Pubdate: Thu, 5 Oct 2000 Source: Corpus Christi Caller-Times (TX) Copyright: 2000 Corpus Christi Caller-Times Address: P.O. Box 9136, Corpus Christi, TX 78469-9136 Feedback: http://www.caller.com/commcentral/email_ed.htm Website: http://www.caller.com/ DRUG CZAR'S OFFICE UNDER INVESTIGATION Charges involve $8 million in inflated advertising fees WASHINGTON - Congressional investigators opened a criminal investigation of the White House drug czar's office this spring after uncovering evidence that contractors improperly inflated advertising costs for the $1 billion national anti-drug campaign. Robert Hast, head of the congressional General Accounting Office's criminal fraud unit, told the House Government Reform criminal justice subcommittee Wednesday that auditors uncovered evidence involving an estimated $8 million in inflated charges involving government advertising contracts. The charges involve inflated billing for work done on the anti-drug contracts, payments of bonuses to executives and improper travel charges. - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck