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entitled 'The White House: Allegations of Damage During the 2001 
Presidential Transition' which was released on June 7, 2002. 

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United States General Accounting Office: 
GAO: 

Report to the Honorable Bob Barr: 
House of Representatives: 

The White House: 

Allegations of Damage During the 2001 Presidential Transition: 

GAO-02-360: 

Contents: 

Letter: 

Background: 

Scope and Methodology: 

Results: 

Conclusions: 

Recommendations for Executive Action: 

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation: 

White House Comments: 

GSA Comments: 

Appendixes: 

Appendix I: EOP and GSA Staff Observations of Damage, Vandalism, and 
Pranks and Comments from Former Clinton Administration Staff: 
Missing Items: 
Keyboards: 
Furniture: 
Telephones: 
Fax Machines, Printers, and Copiers: 
Trash and Related Observations: 
Writing on Walls and Prank Signs: 
Office Supplies: 
Additional Observations Not on the June 2001 List: 

Appendix II: Observations Concerning the White House Office Space 
During Previous Presidential Transitions: 
Observations of EOP, GSA, and NARA Staff During Previous Transitions: 
Observations of Former Clinton Administration Staff Regarding the 1993 
Transition: 
News Report Regarding the Condition of White House Complex during 
Previous Transitions: 

Appendix III: Procedures for Vacating Office Space: 

Appendix IV: Comments from the White House: 

Appendix V: GAO's Response to the White House Comments: 
Underreporting of Observations: 
Underreporting of Costs: 
Additional Details and Intentional Acts: 
Statements Made by Former Clinton Administration Staff: 
Past Transitions: 
Other: 
Changes Made to the Report: 

Appendix VI: Comments from the General Services Administration: 

Tables: 

Table 1: Estimated Costs of Replacing Damaged Keyboards: 

Abbreviations: 

EEOB: Eisenhower Executive Office Building: 

EOP: Executive Office of the President: 

GSA: General Services Administration: 

NARA: National Archives and Records Administration: 

NEOB: New Executive Office Building: 

OA: Office of Administration: 

ONDCP: Office of National Drug Control Policy: 

WHCA: White House Communications Agency: 

United States General Accounting Office: 
Washington, D.C. 20548: 

June 7, 2002: 

The Honorable Bob Barr: 
House of Representatives: 

Dear Mr. Barr: 

This report responds to your June 4, 2001, request that we review 
alleged damage at the White House during the 2001 presidential 
transition. We agreed to determine (1) whether damage, vandalism, or 
pranks occurred in the White House and the adjacent Eisenhower 
Executive Office Building (EEOB) during the transition by obtaining 
the observations of Executive Office of the President (EOP) staff and 
preparers of White House office space during the transition and 
reviewing any available documentation, as well as obtaining the 
comments of former Clinton administration staff; (2) to the extent 
possible, how the 2001 presidential transition compared with previous 
presidential transitions in terms of damage, vandalism, or pranks; and 
(3) what steps, if any, should be taken to help prevent and document 
any vandalism during future presidential transitions. 

Background: 

On January 29, 2001, you wrote us that you had become increasingly 
concerned about media reports of damage to the White House and the 
EEOB that was discovered by the incoming Bush administration and asked 
that we investigate whether damage may have been deliberately caused 
by former Clinton administration staff. We subsequently asked EOP and 
the General Services Administration (GSA) whether they had any 
information that may be responsive to your request. On April 18, 2001, 
the director of the Office of Administration (OA),[Footnote 1] an EOP 
unit, wrote us a letter indicating that the White House had no record 
of damage that "may have been deliberately caused by employees of the 
prior administration" and that "....repair records do not contain 
information that would allow someone to determine the cause of damage 
that is being repaired." 

In late May and early June 2001, these allegations resurfaced in the 
news media and on June 4, you asked us to investigate the matter 
further. On June 5, 2001, the counsel to the president provided us 
with a list of damage that was discovered in the White House complex 
during the first days of the Bush administration. In his transmittal 
letter, the counsel to the president said that the list "...may be 
responsive to your earlier request for written records documenting 
damage deliberately caused by employees of the prior 
administration..." Further, the counsel said that the list was not the 
result of a comprehensive or systematic investigation into the issue 
and should not be considered a complete record of the damage that was 
found. The list was prepared by OA, which provides common 
administrative support and services to units within the White House 
complex, which may include the procurement and maintenance of 
computers, telephones, furniture, and other personal property. OA 
prepared the list on the basis of the recollections of five EOP 
officials with responsibilities in the areas of administration, 
management, telephones, facilities, and supplies. It listed missing 
building fixtures, such as doorknobs and a presidential seal; computer 
keyboards with missing "W" keys; damaged and overturned furniture; 
telephone lines pulled from the wall; telephones with missing 
telephone number labels; fax machines moved to the wrong areas and a 
secure telephone left open with the key in it; offices left in a state 
of "general trashing," including the contents of desk drawers dumped 
on the floor, a glass desk top smashed and on the floor, and 
refrigerators unplugged with spoiled food; writing on the walls; and 
voice mail greetings that had obscene messages. The list also 
indicated that six to eight 14-foot trucks were needed to recover 
usable supplies that had been thrown away. 

The EOP consists of a number of units, including the White House 
Office, the Office of the Vice President, the National Security 
Council (NSC), and 0A.[Footnote 2] The White House Office is composed 
of staff who directly support and advance the president's goals and 
are commonly referred to as "White House staff." Offices of the White 
House Office include, but are not limited to, advance, cabinet 
affairs, communications, counsel, the first lady, legislative affairs, 
management and administration, political affairs, presidential 
personnel, press secretary, public liaison, and scheduling. Although 
White House Office staff generally leave their positions at the end of 
an administration, many EOP staff at agencies such as the NSC and OA 
hold their positions during consecutive administrations. In this 
report, we referred to staff who are working or worked in the White 
House complex during the current administration as "EOP staff" and 
staff who worked in the previous administration and no longer worked 
in the White House complex after January 20, 2001, as "former Clinton 
administration staff." 

The White House complex consists of several buildings, including the 
White House, the adjacent EEOB, and the New Executive Office Building 
(NEOB). This report focuses on observations that were made in the West 
Wing of the White House and the EEOB during the transition, and not 
the White House residence or the NEOB. Excluding military staff, most 
White House Office staff work in the East and West Wings of the White 
House or the EEOB. GSA maintains the White House office space, 
including cleaning the offices and repairing the physical structure. 
OA asks GSA to repair furniture in the White House complex. Some EOP 
agencies, such as the Office of the Vice President, also handle some 
of their own administrative functions. The Secret Service, a unit of 
the Department of the Treasury, is responsible for the security of the 
White House complex and its occupants. 

To obtain information regarding observations of damage, vandalism, and 
pranks, we interviewed the five EOP officials who contributed to the 
June 2001 list (the OA director, the OA associate director for 
facilities management, the OA associate director for general services, 
the management office director, and the telephone service director); 
the OA associate director for information systems and technology; an 
on-site manager for a contractor providing telecommunications services 
in the White House complex; the Secret Service deputy special agent in 
charge, presidential protection division, White House security branch; 
the director of GSA's White House service center; the chief usher for 
the executive residence; and four GSA cleaning crew leaders who worked 
in the White House complex during the transition. 

We also sent letters to 518 EOP staff who worked in the West Wing and 
EEOB during the first 3 weeks of the Bush administration, asking those 
who observed any damage, vandalism, or pranks during the weeks 
surrounding the 2001 transition to arrange a meeting with us through 
the Office of White House Counsel.[Footnote 3] We believed that staff 
who were in the complex during the first 3 weeks of the administration 
were the most likely staff to have observed damage, vandalism, or 
pranks. The Office of White House Counsel arranged for interviews with 
a total of 78 EOP staff, and an associate counsel to the president was 
present during our interviews with EOP staff. Of the 78 staff, 23 
worked for the EOP before January 20, 2001,[Footnote 4] and 55 began 
working for the EOP on or after January 20. The interviews with EOP 
staff were conducted between June 2001 and May 2002. Because these 
interviews were conducted between 5 and 16 months after the 
transition, we recognize that recollections could have been imprecise. 
It was not possible to determine whether, in all cases, the reported 
incidents had occurred, when they occurred, why they occurred, and who 
may have been responsible for them. More detailed information about 
our methodology in reporting the observations is contained in appendix 
I. 

To determine if any documentation existed that may not have been 
previously located, we asked the EOP, GSA, and the Secret Service to 
provide any documentation they had regarding damage or theft reports, 
requests for repairs, and invoices for items that had to be purchased. 
In a June 6, 2001, letter to an associate counsel to the president, we 
said that "we will need access to any records and documents maintained 
by the White House, GSA, the Secret Service, or other organizations at 
the White House that relate to the alleged damage as well as to 
federal employees and contractors working at the White House who might 
have information bearing on the allegations." 

We also interviewed a total of 29 GSA staff who prepared the office 
space for the new administration. In addition, we interviewed two 
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) staff who worked 
in the White House complex to assemble presidential materials during 
the last days of the Clinton administration about their observations; 
a contract employee who helped discard keyboards from the EOP after 
the transition; and an official from the White House Communications 
Agency (WHCA), which handles communications equipment for the White 
House. 

After interviewing EOP and GSA staff about their observations, we 
interviewed a total of 72 former Clinton administration staff to 
obtain their comments on the allegations during the 2001 transition 
and to obtain their observations about the 1993 transition. We 
interviewed 35 former Clinton administration staff who were identified 
by the senior advisor for presidential transition during the Clinton 
administration as having worked in the White House complex during the 
1993 or 2001 transitions. We also contacted an additional 37 former 
Clinton administration staff because they were former directors, 
managers, or representatives from the primary offices where 
observations were made. We did not, however, obtain comments from 
former Clinton administration staff regarding every observation. Of 
the 72 former Clinton administration staff we interviewed, 67 worked 
in the White House complex during the 2001 transition and 19 worked 
there during the 1993 transition. Five of the 72 former Clinton 
administration staff we interviewed left before the end of the 
administration, but had worked in the White House complex during the 
1993 transition. 

We obtained repair or replacement costs for some of the observed 
incidents. However, as explained in more detail later in this report, 
we did not request cost information associated with all of the 
observations because we did not believe certain costs would be 
material or readily available. We also believed that the effort that 
would have been needed to obtain and verify cost data for all observed 
incidents would not have been commensurate with the benefit of having 
reported the information. Further, although certain repair and 
replacement costs were provided, it was unclear what portion of these 
costs was incurred or will be incurred due to vandalism.
To determine how the 2001 presidential transition compared with others 
in terms of damage, we asked 14 EOP and 2 GSA staff who worked in the 
White House complex during previous transitions about their 
recollections of damage, vandalism, or pranks during previous 
transitions. In addition, we reviewed news media reports to identify 
any reported damage, vandalism, or pranks during previous transitions. 
We searched for news reports concerning the 1981, 1989, and 1993 
transitions. 

We assessed what steps could be taken to help prevent and document any 
damage during future presidential transitions by discussing the issue 
with GSA and EOP officials and by obtaining the check-out procedures 
for departing Clinton administration staff. We also discussed check-
out procedures with personnel responsible for the office space and 
equipment at the U.S. Capitol, including staff from the Office of the 
Chief Administrative Officer, House of Representatives; Office of 
Customer Relations, Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms; and Office 
of the Building Superintendent, Office of the Architect of the 
Capitol. We contacted them because the change of staff and offices on 
Capitol Hill after elections appeared somewhat comparable to the 
turnover of EOP staff at the end of an administration. We did our work 
from June 2001 to May 2002 in Washington, D.C., in accordance with 
generally accepted government auditing standards. 

Results: 

Damage, theft, vandalism, and pranks did occur in the White House 
complex during the 2001 presidential transition. Multiple people said 
that, at the beginning of the Bush administration, they observed (1) 
many offices that were messy, disheveled, or contained excessive trash 
or personal items; (2) numerous prank signs, printed materials, 
stickers, and written messages that were left behind, some of which 
contained derogatory and offensive statements about the president; (3) 
government property that was damaged, including computer keyboards 
with missing or damaged "W" keys and broken furniture; and (4) items 
that were missing, such as office signs, a presidential seal, cellular 
telephones, doorknobs, and telephone number labels. In addition, 
documentation provided indicated that some broken, missing, or 
possibly stolen items were repaired or replaced at the beginning of 
the Bush administration. Several EOP staff said they believed that 
what they observed during the transition, such as broken furniture and 
excessive trash left behind, was done intentionally. 

Some former Clinton administration staff acknowledged that they had 
observed a few keyboards with missing "W" keys and some prank signs at 
the end of the administration. However, the former Clinton 
administration staff we interviewed also said that (1) the amount of 
trash that was observed during the transition was what could be 
expected when staff move out of their offices after 8 years; (2) they 
did not take the items that were discovered missing; (3) some 
furniture was broken, but not intentionally, before the transition and 
little money was spent on repairs and upkeep during the 
administration; and (4) many of the reported observations were not of 
vandalism. Further, two former Clinton administration representatives 
told us that, in their opinion, most of the observations were not true. 

Incidents such as the removal of keys from computer keyboards; the 
theft of various items; the leaving of certain voice mail messages, 
signs, and written messages; and the placing of glue on desk drawers, 
clearly were done intentionally. Any intentional damage at the White 
House complex, which is a national treasure, is both inappropriate and 
a serious matter. The theft of or willful damage to government 
property would constitute a criminal act in violation of federal law. 
Although it is clear that some of the reported incidents were 
intentional, such as the removal and damaging of keys on computer 
keyboards, it was unclear whether, in all cases, the reported 
incidents occurred, when they occurred, how many occurred, and who was 
responsible for them. In addition, regarding the items reported 
missing, it was not known whether all of them were thefts, and if they 
were, who was responsible for them. 

