Too good not to be true: the #IRS can’t find its receipts

**Posted by Phineas

"Even the monkey is embarrassed"
“Even the monkey is embarrassed”

Karma, with a heavyΒ dose of irony:

The Internal Revenue Service can’t find the receipts from a $4 million agency conference in 2010 β€” meaning, it can’t provide the same documentation for business-related travel it requires Americans to include on tax filings.

CNN reported the snafu Tuesday evening. Correspondent Dana Bash told host Anderson Cooper that it’s impossible to determine exactly how much was spent on what. Some of the expenditures that are still unclear, The Washington Free Beacon reported: Gifts, production of video spoofs and the charge for hotel rooms, some of which are considered upscale.

I’d like to see any of us try that after writing off expenses at a conferenceΒ at which:

The 2,609Β Internal Revenue ServiceΒ managers who flew to Anaheim, Calif., for a three-day conference on β€œLeading Into the Future” were treated to a welcoming reception with free cocktails and gifts β€” including briefcases, engraved pens and Los Angeles Angels baseball tickets.

Some attendees stayed in two-bedroom presidential suites at the Anaheim Hilton, complete with wet bars and billiard tables.

One conference speaker was paid $27,000 in taxpayer money β€” plus $2,500 for a first-class plane ticket β€” to deliver two one-hour speeches on how seemingly random ideas can drive innovation. Another speaker collected $11,430 to give workshops on how to increase IRS managers’ happinessΒ at work.

These and other examples of what many in and outside of government would consider excessive spending are detailed in a newΒ auditΒ by theΒ Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. A House hearing on the matter is set for Thursday.

The audit reveals that the IRS spent $4.1 million to fly managers in its small-business and self-employed division to California in August 2010 with the approval of top agency officials.

Can you imagine what fun they’ll have when they’re in charge of all thoseΒ Obamacare fines?

To paraphrase: “Quis audit ipsos auditores?” (1)

RELATED: Hot Air has one of those now-infamousΒ training videos. Might as well watch, folks. It was paid for with our money.

Footnote:
(1) Answer: the Inspector General, of course. And, yeah, I know the Latin is nonsensical, but I couldn’t resist…Β smiley embarrassed

(Crossposted at Public Secrets)

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