WASHINGTON – – 8 March 2012 – Congressman John Tierney Wednesday called for a congressional investigation into the status of a notorious luxury cabin boat and the personnel in NOAA's Seattle office who acquired and misused the $300,000 law enforcement asset for joy rides and other "misconduct" documented by the Commerce Department inspector general.
Tierney urged the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to step in after Commerce Secretary John Bryson failed to respond to a series of questions in a letter from the congressman.
It built on findings by the office of IG Todd Zinser that the Seattle office of law enforcement in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had manipulated the procurement process to acquire the boat, replete with flat screen TV and bar, which was used to tool around Puget Sound.
The abuse of the boat blew out one of the three outboard motors, leaving it helpless in a busy shipping lane on one occasion, ccording to the IG's report which was obtained by Tierney and Sen. Scott Brown under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act last month.
Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times.