Some documentation corroborating a number of the observations existed. 
EOP facilities, computer, and telephone officials said that much 
repair and replacement work was done during the transition without 
documentation being prepared because of the need to complete the work 
quickly. The OA associate director for facilities management, for 
example, said that no documentation was prepared regarding three to 
four missing office signs, a doorknob, and two or three medallions 
(small metal presidential seals affixed to office signs) that were 
replaced during that time. Further, documentation was provided 
indicating that much telephone service work was done during the 
transition, but this information did not directly corroborate 
allegations of vandalism and pranks involving the telephones. 

Observations of EOP Staff and Related Documentation: 

Seventy-eight EOP staff who worked in the White House complex during 
the 2001 transition provided observations about the condition of the 
complex shortly before or at the beginning of the administration. In 
addition, 10 of the 29 GSA staff we interviewed told us about 
observations that related to the items contained in the June 2001 
list. The observations generally reflected the types of incidents 
included in the June 2001 list and also included additional items that 
were not on it. In certain categories, the observations of EOP staff 
differed from the June 2001 list in terms of the total numbers of 
incidents or the alleged extent of the damage. More observations of 
damage, vandalism, and pranks were made on the first floor of the EEOB 
in the offices of advance and scheduling, the counsel's offices, and 
the offices of the first lady; and on the second floor of the EEOB in 
the offices of the vice president, than in other offices.[Footnote 5] 

Summarized below are observations made in specific locations[Footnote 
6] in the main categories, related comments from former Clinton 
administration staff and GSA staff, and any documentation relating to 
the observations. Appendix I contains additional information about the 
observations and additional comments from former Clinton 
administration staff. 

* Twenty-nine EOP staff said they observed about two dozen prank 
signs, printed materials, stickers, or written messages that were 
affixed to walls or desks; placed in copiers, desks, and cabinets; or 
placed on the floor. They said some of these were derogatory and 
offensive in nature about the president, and sometimes there were 
multiple copies in certain locations. Six EOP staff also said that 
they had observed writing on the walls (words) in a total of two 
rooms. Thirteen former Clinton administration staff said that they saw 
a total of 10 to 27 prank signs in the EEOB during the transition, but 
one former employee also said that the prank signs that she saw were 
harmless jokes. 
- In June and November 2001, EOP staff provided copies of 2 prank 
signs that they said were found during the transition, which were 
derogatory jokes about the president and vice president. In August and 
September 2001, we were also shown a roll of political stickers that 
were left behind and 2 stickers affixed to a file cabinet and desk 
containing derogatory statements about the president. 

* Twenty-six EOP staff said that they observed a total of 30 to 64 
computer keyboards with missing or damaged "W" keys. Two former 
Clinton administration staff said that they saw a total of 3 or 4 
keyboards with missing "W" keys.
- Purchase records indicated that the EOP bought 62 computer keyboards 
on January 23 and 24, 2001. The January 23 purchase request for 31 
keyboards indicated that the keyboards were "needed to support the 
transition," and the January 24 purchase request for another 31 
keyboards indicated that it was a "second request for the letter 'W' 
problem." The purchase requests were approved by an OA financial 
manager who, in April 2001, sent an E-mail to an OA branch chief 
indicating that the 62 keyboards purchased in January 2001 were 
approximately the number that were defective because "W" keys were 
missing or inoperable during the transition. (The actual number of 
keyboards that were damaged during the transition is uncertain because 
of different statements provided by EOP staff regarding the number of 
damaged keyboards that had to be replaced.)
- A March 27, 2001, OA excess property report indicated that 12 boxes 
of keyboards, speakers, cords, and soundcards were discarded, but did 
not specify the number of keyboards that were included. (More 
information about the excess property report is contained in appendix 
I.) 

* Twenty-two EOP staff and one GSA employee told us that they observed 
offices that were messy, disheveled, dirty, or contained excessive 
trash or personal items left behind. Some of those staff also said 
they believed that offices were intentionally "trashed." Former 
Clinton administration staff said the amount of trash that was 
observed during the transition was what could be expected when staff 
moved out of their offices after 8 years.
- The EOP provided seven photographs that, according to an associate 
counsel to the president, were taken of two or three offices in the 
EEOB by an EOP employee on January 21, 2001, and that showed piles of 
binders and office supplies, empty beverage containers, and other 
items. However, a Clinton administration transition official said that 
the pictures showed trash and not vandalism.
- A January 30, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a request 
to clean carpet, furniture, and drapes and to patch and paint walls 
and moldings in an office that an EOP employee said was "trashed out," 
including the carpet, furniture, and walls, and had three to four 
"sizable" holes in a wall. The facility request was made by the EOP 
employee who told us about this observation.
- Another January 30, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a 
request to clean carpet, furniture, and drapes in a different office 
that an EOP employee said was filthy and contained worn and dirty 
furniture.
- January 25, 2001, and February 17, 2001, GSA facility request forms 
documented requests to clean carpet, furniture, and drapes in a suite 
of offices that an EOP employee told us was "extremely trashed" and 
smelled bad. The facility requests were made by the EOP employee who 
told us about this observation. 

* Ten EOP staff said that they observed a total of 16 to 21 pieces of 
broken furniture. Former Clinton administration staff said that some 
furniture was broken before the transition and could have been the 
result of normal wear and tear, and little money was spent on repairs 
and upkeep during the administration.
- January 25 and 29, 2001, GSA facility request forms documented 
requests to gain access to and for a key to a locked file cabinet in a 
room where an EOP employee said that he had found a key that was bent 
and almost entirely broken off in a cabinet that, once opened by a 
locksmith, contained Gore-Lieberman stickers. The requests were made 
by the EOP employee who told us about this observation.
- A January 30, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a request 
to fix a broken desk lock in an office where an EOP employee told us 
that a lock on her desk appeared to have been smashed. The facility 
request was made by the EOP employee who told us about this observation.
- A February 12, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a request 
to repair a leg on a sofa in an office on a floor of the EEOB where an 
EOP employee observed a sofa with broken legs.
- A February 21, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a request 
to repair arms on two chairs in an office where two EOP staff told us 
that they had observed broken chairs. The facility request was made 
for the EOP employee who told us about this observation. However, the 
manager of the office during the Clinton administration where EOP 
staff said they observed broken chairs said that arms on two chairs in 
that suite of offices had become detached a year or two before the 
transition and that carpenters had glued them back, but that they did 
not hold. Two GSA facility request forms in 1999 documented requests 
made by the former office manager for previous repairs of chairs in 
that office suite. 

* Five EOP staff told us they observed a total of 11 to 13 pieces of 
furniture that were on their sides or overturned. Six EOP staff said 
they observed a total of four to five desks with a sticky substance or 
glue on the top or on drawers. 

* Six EOP staff said that they observed a total of 5 to 11 missing 
office signs, which include medallions (presidential seals about 2 
inches in diameter), and one of those six EOP staff also said he 
observed that six medallions were missing from office signs; four EOP 
staff said that they observed a total of 10 to 11 missing doorknobs, 
which may have been historic originals; an EOP official, a GSA 
official, and a Secret Service official said that a presidential seal 
12 inches in diameter was stolen; two EOP staff said they observed a 
total of 9 to 11 missing television remote controls; and two EOP staff 
said that two cameras were missing. In addition, two EOP officials 
said that about 20 cellular telephones could not be located in the 
office suite where they belonged. The former occupants of offices 
during the Clinton administration whom we interviewed where items were 
observed missing said that they did not take them.
- An April 19, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a request 
for "replacement of frames & medallions" for four rooms, including an 
office where three EOP staff observed a missing office sign and 
medallion. The three other rooms that, according to the facility 
request form, needed office signs were located on one of two floors of 
the EEOB where an EOP employee observed four missing office signs.
- A February 7, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a request 
to "put doorknob on inter-office...door" in an office where an EOP 
employee told us that he had observed two pairs of missing doorknobs. 
The facility request was made for the EOP employee who told us about 
this observation. However, a GSA planner/estimator said that the work 
done in response to that request was not to replace a missing 
doorknob, but to perform maintenance on a doorknob with a worn-out part.
- A Secret Service report documented the theft of a presidential seal 
that was 12 inches in diameter from the EEOB on January 19, 2001.
- Purchase records indicated that the EOP bought a total of 15 
television remote controls on March 6 and 15; June 5; and July 10, 
2001. The EOP indicated that these purchases were made to replace 
remote controls that were missing from offices during the transition.
- Purchase records indicated that the EOP bought two cameras on March 
16, 2001, and April 4, 2001. The EOP indicated that these purchases 
were made to replace cameras that two EOP staff said were discovered 
missing. However, the director of the office during the Clinton 
administration where the cameras belonged said that the cameras were 
still in the office when the staff left on their last day of 
employment with the EOP.
- Purchase records indicated that the EOP bought 26 cellular 
telephones on January 26, 2001. The EOP indicated that these purchases 
were made to replace cellular telephones that could not be located. 
However, former Clinton administration staff who worked in the office 
where the cellular telephones belonged said that they left them there 
at the end of the administration. In addition, a former official from 
that office during the Clinton administration provided copies of check-
out forms documenting that the staff had returned their cellular 
telephones at the end of the administration. 

* Five EOP staff said that they observed a total of 98 to 107 
telephones that had no labels identifying the telephone numbers, and 
seven EOP staff said they saw telephones unplugged or piled up. Former 
Clinton administration staff said that some telephones did not have 
labels identifying the numbers during the administration, mainly 
because certain telephones were used for outgoing calls only.
- The EOP provided documentation summarizing telephone service orders 
closed from January 20, 2001, through February 20, 2001, containing 29 
service orders that cited the need for or placing of labels on 
telephones; 6 of the 29 service orders were for work in offices where 
telephone labels were observed missing. EOP also provided two blanket 
work orders and four individual work orders that cited relabeling or 
placing labels on telephones for which the summary document did not 
mention labels. However, all of the 29 service orders on the summary 
document and the blanket and individual work orders EOP provided were 
part of other requests for service and the extent to which the work 
was done solely to replace missing labels was not clear.
- A January 29, 2001, telecommunications service request documented a 
request for services including "replace labels on all phones that 
[sic] removed."[Footnote 7] 
- A February 7, 2001, telecommunications service request documented a 
request to remove a telephone from an office where piles of telephones 
were observed. 

* Thirteen EOP staff said they heard a total of 22 to 28 inappropriate 
or prank voice mail greetings or messages, and two EOP staff said they 
heard a total of 6 to 7 obscene or vulgar voice mail messages that 
were left on telephones in vacated offices. One former Clinton 
administration employee said that he left what he considered to be a 
humorous voice mail greeting on his telephone on his last day of 
employment. 

* Two EOP staff said that they saw a total of 5 to 6 telephone lines 
"ripped" (not simply disconnected) or pulled from walls, and another 
EOP employee said that at least 25 cords were pulled from walls in two 
rooms. Former Clinton administration staff we interviewed who occupied 
those offices said they did not pull the cords from the walls.
- A January 24, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a request 
to "organize all loose wires and make them not so visible" in an 
office suite where an EOP employee said that at least 25 cords were 
pulled from the walls. The facility request was made by the EOP 
employee who told us about this observation. The former occupant of 
the main room in that office suite said that he did not observe any 
computer or telephone cords that were cut or torn out of walls, and 
that his office only had 5 telephone and computer cords. 

Observations of damage, vandalism, or pranks were reported by EOP 
staff in about 100 of about 1,074 rooms in the EEOB and in 8 of about 
137 rooms[Footnote 8] in the East and West Wings of the White House. 
According to the OA associate director for facilities management, 
approximately 395 offices were vacated during the transition: 304 in 
the EEOB, 54 in the West Wing, and 37 in the East Wing. In the 
overwhelming majority of cases, one person said that he or she 
observed a specific incident in a particular location. However, more 
than one person observed most types of incidents. In addition, we were 
generally unable to determine when the observed incidents occurred and 
who was responsible for them because no one said he or she saw people 
carrying out what was observed or said that he or she was responsible 
for what was observed, with three exceptions: (1) an EOP employee who 
said she saw a volunteer remove an office sign from a wall, (2) a 
former Clinton administration employee who said he wrote a "goodwill" 
message inside the drawer of his former desk, and (3) another former 
Clinton administration employee who said that he left what he believed 
to be a humorous voice mail message greeting at the end of the 
administration.[Footnote 9] Further, we were told that many contractor 
staff, such as movers and cleaners, were working in the White House 
complex during the weekend of January 20 and 21, 2001, but the White 
House did not provide the data we had requested regarding visitors to 
the EEOB during that time.[Footnote 10] 

From our interviews of EOP staff, we totaled the number of incidents 
that were observed in the categories indicated in the June 2001 list 
of damage. In certain categories, the observations of EOP staff 
differed from the list in terms of the total numbers of incidents or 
alleged extent of the damage. For example, regarding the statement 
contained in the June 2001 list that 100 keyboards had to replaced 
because the "W" keys were removed, EOP staff provided different 
estimates of the number of keyboards that had to be replaced because 
of missing or damaged keys, ranging from about 33 keyboards to 150 
keyboards. As a result, we could not determine how many keyboards were 
actually replaced because of missing or damaged "W" keys. Regarding 
the statement contained in the list that furniture in six offices was 
damaged severely enough to require a complete refurbishment or 
destruction, we were told that 16 to 21 pieces of broken furniture 
were observed during the transition. This included 5 to 7 chairs with 
broken legs or backs, but we did not obtain any documentation 
indicating that they were either completely refurbished or destroyed. 
The EOP provided photographs of 4 pieces of furniture that, according 
to an associate counsel to the president, were moved to an EOP remote 
storage facility that is now quarantined. They included a chair with a 
missing leg, a chair with a missing back, a sofa without a seat 
cushion, and a desk with missing drawer fronts. However, no 
information was provided identifying the offices from which these 
pieces of furniture were taken, when the damage occurred, or whether 
any of the damage was done intentionally. Further, EOP staff told us 
about fewer incidences of writing on walls than were indicated in the 
list. Regarding the statement in the list that eight trucks were 
needed to recover new and usable supplies that had been thrown away, 
the EOP official responsible for office supplies said that about eight 
truckloads of excessed items were brought to an EOP warehouse where 
they were sorted into usable and nonusable materials, but he was not 
aware of any usable supplies being discarded. 

