Sharp Questions On Homeland Security Spending, Management

courant.com | Agency's Disarray On Display

Washington Bureau Chief

WASHINGTON -- At 7:52 a.m. Wednesday, about two hours before Department of Homeland Security officials were due to be grilled about why employees bought beer-brewing kits, plasma TVs, and other questionable items, the Senate committee chairman's office got an e-mail.

The 12 missing flat-bottom boats the department and congressional investigators could not find had suddenly turned up, it said.