Rep. Poe: Justice Department Muffin Man must be stopped

Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) on Thursday morning blasted the Department of Justice for spending nearly $500,000 on refreshments for just 10 conferences, data that were reported this week by Justice's inspector general. The IG report said $4,200 was spent for just 250 muffins at one conference, which means the muffins cost more than $16 apiece.

"Do you know the Muffin Man?" Poe asked members on the House floor. "Yes, I know the Muffin Man, but he doesn't live on Drury Lane. He lives at the Department of Justice, and is growing rich on selling $16 muffins to the Department of Justice.

"How come these critters cost $16 apiece?" Poe went on, holding up a muffin. "These are some high-dollar muffins that the Department of Justice is buying for its conferences.

"Where do you even find a muffin that costs $16? I've never seen one, Madam Speaker. Maybe they're shipped in from a special bakery in France with some secret ingredient."

Poe said he checked with his favorite bakery — Rao's in Beaumont, Texas — and they told him the muffins should only cost about $2 each. He said government spends so much money on muffins because "it doesn't care."

"I know the Muffin Man, and the government should quit spending somebody else's money to keep the Muffin Man rolling in the dough," he said.

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