Costs Associated with the Observations: 

Cost data were not readily available regarding all of the 
observations. Further, although certain repair and replacement costs 
were provided, it was unclear what portion of these costs was incurred 
or will be incurred due to vandalism. The EOP and GSA provided 
documentation indicating that at least $9,324 was spent to repair and 
replace items that were observed broken or missing in specific 
locations and for cleaning services in offices where observations were 
made. The following list itemizes those costs: 

* $4,850 to purchase 62 keyboards;[Footnote 11] 
* $2,040 to purchase 26 cellular telephones;
* $1,150 for professional cleaning services;
* $729 to purchase 2 cameras; 
* $221 to purchase 15 television remote controls;
* $108 for locksmith services regarding furniture;
* $76 to remove a telephone from an office;
* $75 to repair 2 chairs with broken arms; and; 
* $75 to repair a sofa leg. 

EOP and GSA officials also provided estimates of $3,750 to $4,675 in 
costs that could have been incurred or may be spent in the future to 
replace missing items for which no documentation, such as facility 
request forms or purchase records, was available. Because specific 
locations were not provided regarding some of the observations of 
missing items, we were unable to determine whether all of the missing 
items had been replaced. The costs estimated by EOP or GSA staff for 
replacing the government property that was observed missing included: 

* $2,100 to $2,200 for 9 to 10 doorknobs;[Footnote 12] 
* $675 to $750 for 9 to 10 medallions;
* $625 to $1,375 for 5 to 11 office signs; and; 
* $350 for a presidential seal that was 12 inches in diameter. 

Based on what the White House said were extremely conservative 
estimates and straightforward documentation, the White House said that 
the government incurred costs of at least $6,020 to replace missing 
telephone labels and reroute forwarded telephones. The documentation 
provided included two blanket work orders and associated bills, a 
closed orders log for the period January 20 through February 20, 2001, 
8 individual work orders for telephone service, and two monthly AT&T 
invoices. The White House also identified, but did not provide, other 
individual telephone service work orders that cited the need for or 
placing labels on telephones. Six of the 29 work orders listed on the 
closed orders log that cited needing or placing labels and four 
individual work orders that included labels were for work in offices 
where telephone labels were observed missing. However, both the orders 
listed on the closed orders log and the individual work orders, as 
well as the blanket work orders, cited other services besides 
labeling, and it was not clear to us from the documentation provided 
the extent to which relabeling was done solely to replace missing 
labels or would have been necessary anyway due to changes requested by 
new office occupants. None of the documents provided specifically 
cited correcting forwarded telephones. Thus, while we do not question 
that costs were incurred to replace labels or reroute forwarded 
telephones, we do not believe the documentation provided is clear 
enough to indicate what those costs were. 

Appendix I contains information regarding additional costs to repair 
furniture that was not in locations where EOP staff told us they 
observed pieces of damaged or broken furniture during the transition. 
We did not request cost information associated with some observations, 
such as the time associated with removing prank signs, placing 
overturned furniture upright, or investigating missing items because 
we did not believe these costs would be material or readily available 
or that the information would be beneficial relative to the effort 
that would have been required to obtain the data. These costs also did 
not include any EOP or GSA costs associated with our review or 
responding to other inquiries related to the alleged damage. 

Previous Presidential Transitions: 

According to a limited number of EOP, GSA, and former Clinton 
administration staff we interviewed who worked in the White House 
complex during previous transitions, as well as a press account that 
we reviewed, some of the same types of observations that were made 
concerning the condition of the White House complex during the 2001 
transition were also made during the 1993 transition. These 
observations included missing office signs and doorknobs, messages 
written inside desks, prank signs and messages, piles of furniture and 
equipment, and excessive trash left in offices. We also observed 
writing in a desk in the EEOB that was dated 1993. In addition, words 
and initials were reported observed carved into desks during the 1993 
transition, which were not reported observed during the 2001 
transition. On the other hand, no one said they observed keyboards 
with missing and damaged keys during previous transitions, as numerous 
people said they observed in the White House complex during the 2001 
transition. 

Seven EOP staff and one former Clinton administration employee who had 
worked in the White House complex during previous transitions made 
comparisons regarding the condition of the space during the 2001 
transition with conditions during previous transitions. Six EOP staff 
said that the condition was worse in 2001 than previous transitions, 
while one EOP employee and one former Clinton administration employee 
said the office space was worse in 1993 than 2001. Because of the lack 
of definitive data available to compare the extent of damage, 
vandalism, and pranks during the 2001 transition with past 
transitions, we were unable to conclude whether the 2001 transition 
was worse than previous ones. Appendix II contains observations and a 
press account regarding the condition of the White House office space 
during previous transitions. 

Avoiding Problems in Future Transitions: 

Former Clinton administration officials told us that departing EOP 
staff were required to follow a check-out procedure that involved 
turning in such items as building passes, library materials, and 
government cellular telephones at the end of the administration. The 
procedure did not include an inspection of office space or equipment 
to assess whether any damage had occurred. A January 4, 2001, 
memorandum from President Clinton's chief of staff encouraged staff to 
check out by January 12, 2001, but did not indicate in what condition 
the office space should be left or provide any warning about penalties 
for vandalism. When members of Congress and their staff vacate offices 
on Capitol Hill, their office space and equipment are inspected, and 
members are held accountable for any damages. 

Because it is likely that allegations of damage, vandalism, and pranks 
in the White House complex could be made during future transitions and 
because of the historic nature of the White House complex and the 
attention it receives, we are recommending actions to help deter 
future problems during presidential transitions, including a check-out 
process for departing EOP staff that includes clear instructions; and 
an office inspection documenting the condition of office space, 
furniture, and equipment. 

In addition, EOP, GSA, and former Clinton administration staff 
identified a number of issues related to office cleaning during our 
interviews, such as whether (1) a sufficient number of people were 
available to do the cleaning as quickly as necessary, (2) cleaning had 
begun soon enough, (3) sufficient coordination existed between the EOP 
and GSA, and (4) a sufficient number of containers were available for 
departing staff to deposit their trash. Accordingly, we are 
recommending that the EOP and GSA work together to explore what steps 
should be taken to expedite the cleaning of White House office space 
during presidential transitions. Appendix III discusses steps to help 
prevent damage to government property during future presidential 
transitions. 

Conclusions: 

Damage, theft, vandalism, and pranks occurred in the White House 
complex during the 2001 presidential transition. Incidents such as the 
removal of keys from computer keyboards; the theft of various items; 
the leaving of certain voice mail messages, signs, and written 
messages; and the placing of glue on desk drawers clearly were 
intentional acts. However, it was unknown whether other observations, 
such as broken furniture, were the result of intentional acts, when 
and how they occurred, or who may have been responsible for them. 
Further, with regard to stolen items, such as the presidential seal, 
because no one witnessed the thefts and many people were in the White 
House complex during the transition, it was not known who was 
responsible for taking them. Moreover, regarding other items reported 
missing, such as doorknobs, cellular telephones, and television remote 
controls, it was unknown whether all of them were thefts, and if they 
were, who was responsible for taking those items and when they were 
taken. Further complicating our attempt to determine the amount of 
damage that may have occurred was the lack of documentation directly 
corroborating some observations and our inability to reconcile certain 
observations only a few hours apart in locations where some people saw 
damage, vandalism, or pranks and where others saw none. 

We realize the difficulty of preparing the White House office space 
for occupancy by the new administration in the short amount of time 
that is available during presidential transitions. We also recognize 
that some prank-type activity has occurred in the White House complex 
during past transitions and could occur in the future. Because of the 
historic nature and symbolism of the White House and the public 
attention it receives, as well as the costs associated with 
investigating allegations of damage, we believe that current and 
future administrations should have a cost-effective inspection of 
office space, furniture, and equipment as part of the checkout process 
for departing employees during transitions and document any damage 
observed. We also believe that departing EOP staff should be given 
clear instructions regarding what condition their office space and 
equipment should be left in and how to handle office supplies, and 
they should be informed about the penalties for damage and vandalism. 

Many EOP staff reported observing what they believed to be an 
excessive amount of trash in the office space during the transition. 
Because future presidential transitions may not fall on a weekend, as 
the 2001 transition did, even less time will be available to clean the 
space. The EOP and GSA should explore what additional steps could be 
taken to ensure that the EOP office space is immediately cleaned and 
prepared for an incoming administration, including communicating with 
both outgoing and incoming administrations concerning the timetable 
and procedures for the transition. 

Recommendations for Executive Action: 

Steps should be taken to help (1) prevent and document damage that 
results in repair or replacement costs during presidential 
transitions; (2) ensure that the space is ready for occupancy; and (3) 
avoid potential future costs associated with investigating allegations 
of damage, vandalism, and pranks. We recommend that the director of 
the Office of Management and Administration for the White House Office 
and the GSA administrator work together to: 

* revise the employee check-out process to require a cost-effective 
inspection of office space, furniture, and equipment by the EOP and 
GSA within their respective areas of responsibility and to document 
any damage observed; and; 

* explore what additional steps could be taken to ensure that the EOP 
office space is immediately cleaned and prepared for an incoming 
administration, including communicating with both outgoing and 
incoming administrations concerning the timetable and procedures for 
transition. 

We also recommend that the officials provide clear instructions to 
staff about what condition the office space and equipment should be 
left in, how office supplies should be handled, and the penalties for 
damaging and vandalizing government property. 

Agency Comments and Our Evaluation: 

In March and April 2002, we held exit conferences with White House 
officials and former Clinton administration representatives during 
which we provided them an opportunity to review our preliminary 
findings. The White House provided written comments on the preliminary 
findings, and former Clinton administration representatives provided 
oral comments. We considered those comments in preparing our draft 
report. 

On May 3, 2002, we provided copies of a formal draft of this report 
for comment to the counsel to the president and the GSA administrator. 
On May 31, 2002, the counsel to the president provided written 
comments on the draft, which are reprinted in appendix W Our response 
to the White House's general statements is provided below, and our 
response to the White House's specific comments is contained in 
appendix V. The deputy commissioner of GSA's Public Buildings Service 
also provided comments on May 13, which are summarized below and 
reprinted in appendix VI. 

We had intended to provide representatives from the Clinton 
administration with a draft of this report for their review and 
comment. However, we did not do so because one or more representatives 
prematurely provided information to the press on the basis of their 
discussions with us during our review, and we believed that another 
premature release of the contents of the draft report was likely. 
Nonetheless, on the basis of the discussions we did have with Clinton 
administration representatives during the course of our review, we 
believe that our report fairly reflects the information they provided 
to us. 

White House Comments: 

The White House's general comments on the draft and our response 
follow. 

Report Comment Process: 

The White House said that, in our May 3 draft of the report, we had 
failed to address many of the concerns it had raised in its April 26 
set of comments on our preliminary findings. Accordingly, the White 
House said, it had provided us with a second set of detailed comments 
on the May 3 draft. The White House also said that it was disappointed 
that it would not have an opportunity to consider or reply to our 
response to its comments prior to publication of the final report. It 
said that this was inconsistent with all previous representations 
regarding our process. 

We carefully considered the comments that the White House provided 
regarding our preliminary findings and made changes in our report 
where we believed appropriate. On May 13, the White House provided 
written comments on our May 3 draft report that included the names of 
people we interviewed during our review. The White House subsequently 
decided to delete these individuals' names from its comments, and on 
May 31, provided us with a second set of comments on our May 3 draft 
report that did not contain those names. Moreover, we did not provide 
the White House with an opportunity to reply to our response to its 
comments because that is not part of our normal comment process; we do 
not normally provide agencies with our response to their comments 
prior to publication of the report. The White House is incorrect in 
indicating that, by not providing the White House with an opportunity 
to consider or reply to our response to its comments prior to the 
publication of the report, we were being inconsistent with all 
previous representations regarding our process. We explained the 
process on numerous occasions and provided a copy of our congressional 
protocols to an associate counsel to the president, and we never 
indicated that the White House would have an opportunity to consider 
or reply to our response to its comments before the report was 
published. 

Amount of Detail Provided: 

The White House said that we had not reported many facts that readers 
needed to know to have a complete and accurate understanding of what 
happened during the 2001 transition. The White House said that it 
believed the report did not provide sufficient detail to respond to 
Representative Barr's request or to meet Government Auditing 
Standards, and noted that we did not specifically identify each 
reported instance of vandalism, damage, or a prank. Further, the White 
House said that, in many cases, we reported a former staff member's 
comments without having discussed the observation itself. The White 
House noted that reporting when, where, and by whom an observation was 
made would be helpful in determining the likely perpetrator. 

