Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WEBVTT BE 5 INVESTIGATES PORING OVERTHE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS CHARGEDEVERY YEAR ON CREDIT CARDSASSIGNED TO STATE AGENCIES ANDDEPARTMENTS AND DISCOVERING SOMEUNUSUAL PURCHASES.JC: INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER MIKEBEAUDET FOUND ONE OFFICE INPARTICULAR BEING ESPECIALLYSECRETIVE ABOUT WHAT THEY'REBUYING>> HOME ANYTHING WERE JUST HETHINK THEY ARE BUYING FOR$13,000?>> THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.MIKE: NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITYJOURNALISM STUDENTS LOOKING FORANSWERS ON BEACON HILL.>> WHAT COULD THEY HAVE POSSIBLYBOUGHT FOR $25,000 THAT MAKEDONALD'S?-- AT MCDONALD'S?>> I HAVE NO IDEA.MIKE: LOOKING AT CHARGESON ONECREDIT CARD ASSIGNED TO THEHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.>> DO YOU THINK THEY OHTAXPAYERS AND IT WILL NATION?>> I DO.MIKE:LIKE AMAZON.COM AND HOMEDEPOT -- AND THEN THERE IS THEFOOD.BUT WHEN WE ASKED FOR DETAILSABOUT WHAT THEY BOUGHT AND WHY,WE WERE BASICALLY TOLD, MINDYOUR BUSINESS.THAT'S ABSURD.>> WHAT DO YOU THINK?>> WHEN IT COMESTO SPENDINGMONEY, THERE NEEDS TO BEACCOUNTABILITY.MIKE: WESHOWED TO THE HOUSECREDIT CARD RECORDS TO THEEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COMMONCAUSMASSACHUSETTS.>> DOES IT MAKE YOU WANT TO KNOWMORE?>> IT'S HARD TO EVALUATE THOSEPURCHASES UNLESS YOU KNOW WHATTHEY ARE FOR.>> IT'S ACCORDING TO HOUSE RULESIN TERMS OF WHAT WE CAN ANDCAN'T RELEASE.MIKE: HOUSE SPEAKER ROBERT DELEODEFENDED NOT RELEASING THEINFORMATION BECAUSE THE CHARGESARE AUDITED ANNUALLY.DOESN'T TH PUBLIC DESERVEANSWERS?>> I THINK THAT'S WHERE -- HEMOST IMPORTANT PART IS GETTINGTHAT AUDITS, TO MAKE SUREEVERYTHING IS DONE PROPERLY,WHICH IT IS, AND THAT THERE'S NOWASTE OF TAXPAYER FUNDING.MIKE: BUT WE CAN'T SEE WHAT YOUARE BUYING.>> AGAIN, THIS IS ALL ACCORDINGTO THE RULES WE OPERATE UNDER.MIKE: MORE THAN TWO MONTHS AFTERWE FIRST STARTED ASKINGQUESTIONS, THE HOUSE SPEAKER'SOFFICE FINALLY AGREED TOGIVESOME ANSWERS, BUT STILL WOULDNOT PROVIDE EXPENSE REPORTS ORRECEIPTS, POINTING OUT THEPUBLIC RECORDS LAW DOES NOTAPPLY TO THE LEGISLATURE.THE SPEAKER'S OFFICE TOLD FIVEINVESTIGATES THAT IINCLUDELEGITIMATE BUSINESS EXPENSESLIKE REFINISHING CHAIRS IN THECHAMBER.THEY SHOPPED AT HOME DEPOT FORMISCELLANEOUS BUILDING SUPPLIES.$30,000 IN FOOD CHARGES, MOSTLYMEALS PROVIDED TO MEMBERS ANDSTAFF WHEN THE HOUSE OFREPRESENTATIVES WAS IN SESSIONDEBATING THE ANNUAL BUDGET.SHOULD THE HOUSE BE MORETRANSPARENT?>> I WILL TELLYOU, FROM YOURPERSPECTIVE, YOU HAVE ALREADYBEEN PROVIDED INFORMATION.MIKE: BUT NOT AS MUCH AS -- >> SHOULD ANYTHINGFURTHER BENEEDED, YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, CHECKWITH MY OFFICE.MIKE: WE ASKED FOR A COPY OF THEAUDIT HE MENTIONED, BUT HE WOULDNOT GIVE US THAT EITHER.COMING UP 7:00, TENS OFTHOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OFQUESTIONABLE EXPENSES.MIKE BEAUDET, 5 INVESTIGATES.BE GREAT STORY.

Advertisement Speaker mum on House credit card spending details Records withheld on hundreds of thousands in charges to taxpayer-paid credit card Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The state House of Representatives charged more than $200,000 in three years to a taxpayer-paid state credit card, but House Speaker Robert DeLeo is refusing to release detailed spending records, citing the Legislature’s exemption from the state public records law.“Doesn't the public deserve some answers, though, about how their money is being spent?” 5 Investigates’ Mike Beaudet asked DeLeo.“The most important part is getting that audit done and to make sure everything is done properly, which it is, and there's no waste of any taxpayers' funding,” DeLeo said, referring to an annual audit of House spending.“But we can't see what you're buying?” Beaudet said.“This is all according to the rules we operate under,” DeLeo responded.The spending was uncovered by 5 Investigates’ and Northeastern University School of Journalism, which obtained summary spending records from the State Comptroller.Among the charges were $25,426 to Amazon.com, $12,625 to Home Depot and $38,319 at various restaurants, including about $13,000 at Kelly’s Roast Beef.The Northeastern journalism students took their questions to taxpayers outside Beacon Hill.“How many sandwiches do you think they're buying for $13,000?” student Ellie Williams asked.“Oh jeez, that's a lot of money,” one woman replied. “I don't know. I make my sandwiches at home.”“Do you think they owe taxpayers an explanation?” Williams asked another taxpayer.“Absolutely they do,” he said. "We need to know where that money is going. Because it's our money,” said one Massachusetts resident.Another called the public records exemption that allows the House to keep taxpayers in the dark about their spending a “loophole”.“When it comes to spending money, there needs to be accountability,” said Pam Wilmot, executive director of Common Cause Massachusetts, which works to hold the powerful accountable.“Does it make you want to know more?” Beaudet asked her.“Well yes. It's hard to evaluate those purchases unless you knowwhat they're for,” she said.DeLeo said the House’s rules dictate what can and can’t be released.More than two months after 5 Investigates first asked for information, DeLeo’s office finally agreed to provide some answers. But it still would not provide expense reports or receipts, again pointing out that the public records law does not apply to the Legislature.The Speaker's office said the credit card charges are for "legitimate business expenses" including refinishing chairs in the House Chamber. The $25,426 spent on 79 Amazon.com charges were for "materials for our Information Technology Department”; the Home Depot charges were for"miscellaneous building supplies"; and the food charges were mostly for “meals provided to members and staff when the House of Representatives was in session debating the annual budget.”"Should the House be more transparent?” Beaudet asked.“I will tell you, from your perspective, I think you've already been provided with some information,” DeLeo replied.“Some, but not as much as other agencies,” Beaudet replied.“Should anything further be needed you can check with my office,” DeLeo replied.5 Investigates did check back with the Speaker’s office and asked for a copy of the most recent audit that DeLeo mentioned, but that request was also denied.This investigation was reported on for a seminar in investigative reporting taught by 5 Investigates’ Mike Beaudet, who is also a journalism professor at Northeastern University. The following students participated in the project: Kevin Barasia, Jane Cassingham, Sydne Mass, Cody Mello-Klein, Pranav Temburnikar, Ellie Williams, and Siyi Zhao.