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Mr. Hars. Were you out of work a while before you found another job?

The WITNESS. I was out of work until September 26, when I went to work for the telephone company.

Mr. HAYS. That is all.

Mr. DICKINSON. May I clear up one point? You have said that you did nothing of a clerical nature and everything you did was of a domestic type; cleaning house, keeping house, and cooking. You have also testified that you saw nothing that you would consider committee business. Now, this applies to Miss Corrine Huff too, does it not?

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The WITNESS. Yes, sir.

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Mr. DICKINSON. Did you see her do anything official or anything

connected with committee work as far as you could tell?

The WITNESS. Well, no; not really. I think it was U.S. Newsweek magazine came in and it had the Congressman's speech in it and they were making plans to have the speech taken out of that magazine and put into folders and sent around to the different committees here, but other than that, I don't really think I saw any business transacted there. Mr. DICKINSON. Thank you. Mr. Hays. That is all, Miss Givens.

(Witness excused.)

Mr. O'CONNOR. The next witness will be Mr. Robert Gray. Mr. Gray is the one who conducted the audit on behalf of the subcommittee. He is here to testify concerning the audit, the findings which were made, and also to explain to you the exhibits which will be available for each individual's use during the interrogation of subsequent witnesses.

ROBERT D. GRAY, having been duly sworn, was examined and testified as follows:

By Mr. O'CONNOR:

Q. Will you state your name, please?

A. Robert D. Gray.

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A. General Accounting Office.

Q. How long have you been employed at the General Accounting Office?

A. About 20 years.

Q. What is your position with General Accounting Office?

A. Supervisory accountant.

Q. What is your present position?

A. I am on loan to this Committee on House Administration from

the General Accounting Office.

Q. How long have you been on loan to this committee?

A. Since October 3, 1966.

Q. Under whose direction have you been working on this detail?
A. This Special Subcommittee on Contracts.

Q. Will you explain to the committee the scope of your assignment? A. When I reported to the committee it was explained to me that an audit was desired of certain expenditures of the Committee on Education and Labor and of certain possible payroll irregularities. Q. Did you undertake such an audit?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Will you explain to the committee the scope of your audit? A. We examined into about four categories of expenditure. Those were salaries, travel, communications and miscellaneous- -office expenses, and so forth. The preliminary review of these expenditures indicated substantial irregularities warranting a detailed review of the travel expenditures and, accordingly, our primary concentration was in the area of travel expenses of the Education and Labor Committee. Q. What period of time did your audit cover?

A. January 3, 1965, through September 30, 1966.

Q. Will you explain to the committee briefly the principal significant findings?

A. There were 149 employees on the staff of the Education and Labor Committee during the period. Travel expenses of about $73,000 were incurred. The $73,000 in travel expenses appeared significant to us when compared with the average of less than $15,000 in travel expenses incurred by other committees of the House. About 560 tickets were purchased with various credit cards issued through the Eastern Airlines credit card system consisting of one-way, round-trip, and multiple-itinerary tickets. Included in these ticket purchases were about 190 trips between Washington and New York City; 80 trips, Washington and Miami; 15 trips between New York City and Miami; 12 trips from New York City to Miami to the District of Columbia, and 15 trips between the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Included also were numerous trips between other cities in the United States, including Hawaii.

We accumulated data on the full committee and all of the subcommittees. Most of our detailed analysis to date involves the full committee and Subcommittee No. 7. That is the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Poverty.

The size of the staffs, the amount of travel performed by the remaining subcommittees is relatively small.

Our findings in general relate to the numerous trips from Washington to New York City and Miami, Fla., and return, by Congressman Powell and certain staff members of the full committee and Subcommittee 7. No subsistence or related expenses were claimed for many of these trips and many of the trips were made to New York City over weekends.

In addition, our analysis of airline tickets used has disclosed that apparently some of the airline tickets or portions thereof purchased with committee credit cards have not been used or turned back to the airlines for credit to the committee account.