The White House also noted that we had not reported the specific 
content of graffiti, messages, and signs. According to the White 
House, this written content would provide (1) indications of who wrote 
the messages and when; (2) an insight into the mind-set or intention 
of the person who wrote the message; (3) an opportunity to infer that, 
if departing staff left a vulgar or derogatory message, those same 
individuals may be responsible for other incidents that were observed 
near the location of the message; (4) an opportunity to compare the 
2001 transition to prior ones; and (5) an opportunity to decide 
whether we had fairly and objectively characterized the content of the 
messages. 

In transmitting a revised set of comments on May 31, the counsel to 
the president stated his objection to our decision to redact from the 
White House's comments, which are reprinted in appendix IV, a word 
that we considered to be inappropriate that was contained in a prank 
sign that was found during the transition. He also said that with 
respect to our description of a particular message that said "jail to 
the thief' as "arguably" derogatory to the president, because we did 
not reveal the content of the message, readers have no way of knowing 
whether our characterization of it being "arguably" derogatory is 
accurate. 

We disagree with the White House that we had not reported many facts 
that readers needed to know to have a complete and accurate 
understanding of what happened during the 2001 transition. Our report 
includes the information (1) we agreed to provide to Representative 
Barr, (2) to support our conclusions and recommendations, and (3) to 
comply with Government Auditing Standards. As provided for under our 
congressional protocols when we receive congressional requests, we 
work with the requesters to agree on a scope of work and an approach 
that takes into consideration a number of factors. They include the 
nature of the issues raised; the likelihood of being able to address 
them in a fair, objective, and complete manner; a consideration of 
professional standards, rules of evidence, and the nature and 
sufficiency of evidence likely to be available on the particular 
engagement; known or possible constraints related to obtaining the 
information needed; and the time and resources needed and available to 
accomplish the work. For this review, after independently taking these 
factors into consideration, we used a thorough, reasonable approach to 
provide as complete and objective a picture as possible of the damage 
that may have occurred during the 2001 presidential transition, given 
that (1) we could not physically observe evidence of most of the 
incidents that were reportedly observed, (2) limited definitive 
documentation was available regarding these events, and (3) views of 
interested parties would likely differ on many issues and would be 
difficult or impossible to reconcile. Accordingly, we agreed to 
respond to Representative Barr's request by reporting on the 
documentation provided by the White House; summarizing the 
observations made by occupants and preparers of White House office 
space during the 2001 transition; and obtaining explanations and other 
comments of former Clinton administration staff related to any damage, 
vandalism, or pranks. We neither agreed to nor performed an 
investigation into who may have been responsible for any damage, 
vandalism, or pranks identified, nor did we agree to report each 
individual observation. 

We reported all observations in a summary fashion (i.e., total number 
of observations in a particular category) and discussed some 
observations in detail when warranted. For example, in the section of 
appendix I regarding furniture, we not only provided the total number 
of pieces of broken furniture that people observed, but also described 
the specific problems they observed. However, regarding other 
categories of observations, such as missing telephone labels, we did 
not provide details regarding each observation because such 
information would not have been meaningful; rather, we reported a 
range of the total number of telephone labels observed missing. 
Reporting each instance was not only unneeded, but would have been 
redundant. Further, we separately mentioned each observation that was 
made in the White House itself. Although we would agree with the White 
House that the details about when, where, and by whom observations 
were made may be relevant in assessing the credibility of statements 
and determining the likely perpetrators, we do not believe that 
reporting additional detail would have allowed readers to make sound, 
independent conclusions. 

Although, as the White House correctly states, Government Auditing 
Standards require audit reports to contain all the information needed 
to satisfy audit objectives and promote a correct understanding of the 
matters to be reported, these standards also recognize that 
considerable judgment must be exercised in determining an appropriate 
amount and level of detail to include. Excessive detail can detract 
from a report, conceal the real message, and confuse or discourage 
readers. Consistent with these professional standards, we believe that 
we have provided the appropriate amount of detail needed to satisfy 
our objectives and support our conclusions and recommendations. In our 
view, reporting more detail could, at a minimum, confuse readers and 
contribute to unproductive speculation, rather than lead to sound 
conclusions. 

As we have reported, we believe that sufficient, competent, and 
relevant evidence exists to support our conclusion that damage, 
vandalism, and pranks did occur during the 2001 presidential 
transition, and we have presented this evidence in our report. 
However, we believe it is also important to recognize that 
corroborating evidence was not provided for all observations, and that 
definitive evidence regarding who was responsible for the incidents 
observed generally was not provided. In addition, although a number of 
incidents appeared intentional by their nature, it often was unknown 
whether other types of incidents were intentional, malicious acts. 
Accordingly, we do not believe it was appropriate to include all of 
the details that the White House suggested because we did not want to 
mislead readers into concluding that corroboration existed and that 
all of the reported incidents occurred and were intentional, nor did 
we believe it was appropriate to contribute to speculation about who 
may have been responsible for any acts that were intentional for which 
credible evidence was not provided. 

In its comments, the White House cited several cases where we failed 
to report information regarding what staff said other people had seen 
or had told them. This is correct; in reporting the observations, we 
did not include information people relayed to us from third parties. 
We reported what people told us they personally observed. In addition, 
in certain cases, the White House cited statements in its comments 
that it claimed staff had said that were not contained in our 
interview records. An associate counsel to the president told us that, 
in preparing the White House's comments, she discussed the accuracy of 
statements attributed to EOP staff in the report draft with those 
individuals. Had we known in advance that an associate counsel to the 
president was going to recontact the EOP staff we interviewed, we 
would have asked to participate in those discussions. Since we did not 
participate in those discussions, we have no information about the 
context or manner in which they took place. Therefore, we reported 
only what our interview records indicated EOP staff told us. 

Although we would typically confirm our understanding of statements 
made to us during interviews directly with the interviewees whenever a 
question or doubt arises, this was problematic in this review due to 
the protocol established by the White House for our work. Under this 
protocol, we were asked to provide written requests for follow-up 
interviews or additional documentation to the counsel's office, and 
all such interviews were arranged by that office. This was a time 
consuming process that at times involved significant delays in gaining 
access to the individuals we sought to interview. Had we been granted 
direct, prompt access to the people we needed to interview, we would 
have been in a better position to have quickly and efficiently 
resolved any questions or misunderstandings that may have arisen. 
Nonetheless, with the exception of one follow-up interview, at least 
two GAO staff attended interviews in the White House complex, and we 
believe this approach provided reasonable assurance that we accurately 
captured what the interviewees told us. 

Regarding the White House's statement that, in many cases, in 
reporting a former staff member's comments in response to a particular 
observation, we had not discussed the observation itself, each 
observation was included in summary fashion, and in some cases, in 
detail, before we reported the comments by former Clinton 
administration staff. In a few cases, in response to the White House's 
comments, we added additional detail regarding an observation. 
Moreover, although we reported every observation in summary fashion, 
we did not obtain comments from former Clinton administration staff 
regarding all observations, nor did we report every comment provided 
by former Clinton administration staff. Further, we did not report 
positive actions that people said former Clinton administration staff 
had taken to facilitate the transition or welcome new staff because 
they did not directly relate to the allegations. 

Regarding the specific contents of graffiti, messages, and signs, we 
did not believe that it was appropriate or necessary to report their 
specific contents. Although most of the messages reportedly observed 
or heard did not contain profane language, some of them did. However, 
we will not report them and, thus, we decided to redact an obscene 
word that the White House included in its comments in reference to a 
message that was found. Further, although we did not report their 
specific content, we described the general nature of those messages. 
We believe that the White House is being speculative in suggesting 
that reporting their specific content would provide indications of who 
wrote them and when they were written and would provide an insight 
into the mind-set of the person who wrote them. Further, although 
whoever left a vulgar or derogatory message could have been 
responsible for other incidents that were observed near the location 
of the message, no substantive evidence was presented linking messages 
to other incidents that were observed. We also do not believe that 
reporting the specific contents would have provided a meaningful 
opportunity to compare the 2001 transition to previous ones because we 
also did not report the specific content of signs and messages that 
were found during previous transitions, nor was there sufficient 
information about the condition of White House office space during 
previous transitions to make a meaningful comparison. 

In a draft of this report, we had characterized a sticker that said 
"jail to the thief' as being "arguably" derogatory to the president 
because we did not know the intent of the person who left the message. 
However, in response to the White House's comments, we deleted 
"arguably." We informed an associate counsel to the president of our 
intention to make this change before the White House sent us its May 
31 letter raising this concern. 

Although we agree with the White House's view that it is solely 
responsible for its comments, we are publishing its comments as part 
of our report, and we are responsible for our report. Further, 
although we would normally not make any changes to an agency's 
comments on our draft report, the situation in this case is highly 
unusual and, in our view, calls for an unusual step on our part. With 
respect to the White House's objection to our redaction of a word 
contained in a sign found during the transition, the word in question 
is clearly obscene and, in our independent and professional judgment, 
should not be used in a public report that bears GAO's name. As a 
result, we have deleted this word from the White House's comments, 
used "*" to reflect the number of letters in the word, and indicated 
that GAO deleted an obscenity. By doing so, we believe that readers 
will know that an unacceptable word was used in a message left in the 
White House complex during the 2001 presidential transition. In 
addition, because the word was part of its comments, we will refer 
inquiries about this matter to the White House. Finally, we do not 
believe that our deletion of one word out of over 70 pages of detailed 
comments, with full disclosure of the reason why we deleted it, 
seriously undermines the White House's comments. 

June 2001 List of Damage: 

The White House objected to our structuring the report around the June 
2001 list of damage and comparing the staff members' observations with 
the contents of the list. In stating its objection, the White House 
highlighted the cautionary statement that the counsel to the president 
made in transmitting the list to us. Further, the White House 
indicated that we did not ask the individuals who prepared the list to 
explain how the list was prepared, who transcribed it, what its 
purpose was, and or what each line referred to. In addition, the White 
House indicated that we, at times, misstated the contents of the list. 

We structured appendix I, but not the letter portion of this report, 
around the June 2001 list because the list highlighted congressional 
and other interest in initiating our review. Further, interviewees 
were not restricted to observations about items on the list. Rather, 
during our interviews, we solicited observations regarding anything 
that could be damage, vandalism, or pranks. Before the list was 
prepared, the OA director informed us in writing that no documentation 
existed regarding the allegations. On page 2 of our draft report and 
this report, we quoted the counsel to the president's cautionary 
remarks about the list that were contained in his June 4, 2001, 
transmittal letter to us. Further, we note that, according to an 
article in the June 4, 2001, issue of the Washington Post, the White 
House press secretary provided the list to the newspaper, which 
suggested that the White House had sufficient confidence in its 
contents to release it publicly. In addition, the White House's 
assertion is incorrect that we did not ask the individuals whose names 
appeared on the list to explain how it was prepared. Our record of a 
June 6, 2001, entrance conference at the White House indicated that 
the OA director, who contributed to the list, discussed at that 
meeting how it was prepared. Further, our initial interviews of EOP 
staff included four of the five individuals who helped prepare the 
list, which allowed us to ask them about their observations, and, in 
one case, our interview records indicated that one of the individuals 
said that a statement on the list "bothered" him. Regarding the White 
House's statement that we often misstated the contents of the list, we 
summarized the contents of the list on page 2 of the report and 
revised the report as necessary to quote directly from the list 
throughout the remainder of the report. 

Number of Observations Reported: 

The White House said that we materially understated the number of 
observations, and that our methodology of calculating the ranges was 
flawed. For example, the White House objected to the method that we 
used to calculate a range of keyboards observed with missing and 
damaged "W" keys. The White House said that our flawed methodology 
infected each of the ranges presented in the report. Further, the 
White House also said that the problem with our analysis was 
compounded because, in the instance cited, we had grouped three 
offices together. 

As indicated in our report regarding the methodology used to report 
the number of keyboards observed with missing or damaged "W" keys, we 
reported a range representing the number of incidents observed because 
some staff said they saw different numbers of incidents in the same 
rooms or offices. Our methodology in calculating the range of 
keyboards with missing or damaged keys, as well as for other 
categories of observations, was used to include both the lowest and 
the highest numbers that were reported to us in particular locations 
and to eliminate possible double counting. The White House 
mischaracterized how we determined our range in the hypothetical cases 
it provided. For example, in the hypothetical case involving three 
people who observed 1, 25, and 100 incidents, respectively, the White 
House said that, using our methodology, we would calculate the range 
of total observed incidents as being from 1 to 126, which the White 
House said would be an absurd conclusion. However, the White House's 
application of our methodology in this hypothetical case is incorrect 
and would have resulted in the wrong conclusion; our range of observed 
incidents in that location would be 1 to 100. The White House 
similarly mischaracterized the other example it gave on this issue. 

We disagree with the White House's argument that, when multiple people 
provided different numbers of observations in the same specific 
locations, the lowest number observed in a particular location cannot 
be used as the low end of the range. We used ranges to account for the 
different observations made in the same locations and did not make any 
judgments about which observation was correct because it was not 
possible in many cases to do so. We believe this approach is the most 
accurate and objective depiction of views that were shared with us. 
Further, we did not conclude what the precise numbers of incidents 
observed in various categories were because they would have been 
impossible to determine. Regarding the situation that the White House 
cited when we grouped observations of keyboards with missing and 
damaged "W" keys in three offices, we did it that way because an EOP 
employee said that her observation pertained to them. 

