DHS wasted nearly $16,000 publishing book of Chertoff’s speeches.
DHS wasted nearly $16,000 publishing book of Chertoff’s speeches.
On January 28, ThinkProgress reported that the Department of Homeland Security published and distributed an entire book (315 pages) honoring former Secretary Michael Chertoff’s “Select Speeches” despite the fact that most — if not all — are likely available online. Moreover, this particular homage was not given to his predecessor, Tom Ridge. Days later, a DHS spokesperson told ThinkProgress that the “project cost approximately $11,200 and came from DHS Chief of Staff funds.” However, ThinkProgress has now obtained a FOIA request filed by TP reader Michael Ter Avest which reveals that the actual cost of the entire production, including CDs, books, layout and design, totaled $15,965.26:
This is the final response to your January 28, 2009, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), for records reflecting the cost of editing, publishing, and distributing the DHS publication Select Speeches, a volume of public statements of then Secretary Chertoff from 2005-2008. Your request was received in this office on March 16, 2009. […]
[T]he following information is provided, which is responsive to your request:
CD – $1,549.37
Books – $9,097.15
Layout and design – $5,318.74
Total — $15,965.26
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I didn’t know Skeletor could speak. Why would anyone listen to his words anyway? Another ‘heck of a job’ moment.
April 1st, 2009 at 7:14 pmBut if you tear out the pages bunch them up and wedge them under the threshold before duct taping the plastic sheeting up you will be oh so much safer. Which terrorist color code are we at right now? I sort have forgotten and I have been carelessly wasting my duct tape on shit like prom dresses and wallets…
April 1st, 2009 at 7:19 pmI got loads of duct tape. Let me know how much you need and I’ll get ‘em to ya.
April 1st, 2009 at 7:22 pmDHS wasted nearly $16,000 publishing book of Chertoff’s speeches.
– - I can’t WAIT til I can get a podcast!! And they MUST put it on Kindle too!!
April 1st, 2009 at 7:23 pmThud.
thus making it
the world’s most expensive toilet paper
April 1st, 2009 at 7:33 pmI suppose that he knows that no one will pay them homage, even if the book is free, so he does it himself – on the government’s dime.
April 1st, 2009 at 7:38 pmDelicate egos need stroking, no matter how inept, how corrupt and how completely oblivious.
Find out who authorized this and send them an invoice immediately. If they are still employed, fire them now. Find out if their immediate supervisor knew about this waste of taxpayer dollars and if so, fire him/her, too. Keep going up the chain.
PEACE
April 1st, 2009 at 7:39 pm… January 28, 2009, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request [...] was received in this office on March 16, 2009. […]
that’s quite a time span there… and i’d bet it’s not the postal service…
…
hey -
i just heard chris matthews say the following, paraphrased, following his story about the Fool’s Fudget:
there is only one ruling party, the democratic party of barack obama, and anything you hear from anyone else, rush limbaugh, or some faceless congressman, it doesn’t matter…
i’ve totally lost the rest, but, chris, thank you.
before that he covered the franken/coleman prolonged finish, FINALLY…
April 1st, 2009 at 7:47 pmthough it followed a short story about the NY race… and here we go again…
Happy April Fools Day!
April 1st, 2009 at 7:59 pmWe are lucky and fortunate that DHS spent money only on Chertoff speeches .
April 1st, 2009 at 8:06 pmHad DHS tried to spend money on Chertoff looks,DHS would have spent 10 times that amount to make Chertoff looks better.
“Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity.”
attributed to Frank Leahy
April 1st, 2009 at 8:14 pmWow, $5318 to design and layout a speech book? I want that job.
April 1st, 2009 at 8:21 pmThis is the biggest literary travesty since Madonna published,”Sex”
April 1st, 2009 at 8:43 pmI wonder how long it can burn in a fireplace or 55-gallon drum. Sure can help all those unemployed people living in tent cities.
Let’s find out!
April 1st, 2009 at 8:50 pmI’d like to see the sales figures.
April 1st, 2009 at 8:53 pmThe Chertoff wheel chock on sale at an auto supply near you!
April 1st, 2009 at 9:00 pmTrying to see the glass half full, any positives at all here?… Anything… ah!
Layout and design – $5,318.74
At least someone was gainfully employed while making the thing. XoD
April 1st, 2009 at 10:27 pmWHO in the FREAKITTY-FREAK wants to read that flaming skull’s speeches?!?!?!!
April 1st, 2009 at 11:06 pmceltic cynic Says:
“Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity.”
attributed to Frank Leahy
—————–
Did he say that about Palin?
April 1st, 2009 at 11:12 pmDid they also preserve the toilet paper he used to wipe his bony ass with?….seems just as important.
April 1st, 2009 at 11:21 pmThey could have put it on a “print on demand” service. That way, they wouldn’t have to worry about dealing with left-over copies.
April 1st, 2009 at 11:25 pmOh, yeah. That is sure to be a best seller. Aside from family it might sell 100 copies after it has been discounted.
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:07 amOT
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:36 amUnless this is an April Fool joke, I believe Norm Coleman has conceded in Minnesota.
I think it is a joke at the Daily Kos.
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:39 ampeanuts compared to our wars for profits.
mere peanuts.
April 2nd, 2009 at 2:32 amAre the sorry speeches post Katrina included?
Now the government has a bound book of lies and corruption. It’s gonna look pretty funny using his hardbound copy against him in court.
The nerve of these large government spenders.
April 2nd, 2009 at 5:17 am16K wasted in something only Chertov would be interested in.
Did we have to pay for a slide show full of pictures of him too?
Can anyone say narcissist?
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:35 amOK Pat obviously senile dementia has set in. Time to see the nice young men that will need to take care of you soon.burun estetigi rent a car arac kiralama
April 18th, 2009 at 6:17 amsac ekimi