They just can't help themselves, can they? It's like some bizarre exhibitionist syndrome: When a Republican appointee gets access to money--what, in more innocent days, they themselves used to refer to as "your tax dollars"--it's Gentlemen, start your looting!

And then looting begins, and continues, all in the crassest, grossest, most arrogant, entitled, Caligulatorial fashion imaginable. Remember when Bush appointed Ken Tomlinson to the Broadcasting Board of Governors, and Tomlinson ran a horse-racing operation out of his office*, all on the public dime? That kind of thing. Here's another one:

Lawrence M. Small, the top official at the Smithsonian Institution, accumulated nearly $90,000 in unauthorized expenses from 2000 to 2005, including charges for chartered jet travel, his wife's trip to Cambodia, hotel rooms, luxury car service, catered staff meals and expensive gifts, according to confidential findings by the Smithsonian inspector general.

"Many transactions were not properly documented or were not in accordance with Smithsonian policies," acting Inspector General A. Sprightley Ryan wrote on Jan. 16 to the Smithsonian Board of Regents Audit and Review Committee. "Some transactions might be considered lavish or extravagant."

Tosh! What's extravagant about sending your wife to Cambodia? And what's extravagant about this:

A list of expenses prepared by an outside auditor working for the inspector general showed that Small often purchased expensive floral arrangements, rented tables, china and flatware, and hired high-end caterers for meals for employees who reported directly to him. The expenses included more than $2,000 for alcohol, though the auditor found that the rules do not allow the purchase of alcohol. Small also threw staff dinners, including one in July 2000 that cost $4,300.

Small justified the meals by telling the auditors that his staff frequently worked through lunch or dinner.

And so then they need to get hammered?

But, as usual with Republican corruption, it's all about the lawbreaking, the self-dealing, and the cronyism that enables it. For example, it seems that, like Bush, and Nixon, Small believed that if he authorized it, it was legal. And his staff went along with Small's authoritarian mindset:

The secretary's staff justified some spending that appeared to violate policy because they believed "the Secretary could waive any policy if it applied" to him.

The inspector general replied in a footnote, "We are aware of no written authority for the Secretary to waive Smithsonian policies."

And it just keeps getting better. When it came time for Small's "expenses" to be reviewed by the Smithsonian's governors, Small wrote the report:

The [Regents' audit committee report] was written by Small's office using an outline provided by the committee, according to Grassley.

Sweet! Republican Charles Grassley, exercising some extremely belated oversight, asked Supreme Court "Justice" John Roberts whether it was appropriate for Small to review the propriety of his own actions:

A spokeswoman for Roberts told The Post, "The chief justice has no comment."

Those Republicans sure know how to stick together, don't they?

Howard Dean got this right, as he got so much else right, when he said: "You can't trust Republicans with money."

And you can bet the same story is happening all over DC right now. If anything, the looting will have accelerated as the Republicans stare 2008 in the face.

* My only quibble about NPR's reporting on this is that they call Tomlimson's actions "incredible." What's incredible about it?

NOTE Welcome, Pharyngula readers!