The White House's justification for firing seven longtime travel-office employees is being challenged on Capitol Hill as the ousted head of the staff protests that he and his people did nothing wrong.
Billy Dale, barred from his office after 31 years, rebutted suggestions of wrongdoing."I have not stolen anybody's money. The guys in my office have not stolen anybody's money," Dale said Thursday, adding that holding down costs "was one of my main concerns."
The White House abruptly fired the entire travel staff Wednesday, accusing them of financial mismanagement of money received from news organizations for trips with the president. The White House said the FBI had been brought into the case.
A 25-year-old cousin of President Clinton was named to run the office on a day-by-day basis, and an Arkansas travel agency was picked, without competitive bidding, to handle travel arrangements.
Sen. Christopher Bond, R-Mo., asked the White House for an explanation of why the staff was fired and why a Little Rock company was asked to step in.
"I am concerned that these dismissals - occurring without any opportunity to allow the accused to defend themselves - do not seem fair," said Bond, the ranking Republican on a Senate subcommittee that oversees the White House budget.