Use of the Term “EOP”: 

The White House objected to our use of the term "EOP" staff, rather 
than identifying the specific EOP unit being discussed. The White 
House said that it is not accurate to refer to each EOP unit 
individually or all units collectively as the EOP because not all 
offices in the complex fall within the EOP umbrella and that we did 
not investigate all EOP units. Further, the White House said we had 
inaccurately referred to EOP units as agencies. 

Except for staff we interviewed who worked for the Secret Service, 
GSA, and the Executive Residence, all of the people we interviewed at 
the White House complex worked for or had worked for the EOP. We did 
not believe that it was necessary to break out, in all categories of 
observations, staff members' respective EOP units, nor was it an 
objective of our review. However, when we reported specific 
observations or comments made by EOP officials, we used their titles, 
which identified their respective EOP units. To address the White 
House's comment that the term "EOP" may be over-inclusive, we added a 
note to the report indicating that we did not interview, for example, 
any staff who worked for the United States Trade Representative, the 
Office of National Drug Control Policy, or the Office of Homeland 
Security. We also noted that most of the EOP staff we interviewed who 
worked at the White House before January 20, 2001, worked for OA. 

Concerning the White House's comment that we misidentified units that 
comprise the EOP and misidentified EOP components as "agencies," we 
understand that the Executive Residence, although treated as 
"analogous to an EOP unit" (by the court, e.g., in Sweetland v. 
Walters, 60 F. 3d 852, 854 (D.C. Cir. 1995)), is technically not an 
EOP component because it was not created as such.[Footnote 13] 
Notwithstanding this technicality, we had listed the Executive 
Residence as an EOP component because it is shown as such in the White 
House staff manual that was in effect at the time of the transition 
and in the Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2003. 
To recognize the White House's comments about this issue, however, we 
deleted the Executive Residence from our list of EOP components. 

On the other hand, we do not agree with the White House's objection to 
our characterization of EOP components as agencies. We recognize, as 
the White House contends, that EOP components are not all treated as 
agencies for purposes of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 
U.S.C. § 552 (Sweetland v. Walters, supra), although some are. 
Armstrong v. Executive Office of the President, 90 F. 3d 553, 559 
(D.C. Cir. 1995). However, a government entity may be an agency for 
some purposes but not for others. We have, for example, consistently 
viewed the Executive Residence as an agency in applying 31 U.S.C. 716.
[Footnote 14] 

Reporting the Extent of Damage: 

Finally, the White House said that we made a concerted effort to 
downplay the damage found in the White House complex because we (1) 
did not individually report each instance of vandalism, damage, or a 
prank; (2) underreported the number of observations in nearly every 
category of damage and ignored additional observations that were made; 
(3) omitted any mention of several individuals who told us that damage 
found during the 2001 transition was worse than during prior 
transitions; (4) ignored documents that showed requests were made to 
repair telephone damage and clean offices; (5) failed to quantify or 
estimate certain real costs incurred to remedy or repair the damage; 
(6) failed to report the content of the graffiti and signs that were 
found in the complex; and (7) were unwilling to conclude that the 
vandalism, damage, and pranks were intentional, even when the 
circumstances plainly indicate that they were. 

We did not downplay the damage found in the White House complex, as 
the White House suggested. Rather, we tried to eliminate possible or 
actual double-counting of observations, present the information fairly 
and objectively, and avoid speculation. Regarding the White House's 
statement (1) that we omitted a reference to each reported instance of 
vandalism, damage or a prank, as previously explained, all of the 
reported observations were reported in a summary fashion (i.e., total 
number of observations in a particular category) and some were also 
discussed in detail. We also disagree with the White House's statement 
(2) that we underreported the number of observations in nearly every 
category of damage and ignored additional observations that were made. 
As previously explained and discussed in appendix V in our response to 
the White House's specific comments, we reported the number of 
observations in various categories as a means of eliminating possible 
or actual double-counting. Regarding the White House's statement (3) 
that we omitted any mention of several individuals who told us that 
the damage found during this transition was worse than prior 
transitions, the letter portion of the report summarized these 
individuals' observations, and appendix II contained statements by six 
EOP staff that the condition of the White House complex was worse in 
2001 than during previous transitions. Consequently, we did not revise 
the report. Regarding the White House's statement (4) that we ignored 
documents that showed requests were made to repair telephone damage 
and clean offices, the report in fact cited several facility requests 
for cleaning and telephone service orders, but we could not conclude 
that they documented intentional damage. This conclusion is 
inconsistent with the OA director's April 2001 letter in which he 
stated that repair records do not indicate the cause of repairs. 
Further, we did not ignore any of the documentation that the EOP 
provided, but carefully reviewed all of the documentation that was 
provided. Finally, the White House did not provide us with copies of 
all of the documents related to telephone repairs that it cited in its 
comments. 

Regarding the White House's statement (5) that we failed to quantify 
or estimate certain real costs incurred to remedy or repair the 
damage, it was not our objective to independently estimate or 
determine all such costs, and we clearly stated in our report that we 
did not do so. We did not obtain repair and replacement costs for all 
reported incidents because we did not believe that they would be 
readily available or material, nor did we believe that the value of 
the information would have been commensurate with the level of 
resources required to obtain and verify such data. Regarding the White 
House's statement (6) that we failed to report the content of graffiti 
and signs that were found in the complex, as previously discussed, we 
did not believe it was necessary or appropriate to include their 
specific content in this report, but we did describe their general 
nature. Finally, contrary to the White House's assertion (7) that we 
were unwilling to conclude that the vandalism, damage, and pranks were 
intentional, even where the circumstances plainly indicated that they 
were, we stated in our conclusions that incidents such as the removal 
of keys from computer keyboards; the theft of various items; the 
leaving of certain voice mail messages, signs, and written messages; 
and the placing of glue on desk drawers clearly were done 
intentionally. However, we also concluded that it was unknown whether 
other observations, such as broken furniture, were the result of 
intentional acts and when and how they occurred. 

Government Auditing Standards: 

In its specific comments, the White House identified instances in 
which it did not believe that the oral evidence or the amount of 
detail included in the report was sufficient to meet provisions of the 
Government Auditing Standards pertaining to the competency of evidence 
or the objectivity and completeness of reports. Although we address 
the White House's specific substantive points in appendix V of our 
report, we believe that it is important to state here that the report 
does comply with Government Auditing Standards. In citing the 
particular standard in question, the White House either did not cite 
the entire standard or all of the factors that must be considered in 
interpreting the standard, or both. For example, in discussing the 
competency of the oral evidence provided by an EOP employee, the White 
House described the employee's overall responsibility for handling 
telecommunications problems during the first month of the new 
administration and cited the following excerpt from Government 
Auditing Standards 6.54(f): 

Testimonial evidence obtained from an individual who...has complete 
knowledge about the area is more competent than testimonial evidence 
obtained from an individual who...has only partial knowledge about an 
area. 

However, in addition to excluding a portion of this standard, the 
White House did not refer to other parts of standard 6.54 or other 
factors that need to be considered. Other relevant parts of standard 
6.54 follow: 

6.54 The following presumptions are useful in judging the competence 
of evidence. However, these presumptions are not to be considered 
sufficient in themselves to determine competence. 

6.54(e) Testimonial evidence obtained under conditions where persons 
may speak freely is more competent than testimonial evidence obtained 
under compromising conditions (for example, where the persons may be 
intimidated). 

6.54 (f) Testimonial evidence obtained from an individual who is not 
biased or has complete knowledge about the area is more competent than 
testimonial evidence obtained from an individual who is biased or has 
only partial knowledge about the area. 

Thus, in considering the competency of oral evidence, other factors 
besides a person's level of responsibility must be considered, such as 
the circumstance under which they provide the oral information; 
whether they are reporting what they observed versus what someone else 
said they saw; factors that could influence their objectivity; the 
reasonableness or consistency of the information presented compared to 
other information or facts; and the extent to which corroborating or 
contradictory information is provided. We gave appropriate and careful 
consideration of all of these factors in conducting this review. 

Similarly, in interpreting other Government Auditing Standards, such 
as those related to the objectivity or completeness of reports, 
considerable judgment must be exercised regarding the amount of detail 
provided to promote an adequate and complete understanding of the 
matters reported and to present the information in an unbiased manner 
with appropriate balance and tone. This must be done so that readers 
can be persuaded by facts, as called for by the standards (7.50, 7.51, 
and 7.57). In making judgments about the level of detail to provide, 
it must be recognized that too much detail can detract from a report, 
as previously discussed. But, even more importantly, aside from the 
level of detail, the competency and sufficiency of the evidence and 
completeness of information must be considered, including 
differentiating between uncorroborated oral statements and 
substantiated facts. In judging what details to report and how to 
report them, it is also important to consider what information is not 
known about particular situations so as to avoid misleading readers 
into drawing inappropriate or premature conclusions. 

Notwithstanding our disagreement with the White House's interpretation 
of Government Auditing Standards, we agree that efforts should be made 
to avoid possible misinterpretation of information in audit reports. 
In that regard, we have clarified our report where we felt it was 
appropriate. 

Finally, both in its general and specific comments, the White House 
expressed concern about our exclusion of certain EOP staff 
observations in the report, or what it views as our lack of 
consideration of the documentation it provided and our unwillingness 
to draw the same conclusions it did based on the information at hand. 
We believe that it is important to note here that many of the 
observations in question involved relaying views espoused by others, 
which we do not believe is acceptable evidence in these cases. 
Further, although we carefully reviewed and considered all of the 
evidence that the White House provided, we did not always believe it 
was sufficient to support the conclusions that the White House 
suggested or reached. 

GSA Comments: 

The White House did not provide any comments on our recommendations.
GSA's deputy commissioner of the Public Buildings Service said that 
GSA had carefully reviewed the draft report and agreed with the two 
recommendations regarding the logistics of future transitions. The 
deputy commissioner said that GSA had made every effort during 
transitions to meet the very considerable demands that are placed on 
the agency when several hundred staff move out of the White House 
complex. For this reason, the deputy commissioner said GSA believes 
that its ability to carry out its responsibilities during future 
transitions will be strengthened by working with the Office of 
Management and Administration of the White House Office to develop 
procedures for both office space inspection and cleaning and office 
space preparations. He added that improved communication will be an 
integral part of these procedures. 

As agreed with your office, unless you publicly announce the contents 
of this report earlier, we plan no further distribution until 30 days 
from the report date. At that time, we will send copies of this report 
to the chairman and ranking minority member, House Committee on 
Appropriations; the chairman and ranking minority member, House 
Appropriations Subcommittee on Treasury, Postal Service and General 
Government; the chairmen and ranking minority members, House Committee 
on Government Reform and Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs; the 
chairman and ranking minority member, Senate Committee on 
Appropriations; the chairman and ranking minority member, Senate 
Appropriations Subcommittee on Treasury and Postal Service; the deputy 
assistant to the president for management and administration; the 
administrator of the General Services Administration; former President 
Clinton; and the former deputy assistant to the president for 
management and administration during the Clinton administration. We 
will also make copies available to others upon request. In addition, 
the report will be available at no charge on the GAO Web site at 
[hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov]. 

Major contributors to this report were Bob Homan, John Baldwin, and 
Don Allison. If you have any questions, please contact me on (202) 512-
8387 or at ungarb@gao.gov. 

Sincerely yours, 

Signed by: 

Bernard L. Ungar: 
Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues: 

[End of section] 

Appendix I: EOP and GSA Staff Observations of Damage, Vandalism, and 
Pranks and Comments from Former Clinton Administration Staff: 

This appendix contains the observations of Executive Office of the 
President (EOP) and General Services Administration (GSA) staff and 
former Clinton administration staff regarding the condition of the 
White House office space during the 2001 presidential transition. 
Staff we interviewed generally told us that they saw evidence of 
damage, vandalism, or pranks shortly before or at the beginning of the 
administration. The observations are discussed in the categories 
contained in the June 2001 list of damage.[Footnote 15] 

Some EOP staff said they believed that what they observed during the 
transition, such as broken furniture and excessive trash left behind, 
was done intentionally. Incidents such as the removal of keys from 
computer keyboards; the theft of various items; the leaving of certain 
voice mail messages, signs, and written messages; and the placing of 
glue on desk drawers clearly were done intentionally. However, 
regarding other observations, we generally could not make judgments 
about whether they were acts of vandalism because we did not have 
information regarding who was responsible for them, when they 
occurred, or why they occurred. Further, in most cases, we were unable 
to determine the exact number of incidents. When staff said they 
observed different numbers of incidents in the same location and/or 
category, we did not attempt to make judgments regarding which account 
was correct; rather, we used ranges. In the few instances where people 
observed a different number of items in a particular location, we used 
the lowest and highest numbers observed by different people in that 
location as the range. In addition, when an individual provided a 
range of the number of items that he or she saw, we included that 
range in our calculation of the total range of observations for that 
category. When people said they observed incidents, but did not 
provide a specific number, we did not estimate a number, but noted 
this situation when relevant. Our interviews were conducted between 5 
and 16 months after the transition, and we recognized that 
recollections could have been imprecise. Further, in some cases, when 
we conducted follow-up interviews with certain individuals for the 
purposes of clarification, different accounts of their observations 
were provided. In those instances, we generally noted both accounts. 

