About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline

LOG IN
LOG IN


AFMD-81-36 1 (1981-03-06)

handle is hein.gao/gaobabbtr0001 and id is 1 raw text is: RESTRICTED - Not tO be r6t6O 10 - .... AcCO*TnS Offic except * the basis of specific apprVai by the Office of CoSt ess eamIRe|ti COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED S-JATES 1 ~ q~1 WASHINGTON D.C. 20548 LORELEASED B-196862 MARCH 6, 1981 /rhe Honorable Jack Brooks, Chairman Committee on Government Operations 1 I House of Representatives 114873 Dear Mr. Chairman: Subject: Review of White House and Executive Agency Expenditures for Selected Travel, Entertainment, and Personnel Costs7(AFMD-81-36) On October 16, 1980, you requested a report on our review of the possible misuse of appropriated funds before the 1980 elec- tion to advance the political candidacy of the incumbent President. The review was conducted in response to a September 22, 1980, re- quest from 11 members of the United States Senate. An interim report issued to you on October 20, 1980, provided information on (1) the policies for handling political travel and entertainment by White House and executive agency officials and (2) the funding used for specific entertainment events. This, our final report, addresses certain travel expenses of the President, Vice President, and other administration officials; the procedures used to prevent misuse of appropriations; and the White House use of other agencies' personnel. The overriding question raised in our review was whether travel, speechmaking, and public appearances by senior-level offi- cials (including the President and the Vice President), and other personnel actions that may take place during a Presidential cam- paign and may directly or indirectly benefit the campaign, consti- tute an improper use of appropriated funds. This question has been raised by members of both major political parties on various occa- sions incident to a Presidential campaign. The question poses the very difficult problem of distinguishing between permissible offi- cial activities for which appropriated funds are available and other activities that are similar in nature but are for purely political or partisan purposes. The problem becomes particularly troublesome when those activities tend to increase during the late stages of a campaign. As to official activities, we have long held that the President and his Cabinet and other subordinates have a duty to inform the public about Government policies, and policymaking officials traditionally have utilized Government resources to disseminate information in explanation and defense of those policies. ~-~ SI(905029)