Independent Counsels

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided expenditure and payroll information for an independent counsel appointed to investigate certain allegations against the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the period of May 24, 1995, through March 31, 1996, focusing on: (1) total expenditures related to the independent counsel's investigation; (2) gross pay for the independent counsel; and (3) gross pay for a deputy independent counsel.

GAO noted that: (1) total expenditures for the independent counsel's investigation through March 31, 1996, were $902,000; (2) of this amount, $714,000 was expended from the permanent, indefinite appropriation established to fund independent counsel operations; (3) the remaining $188,000 was for other operating costs that were financed from other appropriations; (4) these costs related to employees assigned to work on the investigation by other federal agencies, and were not audited; (5) during the period May 24, 1995, through March 31, 1996, the independent counsel received $64,119 in gross pay; and (6) during the period from May 24, 1995, through March 31, 1996, the deputy independent counsel received $86,689 in gross pay.