In the overwhelming majority of cases, one person said that he or she 
observed a specific incident in a particular location. However, more 
than one person we interviewed observed most types of incidents. In 
some cases, people said that they observed damage, vandalism, or 
pranks in the same areas where others said they observed none, 
sometimes only hours apart. In calculating the number of incidents, we 
attempted to eliminate double counting when people said that they 
observed the same types of incidents in the same locations or could 
not recall any location. We included repair and replacement costs 
provided by EOP and GSA for some, but not all, reported damage, 
vandalism, and theft in this appendix. 

When it opened in 1888, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building 
(EEOB), which was originally known as the State, War, and Navy 
Building and later as the Old Executive Office Building, contained 553 
rooms. Over the years, the original configuration of the EEOB office 
space has been altered, and it now contains about 1,074 rooms. During 
the Clinton administration, the office space in the East and West 
Wings of the White House consisted of about 137 rooms.[Footnote 16] 
EOP staff[Footnote 17] cited about 100 rooms in the EEOB and 8 rooms 
in the White House where incidents were observed.[Footnote 18 
According to the Office of Administration (OA) associate director for 
facilities management, approximately 395 offices were vacated during 
the transition: 304 in the EEOB, 54 in the West Wing, and 37 in the 
East Wing. 

Observations were made in 16 different units of the White House 
Office.[Footnote 19] However, more observations of damage, vandalism, 
and pranks were made on the first floor of the EEOB in the offices of 
advance and scheduling, the counsel's offices, and the offices of the 
first lady; and on the second floor of the EEOB in the offices of the 
vice president, than in other offices.[Footnote 20] Observations that 
were made in the White House are specifically noted in this appendix, 
while observations made in the EEOB are provided in the totals for 
each category or discussed as examples. 

Missing Items: 

The June 2001 list indicated that six door signs, six medallions, two 
EEOB doorknobs, and a presidential seal were stolen. 

Observations of EOP and GSA Staff and Related Documentation: 

Six EOP staff told us they observed that a total of 5 to 11 office 
signs, which are affixed with medallions (presidential seals about 2 
inches in diameter) were missing. One of those six EOP staff also said 
he observed that six medallions were missing from office signs. These 
observations included an office sign that an EOP employee said that 
she saw a volunteer remove on January 19 outside an office in the 
EEOB. The EOP employee said that the person who removed the sign said 
that he planned to take a photograph with it, and that she reported 
the incident to an OA employee. Further, the EOP employee said that 
the person attempted to put the sign back on the wall, but it was 
loose. Two other EOP staff said they noticed that the sign outside 
that office was missing during the transition. 

Four EOP staff said they saw that a total of 10 to 11 doorknobs, which 
may have been historic originals, were missing in different locations. 
[Footnote 21] A February 7, 2001, GSA facility request form documented 
a request to "put doorknob on inter-office...door" in an office where 
an EOP employee said he observed two pairs of doorknobs were missing. 
A GSA planner/estimator who said he was in charge of repairing and 
replacing building fixtures in the EEOB, including office signs, 
medallions, and doorknobs, said he received no written facility 
requests made to GSA for replacing missing office signs, medallions, 
or doorknobs during the transition. He said that work done in response 
to the February 7, 2001, GSA facility request form was not to replace 
a missing doorknob, but to repair one that had a worn-out part. He 
also said that over the past 20 years, doorknobs have been found 
missing about a half-dozen times in the EEOB, and not only during 
transitions. In addition, he said the medallions are difficult to 
remove and that a special wrench is needed to remove them from an 
office sign. 

An April 19, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a request for 
"replacement of frames & medallions," including an office where three 
EOP staff observed a missing office sign and medallion. The three 
other rooms that, according to the facility request form, needed 
office signs were located on one of two floors of the EEOB where an 
EOP employee observed four missing office signs. The OA associate 
director for facilities management said that much repair and 
replacement work was done during the transition without documentation 
being prepared because of the need to complete the work quickly. This 
official said, for example, that three to four missing office signs, a 
doorknob, and two or three medallions were replaced during the weekend 
of the inauguration without documentation being prepared. 

The OA director for facilities management; the director of GSA's White 
House service center; and the Secret Service deputy special agent in 
charge, presidential protection division, White House security branch, 
said that a presidential seal was stolen from a door in the EEOB. The 
Secret Service provided an incident report indicating that a 
presidential seal was reported missing at 8:40 a.m. on January 19, 
2001, and last seen at 6:30 a.m. that day. According to the report, 
the seal was molded, hand-painted, 12 inches in diameter, and had been 
attached to a door with glue and screws. The Secret Service deputy 
special agent in charge of the presidential protection division, White 
House security branch, said that fingerprints were taken from the door 
where the seal was located, but no suspects were identified. The OA 
associate director for facilities management showed us where the seal 
had been located. 

EOP staff told us about additional missing items that were not 
contained in the June 2001 list. Two EOP staff told us that a total of 
9 to 11 television remote control devices were missing from two 
offices.[Footnote 22] In addition, two EOP officials said that about 
20 cellular telephones could not be located in the office where they 
belonged. Regarding the cellular telephones, the deputy assistant for 
operations in that office said that she was told by an OA employee at 
the beginning of the administration that the telephones could be found 
in a particular room; however, they could not be found anywhere in the 
office suite, so new ones were purchased. Two EOP staff said that two 
cameras were missing from an office in the EEOB, and another EOP 
employee said that an ethics manual that a former Clinton 
administration employee told him had been prepared could not be 
located. 

Three EOP officials and one GSA official said that items that were on 
loan from a private collector and on display in the EEOB during the 
Clinton administration were found to be missing sometime after the 
beginning of the new administration. According to the OA senior 
preservation and facilities officer, the items consisted of a small 
oil painting, two china soup bowls, a china plate, a brass mantle 
clock, and a bust of President Lincoln. We were also provided with 
documentation describing these items. The director of GSA's White 
House service center said that he observed the items in the office 
(except for the Lincoln bust, which was in a different room, the vice 
president's ceremonial office) during the morning of January 20; but 
when he returned to the office in midafternoon, he noticed that many 
of the items were missing, but did not know the exact number. 

In August 2001, the OA associate director for security said that the 
Lincoln bust had been returned from the former vice president (for 
more information about the return of the missing bust, see comments 
later in this section made by the former vice president's former 
staff). Regarding the other collector's items that had been on display 
in another office, this official also said that he had contacted 
several former Clinton administration staff who had worked in the 
office where they had been displayed and that he was unsuccessful in 
locating the items. The associate director for security said that all 
of the former Clinton administration staff whom he contacted said that 
the items were still in the office when they left on January 20. 
Further, the associate director for security said that he had 
contacted the person in charge of the contract movers who were working 
in that office on January 20; according to the associate director for 
security, this person said that the items were still there at 4:00 
p.m. or 4:30 p.m. on January 20. 

Costs: 

According to a GSA planner/estimator, it would cost $400 to replace an 
historic doorknob set (doorknobs on both sides of a door) with a solid 
brass replica, or $300 for a single historic doorknob replica; $125 
for a new office sign with a medallion; and $75 to replace a 
medallion. Using those per-unit costs, if all of the items observed 
missing were replaced, it would have cost $2,100 to $2,200 for 9 to 10 
doorknobs;[Footnote 23] $625 to $1,375 to replace 5 to 11 missing 
office signs with medallions; and $675 to $750 to replace 9 to 10 
missing medallions. However, because specific locations were not 
provided regarding some of the observations of missing items, we were 
unable to determine whether all of the missing items had been 
replaced. In addition, the estimated cost of replacing missing 
doorknobs assumes that all of the doorknobs that were observed missing 
will be replaced with historic replicas, which was unknown. It was 
also unknown how many of the doorknobs that were discovered missing 
were historic originals. We also did not obtain any information on the 
value of the original historic doorknobs. 

The EOP provided purchase records indicating that it spent $2,040 for 
26 cellular telephones on January 26, 2001; $729 for two cameras 
(including a digital camera costing $685) on March 16, 2001, and April 
4, 2001; and $221 for 15 television remote controls on March 6 and15; 
June 5; and July 10, 2001. The OA associate director for facilities 
management estimated it will cost about $350 to make a replica of the 
presidential seal that was reported stolen which, as of March 2002, 
had not been replaced. Although we did not obtain a dollar value 
regarding the possible historic value of the seal that was stolen, 
according to the OA associate director for facilities management, the 
$350 purchase price would not purchase an exact replica of the brass 
seal that was stolen; the seal was purchased in the mid-1970s, and is 
no longer available; and the $350 would purchase a plastic-type 
casting. 

Comments by Former Clinton Administration Staff: 

The former director of an office where an EOP employee told us that 
she saw someone remove an office sign said that an elderly volunteer 
in her office removed the sign from the wall on January 19, 2001. She 
said that she did not know why he had removed the sign. She said that 
she attempted to put the sign back on the wall, but it would not stay, 
so she contacted OA and was told to leave it on the floor next to the 
door. The former office director said that she left the sign on the 
floor, and it was still there when she left between 8:00 p.m. and 
10:00 p.m. on January 19. 

The former director of an office where an EOP employee told us that he 
observed two pairs of missing doorknobs said that the office had 
several doors to the hallway that at some time had been made 
inoperable, and he was not sure whether the interior sides of those 
doors had doorknobs. 

The former occupant of an office, where an EOP employee told us he 
observed that two pairs of doorknobs were missing (interior and 
exterior doorknobs for two doors to the outside that were no longer 
used) and a bolt was missing from a lock, said that a bookcase covered 
the door to the outside, and he did not know if that door had ever had 
any doorknobs. He said that to the best of his recollection, the 
bookcase still covered the door when he left between 10:00 a.m. and 
11:00 a.m. on January 20, 2001. He also said that he did not take any 
doorknobs. A former employee whose office was next door also said that 
shelves were in front of the door with the missing doorknobs when she 
worked in that office suite.[Footnote 24] 

The deputy assistant to the president for management and 
administration from 1997 to 2001 said that people frequently take 
items such as doorknobs from the EEOB to keep as souvenirs, and he 
believed that visitors to the building were responsible for most of 
the thefts. He estimated that two to three doorknobs were taken from 
the EEOB per year. 

No former Clinton administration staff we interviewed who worked in 
the two offices where remote controls were observed missing by two EOP 
staff said they took the remote controls. In one of those two offices, 
we obtained comments from four former employees. One of those former 
employees said that it is possible that the remote controls were 
missing when she worked there; she remembered having to manually change 
channels on a television set in that office, and she questioned why 
someone would take a remote control if they also did not have the 
television set. Another former employee said that some remote controls 
were missing from that office throughout the administration. A third 
former employee said that some of the televisions in that suite of 
offices did not have remote controls, and he was not sure whether they 
had ever had them. The fourth former employee said that it was 
possible that the remote controls were missing when he worked there. 

The former director of another office where two EOP staff told us that 
she observed four to five missing television remote controls said that 
most of the television sets that were in her suite of offices were 
very old and may not have had remote controls. She said that she 
remembered staff in her office standing on chairs to manually change 
the channels on the televisions in the suite of offices. 

The former director of the office from where two EOP staff told us two 
cameras were missing[Footnote 25] said that the cameras were still in 
the office when she and her staff left between 9:30 p.m. and 10:30 
p.m. on January 19, 2001. The former office director said that she was 
instructed to leave the office unlocked (she did not recall who gave 
her that instruction); she also said that, when the staff left, the 
cameras were left on an open shelf in the office. 

Regarding an ethics manual that an EOP employee told us that he could 
not locate, a former official who handled ethics issues during the 
Clinton administration said that a manual containing ethics materials 
was being compiled at the end of the administration for the new 
administration staff, but he did not know where the manual had been 
left. Three other former employees who worked for that office said 
that they were unaware of such a manual. 

With regard to the collector's items that two EOP staff and a GSA 
official told us were missing, the former director of the office where 
the items were displayed said that they were still in his office when 
he left at 12:30 p.m. on January 20 (except for the Lincoln bust, 
which was in another room). Another EOP employee who worked in that 
office during both the Clinton and Bush administrations said that she 
saw the items in the office at 5:00 p.m. on January 20, but she 
noticed that they were missing when she returned on January 22. She 
also noted that the office was left unlocked when she left on January 
20 and that the items were left on open shelves. 

Regarding a Lincoln bust that two EOP staff told us was missing, but 
was subsequently returned, a former employee who also worked the 
former vice president's transition office provided us with a copy of a 
July 6, 2001, letter that he received from the counsel to Vice 
President Cheney asking about the missing item. The former employee 
said that, after receiving the letter, he located the bust at former 
Vice President Gore's personal residence and that he returned it to 
the White House on July 11, 2001. The former employee also provided us 
with a July 11, 2001, letter to the counsel to the vice president, in 
which he wrote that "it appears that the bust was inadvertently packed 
with the personal effects of Vice President Gore." The former counsel 
to the former vice president told us that Mr. Gore did not pack his 
own items in his office at the end of the administration. 

The former director of an office where an EOP official told us that 
she could not locate cellular telephones anywhere in the office suite 
where they belonged said that the former staff from that office turned 
in their cellular telephones as part of the check-out process. A 
former official from that office provided copies of the check-out 
forms completed for 71 staff who worked in that office indicating that 
the cellular telephones were returned or that the category did not 
apply to certain employees. A former employee who helped collect the 
cellular telephones in that office said that all of the cellular 
telephones were returned and that he left them on a shelf in his 
office. 

Keyboards: 
The June 2001 list indicated that 100 computer keyboards had to be 
replaced because the "W" keys had been removed. 