Eastern Airlines' search of ticket usage indicates 13 tickets purchased which have never been used or refunded, 27 tickets for which only a portion of the travel had been performed, but no refund has been requested for the unused portion. These tickets have been paid for with Government funds. We have the same situation with some tickets issued by other airlines, but we haven't had those doublechecked as yet.

Q. Did you make detailed findings as to particular staff members of the committee?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Will you tell us your findings with reference to Donald L. Anderson?

A. We have accounted for 14 trips between Washington and New York City, many of which were made on weekends, for which no claims for subsistence or related expenses were made. The claimed reimbursement for subsistence for the period March 26 to April 1, 1965, was for a trip to the west coast and airline records show that a ticket issued to Anderson was used between the District of Columbia and New York City on March 28, 1965, during the period his expense voucher showed him on the west coast.

Q. Did you make specific findings with reference to Odell Clark, chief investigator of the full committee?

A. Yes. Clark's home address is in New York City. We have accounted for 26 trips between Washington and New York City, many of which were made on weekends, and 8 trips between Washington or New York City and Miami, Fla., for from 8 to 21 days' duration. Also we accounted for four trips between Washington or New York City to Chicago. While Clark claimed reimbursement for subsistence and other expenses on other travel, he made no such claims for the above-described trips. In addition, Eastern Airlines has reported nonuse or refund of six tickets or portions thereof. Also, our analysis of travel shows that Clark traveled and claimed per diem for a trip to Los Angeles March 16 to 20, 1966, and used airline tickets from Washington to Miami, March 11, 1966, and return March 19, 1966. Q. Did you make a specific finding with respect to Russell C. Derrickson, staff director of the full committee?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Will you explain what that was?

A. We accounted for 23 trips between Washington and New York City, most of which were made on weekends. This was the only travel of record performed by Derrickson and no subsistence or related expenses were claimed for the travel.

Q. Did you make findings with respect to Aurora Harris, secretary of the full committee?

A. We have accounted for three trips between Washington and New York City and four trips between Washington and Miami, Fla., of from 6 to 9 days' duration. This was the only travel performed by Miss Harris. No subsistence claims were made.

Q. Did you make specific findings with reference to Will Henderson, assistant clerk to the minority?

A. Mr. Henderson traveled from Washington to San Francisco in August 1965 on the staff of the full committee. We were unable to verify the date of his return. He also traveled from Washington to San Francisco November 11, 1965, and returned January 13, 1966, while on the staff of the Subcommittee No. 7. This is the only travel performed by Henderson and no subsistence was claimed for either of these trips, the second of which covered a period of 2 months.

Q. Did you make specific findings with reference to Dorothy Himes, administrative assistant?

A. We have accounted for six trips between Washington and New York City and two trips between Washington and Miami, Fla. This is the only travel performed by Miss Himes and no subsistence was claimed.

Q. Did you make specific findings with reference to Corrine A. Huff, secretary, full committee?

A. We have accounted for five trips between Washington and New York City, all on weekends. We also account for one trip from Miami to Washington on July 17, 1966, approximately 1 month and a half after Miss Huff was off the committee payroll. This was paid for with

committee funds.

Q. Did you make specific findings with respect to Malcolm LaPlace, assistant director, Public Information?

A. Travel for Mr. LaPlace appeared to be properly claimed except during the period January 12 through 26, 1966, when his subsistence voucher shows him on a trip to the west coast. Airline records show that he returned to Washington on January 21, 1966, which indicates an overclaim of per diem for 5 days, or about $80.

Q. Did you make a specific finding with respect to Cleomine B. Lewis, secretary?

A. We accounted for 5 trips between Washington and New York City and 11 trips between Washington or New York City and Miami, of about 5 to 15 days' duration. This is the only travel performed by Miss Lewis and no claims for subsistence were made for any of the travel. Also we noted that the airline records show Miss Lewis in Miami from April 1 to 16, 1966. However, a ticket issued in her name was used from New York City to Washington and return on April 5, 1966.

Q. Did you make specific findings with reference to James B. McCarthy, investigator?

A. Payroll records show McCarthy resides in New York City. Our analysis of his travel indicates that he may be working out of New York City but making his claims as though traveling from Washington.

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