FOXNews.com: GSA official worried in memo that Las Vegas-area extravaganza wouldn't be seen as 'substantive'

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GSA official worried in memo that Las Vegas-area extravaganza wouldn't be seen as 'substantive' Apr 13th 2012, 18:34 WASHINGTON –  An internal government memo shows General Services Administration officials were concerned about the federal agency's now-infamous 2010 Las Vegas-area conference long before details of the lavish spending, satirical videos and other embarrassing details emerged this month. Susan Brita, the GSA's deputy administrator and an Obama political appointee, emailed other agency officials in July 2011 saying the agency's inspector general found "no substantive agenda" at the conference. She also said that expenses for a clown suit, bicycles for a training exercise, tuxedos and a mind-reader "didn't lend themselves to the claim of a substantive conference." Brita suggested the agency should deal with the prospect of the news media latching onto the conference's nearly $1 million cost. If the story "were to hit the press, what would public reaction be?" Britta wrote. "What would congressional reaction be?" The estimated cost for planning and holding the 2010 conference at the posh M Resort in Henderson, Nev., is now estimated at $830,000. The inspector general's report has costs several GSA employees their jobs, including agency chief Martha Johnson, who resigned. House GOP leaders plan to hold hearings on the issue starting next week. Last year, Brita questioned why Jeff Neely -- the regional GSA administrator for the Western Region who was in charge of the 2010 conference -- had received only a disciplinary letter. Britta called Neely a "seasoned" administrator "who is expected to display the highest standards of common sense and prudent financial management. He did neither." She called the disciplinary letter "not even a slap on the wrist." Neely was placed on administrative leave this month in the aftermath of the inspector general's report this month. In other emails, Administrator Johnson discusses the performance and bonuses for Jeff Neely. In one email, Johnson defends giving Neely a bonus, saying he was an acting regional administrator "for forever and a day." Multiple emails between her and Bob Peck, the GSA's public buildings administrator, refer to Neely as a "Steve Jobs" type, "someone who is very creative and does good work ... but doesn't fit conveniently into the standard human resources boxes." In one email, Johnson describes Peck as having a "problematic personality" and refers to his behavior with an unnamed congressman when both were where in California. Reporter Chad Pergram contributed to this report.

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