Observations of EOP and GSA Staff and Related Documentation: 

Twenty-six EOP staff told us that they observed a total of 30 to 64 
computer keyboards with missing or damaged (glued, whited-out, or 
pushed down) "W" keys in specific rooms or offices.[Footnote 26] We 
developed a range reflecting the observations because some staff said 
they saw different numbers of keyboards with missing or damaged "W" 
keys in the same rooms or offices and as a means of eliminating double 
counting. In calculating the range, we took the lowest number of 
keyboards with missing or damaged keys observed and the highest number 
observed in specific rooms or offices, and then added the observations 
of all people. The low end of the range could be understated, however, 
because some EOP staff did not indicate that they looked at every 
keyboard in a room or office or did not provide a specific number of 
keyboards that they observed with missing or damaged keys. Further, 
the high end of the range could be overstated because, in at least one 
case, the number of keyboards observed with broken or missing "W" keys 
was greater than the number of keyboards that former Clinton staff 
said was in that space. 

Five other EOP staff said that they saw a total of four keyboards with 
inoperable, missing, or switched keys; they said they were not "W" 
keys or could not recall which keys were affected. In addition, five 
EOP staff and one GSA employee said that they saw 13 to 15 "W" keys 
taped or glued on walls;[Footnote 27] five EOP staff said they 
observed piles of keyboards or computers or a computer monitor 
overturned; three EOP staff said that something was spilled on their 
keyboards; one EOP official said that she found 3 "W" keys in a desk; 
and one EOP employee said that his keyboard was missing at the 
beginning of the new administration. 

In addition to the EOP staff we interviewed about their observations 
regarding the keyboards, we interviewed EOP personnel who worked with 
computers during the transition. The OA associate director for 
information systems and technology provided us with documentation 
indicating that on January 23 and 24, 2001, the EOP purchased 62 new 
keyboards. The January 23, 2001, purchase order for 31 keyboards 
indicated that "keyboards are needed to support the transition." The 
January 24, 2001, purchase request for another 31 keyboards indicated 
"second request for the letter 'W' problem." The OA associate director 
for information systems and technology said that some of the 
replacement keyboards were taken out of inventory for the new 
administration staff, but she did not know how many. In an interview 
in June 2001, this official said that 57 keyboards were missing keys 
during the transition, and 7 other keyboards were not working because 
of other reasons, such as inoperable space bars. She also said that 
she believed that more of the keyboards with problems were found in 
the offices of the first lady and the vice president, compared to 
other offices. 

After later obtaining an estimate from the branch chief for program 
management and strategic planning in the information systems and 
technology division, who worked with computers during the transition, 
that about 150 keyboards had to be replaced because of missing or 
damaged "W" keys, we conducted a follow-up interview with the OA 
associate director for information systems and technology. In February 
2002, the OA associate director for information systems and technology 
said that her memory regarding this matter was not as good as when we 
interviewed her in June 2001, but she estimated that 100 keyboards had 
to be replaced at the end of the Clinton administration and that one-
third of them were missing the "W" key or were intentionally damaged 
in some way. She also said that of those 100 keyboards, about one-
third to one-half would have been replaced anyway because of their 
age. The official also said that she was not focused on the keyboards 
during the transition, but saw about 10 keyboards with missing "W" 
keys, some space bars that were glued down, and a lot of keyboards 
that were "filthy." This official said that she took notes regarding 
the computers during the transition, but she was unable to locate them. 

An April 12, 2001, E-mail sent from the OA financial manager who 
approved the request to purchase 62 keyboards in January 2001 to an OA 
Information Systems and Technology Division branch chief indicated 
that: 

There were a number of keyboards which had the 'W' missing/inoperable 
during [the] transition. Based upon our need to provide working 
keyboards to incoming EOP staff, we placed rush keyboard orders on 
January 23rd and January 24th. We ordered a total of 62 keyboards for 
a total cost of $4,850. This is the approximate number of keyboards 
that were defective. 

The EOP provided a copy of a March 27, 2001, OA excess property report 
that was prepared regarding its disposal of computer equipment. The 
report indicated that 12 boxes of keyboards, speakers, cords, and 
soundcards were discarded, but did not specify the number of keyboards 
that were included. The contract employee who prepared that report 
said that she did not know how many keyboards were discarded, but that 
each box could have contained 10 to 20 keyboards, depending on the 
size of the box. The EOP also provided a copy of a February 11, 2002, 
E-mail from a computer contract employee to the OA associate director 
for information systems and technology indicating that the contract 
employee had told the OA employee that "...she excessed eight boxes of 
'junk' after the transition. Six of those boxes each contained 20 or 
more keyboards with either the 'W' problem or a broken space bar." 
When we interviewed the contract employee who was referred to in the E-
mail as having excessed damaged keyboards, she said that she did not 
pack all of the boxes and did not look at all of the keyboards, but 
that most of the keyboards that she saw were missing "W" keys. She 
also said that she did not know how many discarded keyboards had 
missing or damaged "W" keys and that she did not know how many damaged 
keyboards were discarded after the transition. Further, she said that 
some of the keyboards that were discarded had been waiting to be 
disposed of before the transition because they were dirty or because 
of wear and tear. In a February 2002 interview, the OA associate 
director for information systems and technology said that she believed 
that four of the boxes of excessed computer equipment contained 
damaged keyboards. 

Costs: 

Because of the lack of documentation, we could not determine how many 
keyboards may have been taken out of inventory to replace keyboards 
that were intentionally damaged during the transition. As a result, it 
was not possible to determine the total costs associated with 
replacing damaged keyboards. However, we are providing cost estimates 
for various totals provided by EOP staff. In reviewing the costs, it 
must be recognized that according to the OA associate director for 
information systems and technology, one-third to one-half of the 
keyboards for EOP staff, including the ones provided to EOP staff at 
the beginning of the administration, may have been replaced anyway 
because staff receive new computers every 3 or 4 years. Therefore, 
some of the damaged keyboards would have been replaced anyway. We did 
not attempt to obtain information on any other costs that may have 
been associated with replacing damaged keyboards, such as those 
related to delivering and installing new keyboards. 

Below is a table showing the different costs that could have been 
incurred on the basis of different estimates we were provided 
regarding the number of damaged keyboards that were replaced and the 
range we calculated regarding the observations of keyboards with 
damaged and missing keys. The cost estimates were calculated on the 
basis of the per-unit cost of the 62 keyboards that the EOP purchased 
in late January 2001 for $4,650, or $75 per keyboard.[Footnote 28] 

Table 1: Estimated Costs of Replacing Damaged Keyboards: 

Source of estimate regarding the number of damaged keyboards: Range of 
30 to 64 keyboards that were observed by EOP staff with missing and 
damaged keys in specific rooms or offices; 	
Total replacement cost: $2,250-$4,800. 

Source of estimate regarding the number of damaged keyboards: Estimate 
provided by the OA associate director for information systems and 
technology in February 2002 interview that one-third of 100 keyboards 
replaced during the transition were intentionally damaged, or about 33 
keyboards; and a statement by her in June 2001 that 64
keyboards were missing keys or were inoperable in some way; 
Total replacement cost: $2,475-$4,800. 

Source of estimate regarding the number of damaged keyboards: 
Statement by an OA financial manager in an April 2001 E-mail that the 
62 keyboards purchased in January 2001 were approximately the number 
of keyboards that were defective because 'W" keys were missing or 
inoperable during the transition; 
Total replacement cost: $4,850[A]. 

Source of estimate regarding the number of damaged keyboards: Estimate 
by the branch chief for program management and strategic planning in 
the information systems and technology division, who worked with 
office equipment during the transition, that 150 damaged keyboards had 
to be replaced; 
Total replacement cost: $11,250. 

[A] Includes a $200 expedite fee. 

Source: EOP staff. 

[End of table] 

Comments by Former Clinton Administration Staff: 

One former senior Clinton administration official said that he found 
the reports of keyboards with missing "W" keys to be believable but 
regrettable and indefensible. Two former employees said that they 
observed a total of three to four keyboards with missing "W" keys in 
offices in the EEOB at the end of the administration. Another five 
former Clinton administration staff said that they heard people 
talking about removing "W" keys or keyboards with missing "W" keys 
before the end of the administration, but did not see any keyboards 
with missing "W" keys or see anyone removing them. 

The former senior advisor for presidential transition questioned 
whether as many as 60 keyboards could have been intentionally damaged 
because, while helping with the downloading and archiving of data from 
computers during the morning of January 20, he moved about 50 computer 
central processing units[Footnote 29] from offices in the EEOB during 
the morning of January 20 and did not see any "W" keys missing from 
keyboards. In addition, regarding an observation of two keyboards with 
missing "W" keys in a certain office suite, this former official said 
that he was in that office suite after 10:30 a.m. on January 20 
helping with the downloading and archiving of data from computers, and 
he did not see any keyboards with missing "W" keys there. 

The former manager of an office where an EOP employee said she 
observed 18 keyboards with missing "W" keys in an office suite said 
that there were 12 keyboards in that office suite at the end of the 
administration. 

Furniture: 

The June 2001 list indicated that the damage included "furniture that 
was damaged severely enough to require complete refurbishment or 
destruction-6 offices." It also indicated that a glass desk top was 
smashed and on the floor, and that desks and other furniture were 
overturned in six offices. 

Observations of EOP Staff and Related Documentation: 

Ten EOP staff told us that they observed a total of 16 to 21 pieces of 
broken furniture, including 5 to 7 chairs with broken legs or backs; 5 
to 7 broken glass desk tops, including one on the floor;[Footnote 30] 
1 to 2 chairs with missing or broken arms; a desk with the drawer 
fronts removed; a sofa with broken legs; a credenza with broken door 
glass; a broken mirror;[Footnote 31] and a cabinet with its doors 
hanging with only one hinge. 

Six EOP staff also said that the locks on four desks or cabinet 
drawers were damaged or the keys were missing or broken off in the 
locks. This included the observation of a file cabinet with a key 
broken off, which, when opened, contained a Gore bumper sticker. 
Another EOP employee said that he saw that the fabric was torn on 
three chairs. This employee said that the tears were made in the same 
spots on two of the chairs, which he observed in a hallway, and that 
the fabric on them appeared to have been new He thought that they had 
been intentionally cut with a knife. One EOP employee said that her 
desk had five to six large cigar burns on it, and other desks had 
scratches that she said appeared to have been made with a knife. 

Five EOP staff also said that they observed writing inside drawers of 
five desks.[Footnote 32] Four of these employees said the writing was 
found written inside the top drawers of the desks. The other employee 
could only recall on which floor he saw the writing. In August and 
September 2001, we were shown the writing in four of the five desks. 

Five EOP staff told us that they saw a total of 11 to 13 pieces of 
furniture that were on their sides or overturned in specific rooms or 
offices. The five people who told us the approximate time that they 
observed overturned furniture said they made those observations 
between the early morning hours and the afternoon of January 20. In 
addition, another EOP employee and the director of GSA's White House 
service center said they observed overturned furniture, but did not 
indicate where. The director of GSA's White House service center also 
said that furniture could have been overturned for a variety of 
reasons other than vandalism, such as to reach electrical or computer 
connections. Further, five EOP staff also said they saw pieces of 
furniture that appeared to have been moved to areas where they did not 
belong, such as desks moved up against doors. 

Six EOP staff said they observed a total of four to five desks with a 
sticky substance on them between January 20 and 22 in two different 
locations (an office in the EEOB and an office area in the West Wing). 
In addition, three EOP staff said that they saw a total of two to four 
desks with handles missing on January 20 or 21. Included were the 
observations of two employees who worked in the West Wing who said 
that their desks had a sticky substance on the bottom of drawers or a 
pull-out tray (one of those two employees who worked in that area also 
said that her desk was missing handles); an employee who said that a 
desk in that area[Footnote 33] had a sticky substance on the bottom of 
a drawer and was missing handles; an employee who said that another 
desk in the West Wing had glue on the bottom of a drawer and was 
missing handles; and an employee who worked in the EEOB who said that 
she had to scrub "sticky stuff' on her desk, but did not know what it 
was and that it could have been the accumulation of years of grime.
Documentation relating to the observations made in specific locations 
included the following: 

* January 25 and 29, 2001, GSA facility request forms documented 
requests to gain access to and for a key to a locked file cabinet in a 
room where an EOP employee said that he found a key that was bent and 
almost entirely broken off in a cabinet that, once opened by a 
locksmith, contained Gore-Lieberman stickers. The facility requests 
were made by the EOP employee who told us about this observation. 

* A January 30, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a request 
to fix a broken desk lock in an office where an EOP employee said the 
lock on her desk appeared to have been smashed. The facility request 
was made by the EOP employee who told us about this observation. 

* A February 12, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a request 
to repair a leg on a sofa in an office on a floor of the EEOB where an 
EOP employee observed a sofa with broken legs. 

* A February 21, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a request 
to repair arms on two chairs in an office where two EOP staff told us 
that they had observed broken chairs.[Footnote 34] The facility 
request was made for the EOP employee who told us about this 
observation. 

In August 2001, we observed the desk with the drawer fronts that were 
detached, which had not been repaired at that time. 

Other GSA facility request forms for the period January 18, 2001, to 
February 27, 2001, documented furniture-related requests that were not 
in locations where EOP reported observing these types of problems. 
They included requests to repair a chair back, a desk lock, and a 
mirror, and five requests to repair or replace broken or missing desk 
handles. Also included were requests for furniture repairs that did 
not reflect observations made by EOP staff, such as a request to 
repair a bookcase. 

