Following the Money...
Here are some experts from a Times article today about a financial scandal surrounding the head of the Smithsonian.
Embattled Smithsonian Official Resigns”
” The governing board of the Smithsonian Institution announced Monday that it had accepted the resignation of its top official, Lawrence M. Small, after an internal audit showing that the museum complex had paid for his routine use of lavish perks like chauffeured cars, private jets, top-rated hotels and catered meals.”
Mr. Small, 66, a former executive at Citibank and the mortgage financier Fannie Mae, had led the 161-year-old Smithsonian since January 2000.
Mr. Grassley was especially upset over Mr. Small’s compensation, which totaled $915,698 this year, and “hundreds of thousands” in reimbursements during his tenure for items like “chandelier cleaning and pool heaters” at Mr. Small’s home.
Although it receives about $715 million from taxpayer funds, the Smithsonian’s museums charge no admission fee and rely on receipts from its retail shops and other commercial ventures for income — along with public donations.
Its Business Ventures Division has come under major criticism, in part because of a recent deal with Showtime, the cable channel. In that deal, the Smithsonian agreed to restrict access to its archives and scientists, which critics said violated its public status.
Ms. Burke has been linked with Mr. Small’s efforts to put the Smithsonian on a more commercial footing, especially after attendance plummeted following the 2001 terrorist attacks.