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DEA to Take Hawaiian Holiday, Your Tax Dollars at Work

By Jeralyn, Section Crime Policy
Posted on Thu Mar 09, 2006 at 10:14:07 AM EST
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Via the Peacock Report:

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has chosen Hawaii as the venue for its annual International Narcotics Enforcement Management Seminar, a 20-day conference that in the past had been held in Washington, D.C. According to a call for bids released yesterday, the State Dept.-funded event will take place at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu as well as at an unspecified hotel in Waikiki.

....U.S. taxpayers will foot the bill for 12 hotel suites for unnamed VIPs from May 28 to June 16, when the event will conclude with a U.S. government-funded and catered "graduation dinner for approximately 40 people."

The DEA specifies as room requirements:

The participant's sleeping rooms must be executive rooms suitable for extended stay occupancy, complete with a double/king sized bed, desk, internet access, television, coffee maker, refrigerator, a microwave, a sitting area and bathroom.

I also see that the DEA doesn't have to pay hotel taxes.

Pursuant to 26 U. S. C., the Secretary of the Treasury has exempted the United States Government from state and local taxation. As an agency of the Federal Government, the Drug Enforcement Administration is exempt from state and local taxes, including hotel taxes when direct payments (electronic funds transfer) are made to the vendor by the Government (Unless otherwise prohibited).

These are your tax dollars that are footing the bill.

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    • DEA to Take Hawaiian Holiday, Your Tax Dollars at Work | 8 comments (8 topical)
    Re: DEA to Take Hawaiian Holiday, Your Tax Dollars (none / 0) (#1)
    by Strick on Thu Mar 09, 2006 at 11:03:54 AM EST
    Don't know the details on this one, but it can work out funny that way. I remember how the partners in my firm reacted when the learned that the participants in one of our training classes had learned they could hold it more cheaply in Paris (including air travel) than they could where it was normally held in New York and had made plans accordingly. To save the firm money, don't you know. Still, Honolulu is better than Las Vegas which is normally the cheapest destination, at least for law enforcement types.

    Re: DEA to Take Hawaiian Holiday, Your Tax Dollars (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Thu Mar 09, 2006 at 12:08:38 PM EST
    They should hold their little meeting in Rikers....so they can get a taste of the misery their work inflicts on others.

    Re: DEA to Take Hawaiian Holiday, Your Tax Dollars (none / 0) (#3)
    by Linkmeister on Thu Mar 09, 2006 at 01:50:15 PM EST
    Dammit, there are 1M people who live out here, nearly all of whom are US citizens and taxpayers. We have a very expensive convention center which we try to rent to all manner of people in order to make money, just like Las Vegas and a zillion other cities. We have small businesses all over the place trying to earn a living, as well as major hotels and all the ancillary businesses that cater to their customers. We're not just a beach, and I'm really tired of national media as well as bloggers automatically assuming that there's no reason to come here except to tan and drink Mai Tais. Denver's got ski resorts nearby, right? Does Denver get this crap when a convention comes there?

    Re: DEA to Take Hawaiian Holiday, Your Tax Dollars (none / 0) (#4)
    by scarshapedstar on Thu Mar 09, 2006 at 05:24:52 PM EST
    They should hold their little meeting in Rikers....so they can get a taste of the misery their work inflicts on others.
    They're probably more interested in getting a taste of the ol' Maui Wowie.

    Re: DEA to Take Hawaiian Holiday, Your Tax Dollars (none / 0) (#5)
    by Che's Lounge on Thu Mar 09, 2006 at 05:32:04 PM EST
    These people are just government welfare cases. They contribute absolutely nothing to society, and feed at the tax trough, selfishly detached from the misery they cause in their useless and morally perverted endeavors.

    Re: DEA to Take Hawaiian Holiday, Your Tax Dollars (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Mar 09, 2006 at 05:51:15 PM EST
    They should hold their little meeting in Rikers....so they can get a taste of the misery their work inflicts on others. YEAH! Because as we all know, the fine and upstanding citizens in Rikers are only there because of the DEA and other evil law enforcement agencies and not because of their own actions. I say let all the inmates in Rikers go free...then we would have a better society. I'm sure some of you would gladly open your homes to these misunderstood folks.

    Re: DEA to Take Hawaiian Holiday, Your Tax Dollars (none / 0) (#7)
    by kdog on Fri Mar 10, 2006 at 06:43:00 AM EST
    Because as we all know, the fine and upstanding citizens in Rikers
    My father was a citizen of Rikers....and was a better man than any arsehole working for the DEA, I'll guarantee you that. You can side with tyranny if you want...I'll side with the opressed.

    Re: DEA to Take Hawaiian Holiday, Your Tax Dollars (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Mar 11, 2006 at 04:11:15 AM EST
    Whatever helps you sleep Kdog.

    DEA to Take Hawaiian Holiday, Your Tax Dollars at Work | 8 comments (8 topical)