Whistle Blown on U.S. Officials Getting Free Ride

Sixty percent of the federal officials getting free transportation between home and office in the first half of 1985 were not entitled to the benefit, congressional investigators said today.

The General Accounting Office reported that of the 128 officials provided with government vehicles for commuting, some of them with chauffeurs, 79 had no legal basis for the transportation.

The GAO data was presented to the House Government Operations national security subcommittee, which is considering a Reagan Administration bill that would expand by 25% the number of officials authorized to commute at taxpayer expense.

Among the offenders cited by the GAO was Information Agency Director Charles Z. Wick, whose agency tried to justify his car by saying that “the director has almost daily 8:45 a.m. meetings at the Department of State. Almost nightly he attends social functions related to his office.”

“Not authorized,” was the verdict of the GAO.