Den of Thieves

What can I say? You build an organization of crooks and liars, don't be surprised when you catch someone with his hand in the till.

The National Republican Congressional Committee told federal authorities that it overstated the amount of cash it held at the end of 2006 by nearly $1 million. A year later, the committee's annual report to the Federal Election Commission — which again was handled by the ex-treasurer — overstated the actual funds on hand by $740,000.

Republican officials said the former employee, Chris Ward, apparently "made several hundred thousand dollars in unauthorized transfers of NRCC funds to outside committees whose bank accounts he had access to" over several years. Most, if not all, of the smaller accounts were associated with GOP candidates or groups.

Ward, 39, "also appears to have made subsequent transfers of several hundred thousand dollars in funds from those outside committees to what appear to be his personal and business bank accounts," the NRCC said in a statement, which accompanied a briefing to reporters.

It was well noted in my office today that $750,000 is enough money to go to prison for a long time, but it's not a lot of money to disappear on. Culture of corruption anyone?