* As for meeting with some of the grant applicants, Flores told the committee, "I try to meet with anyone" who might want help in applying for grants, "trying to provide technical assistance," including with the "nitty gritty" of applying on line.
* Cummings, the congressman from Maryland, shot back that Flores refused to meet with some applicants that he subsequently did not fund, like Parents Anonymous, and told his staff that he did not want to have such meetings. He produced an e-mail to Flores from one of his staffers that read:
"Per our understanding, these calls were to be handled by Program Managers and to protect you from folks beating down your door by saying you are not available. ... Open the door for one and others will follow."
Flores replied to Cummings, "We can't meet with everybody."
Differences with Staff
* All five current and former DOJ staffers and officials who spoke with the committee during its investigation said the process for selecting these grants was not fair and transparent, according to several of the committee members.
While Flores defended his actions, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the committee chairman, said, "It seems that you are the only person at the Department of Justice who thinks your process was fair, transparent and served the taxpayers."
* While his staff recommended 18 bids to be funded - recognizing that not all could be funded because of financial limitations - Flores chose only five of them, along with five that were not recommended.
And of course my personal favorite the first golf tee receipt that Flores was supposed to pay in 2006 but was paid one day before his testimony. Waxman presented this in the hearing:
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