tweed: You wanna know what'll look bad?
Stooge: What boss?
Tweed: My suit. It cost me 5G's, but I'll ruin it on accounta all the blood that'll be covering them after I bash your head in with this baseball bat.
Stooge: That's a nice suit, boss.
Tweed: Yea, I like it swell. You want me to bash your freaking head in?
Stooge: No, boss
Tweed: Alright then. Can the whole crew. But keep a few on so it ain't quite as bad.
Stooge: Yes, Boss.'
