What's in Your Wallet?
by: Katelynn Eckert

In an audit of federal employees' use of credit cards, released on March 14, 2008, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found some shocking charges with a debatable relationship to necessary costs. For example, during more than 15 consecutive months between 2004 and 2006, a U.S. postmaster charged $1,100 to two Internet dating services, and faced no disciplinary action for the fraudulent transactions. For nearly six years, a Department of Agriculture employee charged more than $642,000 to her government account, covering expenses ranging from car loans to gambling.

Fill'er Up with Politics
by: Elizabeth Wright

The Air Force refueling tanker saga started with a provision added to the fiscal 2002 Defense Appropriations Act directing the Air Force to lease 100 Boeing 767's for new fuel tankers. It was not only one of the worst examples of corporate welfare, this no-bid lease also ballooned into a major scandal. Eventually, the Air Force's chief negotiator on the tanker contract and Boeing's number-two corporate officer went to jail and Boeing was fined more than $600 million.

2008 Pig Book Pork
by: Alexa Moutevelis

On April 2, CAGW released the 2008 Congressional Pig Book, which identifies 11,610 pork- barrel projects worth $17.2 billion in the fiscal year 2008 appropriations bills.