Definitive information was not available regarding when the furniture 
damage occurred; whether it was intentional and, if so, who caused it. 
The management office director said that during the first two weeks of 
the administration, the EEOB was filled with furniture that had 
exceeded its useful life. She believed that the broken furniture that 
she saw was in that condition as a result of wear and tear and neglect 
and not something intentional. Similarly, an EOP employee who saw four 
chairs with broken legs placed in the hall said the chairs could have 
been in that condition due to normal wear and tear and were not 
necessarily intentionally damaged. The OA director said that some 
furniture was thrown away because it was damaged, but "not a lot." He 
said that some furniture was put into a dumpster, and other pieces 
were transferred to the EOP storage facility. He also said that 
damaged furniture was put in the halls.[Footnote 35] In addition, he 
said that there were no records indicating that furniture was 
deliberately damaged, and that no inventory of furniture in the EEOB 
exists. An associate counsel to the president provided photographs of 
four pieces of furniture that she indicated were moved to an EOP 
remote storage facility that is now quarantined. They included a chair 
with a missing leg, a chair with a missing back, a sofa without a seat 
cushion, and a desk with missing drawer fronts. No information was 
provided regarding from which offices these pieces of furniture had 
been taken or when or how the damage occurred. 

Costs: 

GSA provided facility request forms dated between January 18, 2001, 
and February 27, 2001; we reviewed these and found 49 furniture-
related requests that cost a total of $6,964 to complete. Some 
individual repair costs were substantially more than others, such as 
$1,855 to refinish a desk and $628 to repair a bookcase. It was 
unknown what portion of those repair costs, if any, was the result of 
intentional damage caused during the transition. Further, the work 
requests for some repairs indicated that they included work other than 
furniture repair. 

GSA facility request forms relating to observations made in specific 
locations indicated that about $258 was incurred and included the 
following: 

* $75 to repair arms on two chairs,
* $75 to repair a sofa leg,
* $54 to gain access to a locked file cabinet, and, 
* $54 to fix a broken desk lock. 

We did not obtain any additional possible costs related to other 
furniture-related observations, such as those associated with placing 
overturned furniture upright, removing glue that had been left on 
desks, or replacing broken glass desk tops. 

Comments by Former Clinton Administration Staff: 

A former Clinton administration employee who worked in an office where 
an EOP employee showed us writing in his desk told us that he wrote a 
"goodwill" message inside a drawer of his desk. This former employee 
said that he obtained the idea to write a message inside of his desk 
because, historically, vice presidents sign the inside of a desk in 
their office.[Footnote 36] 

Clinton administration officials said that some of the space they 
vacated needed cleaning and that a conscious decision had been made 
early in the administration not to spend much money on repairs and 
upkeep during the administration in view of the generally tight 
budget; therefore, it could be expected that some furniture showed 
wear and tear. The former director of one office where EOP staff told 
us they observed two to four pieces of broken furniture said that the 
office furniture had been in poor shape for some time, but the staff 
tolerated it. He said that they did not want to send the furniture 
away to be repaired because it was uncertain how long it would take or 
whether the furniture would be returned. 

The former manager of an office where two EOP staff told us they 
observed one to two chairs with broken or missing arms said that arms 
on two chairs in that suite of offices had become detached a year or 
two before the transition, that carpenters had tried to glue them 
back, but the glue did not hold. We asked GSA to provide facility 
request forms for 1999, and we found two requests to repair chairs in 
that office suite made by the former office manager. 

A former Clinton administration employee who worked in an office where 
three EOP staff told us they observed a desk with two detached drawer 
fronts said that the fronts of two drawers on his desk had come off 
when he worked there and that someone was contacted once or twice over 
5 years to have them fixed, but the glue did not hold. In addition, 
this former employee said, regarding observations by EOP staff of two 
to three chairs with broken backs in his office, that a chair with a 
broken back had been in his office for a long time before the 
transition. Another former employee in that office said that he 
remembered that the front of a drawer of the other employee's desk was 
held on with rubber bands and that it had been that way for about the 
last 2 years of the administration. 

The former director of an office where an EOP official told us he 
observed a broken glass desk top on the floor during the afternoon of 
January 20 said that he did not observe that when he left the EEOB at 
about 1:00 a.m. on January 20, and he said that he and the deputy 
director were the last office staff to leave. Similarly, the former 
senior advisor for presidential transition said that he was in the 
same office after 11:00 a.m. on January 20, and he did not see a 
broken glass desk top.[Footnote 37] 

Three former staff who worked in an area of the West Wing where five 
EOP staff told us they found glue or a sticky substance on two to 
three desks said that they left the White House between midnight on 
January 19 and 4:30 a.m. on January 20 and were not aware of glue 
being left on desks. One of those former employees who worked in that 
same area where EOP staff said they observed one to three desks with 
missing handles said that her desk was missing handles when she 
started working at that desk in 1998, and it was still missing them at 
the end of the administration. 

The former occupant of an office suite where an EOP employee told us 
she observed a desk with five to six large cigar burns said that there 
may have been a burn on one of the two desks in his office, but he did 
not put it there. He said that he smoked, but not cigars, and not in 
his office. This former employee also said that with respect to an 
additional observation by an EOP employee that a desk in the office 
suite had scratches on it that appeared to have been made with a 
knife, he did not recall seeing any scratches on either of the two 
desks in his office.[Footnote 38] Similarly, the former senior advisor 
for presidential transition said that he was in the same office after 
10:30 a.m. on January 20, and he did not see any scratches on a desk 
in that office. 

Three former occupants of a suite of three rooms where two EOP 
officials told us they observed a table and two desks overturned in 
the afternoon of January 20[Footnote 39] said that no furniture was 
overturned in their offices when they left on January 20 and that 
their desks would have been difficult or impossible to move because of 
the weight of the desks. One of the three former occupants said that 
he was in his office until 3:30 a.m. or 4:30 a.m. on January 20, the 
second former employee said he was in his office until 10:00 a.m. or 
11:00 a.m. on January 20, and the third former employee said that she 
was in her office until 11:50 a.m. or 11:55 a.m. on January 20. 

Regarding another office where an EOP official told us that he 
observed overturned furniture between 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. on January 20, 
the former senior advisor for presidential transition said that he was 
in that office after 11:00 a.m. on January 20, and he did not see any 
overturned furniture. Similarly, the former director of that office, 
who said that he left the office around 1:00 a.m. on January 20, said 
that he did not observe any overturned furniture. 

Regarding furniture in a hallway of the EEOB that an EOP employee said 
she observed,[Footnote 40] two former employees who worked in an 
office outside of which the furniture was seen in the hallway said 
that they had moved bookcases, file cabinets, tables, and chairs out 
of their office into the hallway to help the cleaning staff at the end 
of the administration. 

Telephones: 

The June 2001 list indicated that: 

* "The phones [sic] lines had been cut in the EEOB--pulled from the 
wall." 

* "50-75 phone instruments had been tampered with requiring more work 
than the standard reset. Of those, most had the identifying templates 
removed." 

* "Voice mail announcements had been changed to answer the line with 
obscene messages. After finding 10-15, workers stopped resetting them 
individually and reset the entire system." 

* "A stu3 phone[Footnote 41] in the First Lady's office was left open 
with the key in it." 

Observations of EOP Staff and Related Documentation: 

Two EOP staff told us that they saw a total of 5 to 6 telephone lines 
"ripped" (not simply disconnected) or pulled from the walls during the 
early morning hours of January 20.[Footnote 42] In addition, the OA 
director said he saw some plugs that looked like they were damaged, 
and another EOP employee said that she saw a telephone cord that 
appeared to have been cut with scissors. One EOP employee said that 
she saw at least 25 cords torn out of walls in two rooms on January 
22.[Footnote 43] That employee did not know exactly what types of 
cords were torn out of the walls, but said she thought that they were 
telephone and computer cords and also could have been fax and 
electrical cords. A January 24, 2001, GSA facility request form 
documented a request to "organize all loose wires and make them not so 
visible" in an office suite where an EOP employee said that at least 
25 cords were pulled from the walls. The facility request was made by 
the EOP employee who told us about this observation. 

Five EOP staff said they observed a total of 98 to 107 telephones that 
had no labels identifying the telephone numbers in specific rooms or 
offices.[Footnote 44] Further, an EOP employee who coordinated 
telephone service during the first month of the administration 
estimated that 85 percent of the telephones in the EEOB and the White 
House were missing identifying templates or did not ring at the 
correct number.[Footnote 45] She did not identify the locations of 
these telephones, which could include those that were observed without 
identifying labels by four other EOP staff. This employee said that 
she was the "middleman" between EOP staff and contractors regarding 
the telephones during the first month of the administration, and that 
she went into every office of the EEOB and the White House during that 
time. 

The OA telephone services coordinator said she believed that telephone 
labels were removed intentionally and that "quite a few" labels were 
missing during the transition, but she did not agree that 85 percent 
of the telephones were missing them. She said that she had observed 18 
telephones that were missing number labels.[Footnote 46] The telephone 
service director said that in one room, missing telephone labels were 
replaced before noon on January 20, but were found missing again later 
that day. 

Five EOP staff said that 13 to 19 telephones were forwarded to ring at 
other numbers.[Footnote 47] Further, the EOP employee who coordinated 
telephone service during the first month of the new administration 
estimated that about 100 telephones were forwarded to other numbers, 
but, with one exception, did not specifically identify which telephones.
The telephone service director said the numbers for telephones that 
were missing identifying labels were determined in most cases by 
placing calls 
and noting what numbers appeared on the displays of receiving 
telephones. He also said that another way to identify the telephone 
numbers was for a telephone technician to obtain them from the 
telephone service provider. This official also said that, although 
there is a standard form for telephone service requests, preparation 
of this paperwork was not required between January 20 and 22 because 
of the urgency to get new employees moved into their offices. 

Seven EOP staff, including the telephone service director, said they 
saw telephones unplugged and/or piled up on two floors of the EEOB and 
in four specific rooms on those floors. Two EOP staff said that they 
found telephones that were not working. One of those employees told us 
that, because many telephones were not working in a section of a floor 
of the EEOB, the switchboard forwarded calls from that area to other 
offices where telephones were working, and that she walked from office 
to office delivering telephone messages. In addition, one EOP employee 
(a different employee for each of the following observations) said 
that he or she observed "some" telephones that were moved to other 
rooms while still connected, two telephones plugged into the wrong 
plugs, and one telephone with an incorrect number. 

The EOP provided documentation that summarized telephone service 
orders closed from January 20, 2001, through February 20, 2001, and 
contained 29 service orders that cited needing or placing labels; 6 of 
the 29 service orders were for work in offices where telephone labels 
were observed missing.[Footnote 48] All of the 29 service orders 
mentioning labels were part of orders for other telephone services, as 
were four individual work orders EOP provided that cited labeling that 
were not part of the 29 service orders. In discussing the telephone 
service requests, the OA telephone services coordinator said that the 
requests for labels did not necessarily mean that the telephones had 
been missing labels with telephone numbers. She said that a new label 
might have been needed for a new service, such as having two lines 
ring at one telephone. Documentation provided by the EOP included a 
work order to retrieve a telephone that was on the floor in one room, 
and another work order that said, in part, "replace labels on all 
phones that [sic] removed." The documentation did not include any work 
orders indicating that work was performed specifically to correct the 
forwarding of telephone calls. 

Two EOP employees who helped establish telephone service for new staff 
said that they heard a total of 6 to 7 obscene or vulgar voice mail 
messages that were left on telephones in vacated offices. These 
employees could not recall the specific content of the messages or the 
locations of the telephones. In addition, 13 EOP staff said they heard 
a total of 22 to 28 inappropriate or prank voice mail greetings or 
incoming messages left. Included in these total numbers was the 
statement of the telephone service director, who told us that he heard 
10 inappropriate voice mail messages, 5 to 6 of which were vulgar, 
during the early morning hours of January 20. 

The content of the most commonly heard voice mail message that EOP 
staff told us about (3 messages heard by four EOP staff) was that the 
former staff would be out of their offices for the next 4 years. Two 
EOP staff said they heard a voice mail greeting left by a former 
Clinton administration employee, who identified himself in the 
message, that said he would be out of the office for 4 years due to 
the Supreme Court decision and left his home telephone number. The 
telephone service director said that EOP staff needed to be physically 
present in the White House complex to record these greetings on their 
voice mail by using a passcode. 

Ten EOP staff said that they had no voice mail service when they began 
working in the White House complex. The telephone service director 
said that they initially attempted to erase inappropriate and vulgar 
voice mail messages on an individual basis, but it was eventually 
decided to erase all of them. The OA associate director for facilities 
management said that no record was kept of voice mail complaints, but 
so many complaints were received about them that voice mail service 
was discontinued for a while to clear out the system. This official 
said that no one had access to voice mail for at least 5 days and 
possibly up to 2 weeks. This official said that he made the decision 
not to erase all voice mail messages and greetings at the end of the 
administration because doing so would have deleted voice mail for all 
EOP staff, including staff who did not leave at the end of the 
administration, and not just for the departing staff. The OA telephone 
services coordinator said that voice mail greetings and messages were 
not removed on a systemwide basis at the end of the Clinton 
administration because the EOP had not yet done an equipment upgrade, 
which was done later. 

Two EOP officials said they observed a stu3 (secure) telephone with 
the key left in it. We interviewed the director of operations support 
at the White House Communications Agency (WHCA), which coordinates the 
installation of secure telecommunications equipment in the White House 
complex. This official said that WHCA had no record of having 
installed a secure telephone in the office where EOP staff said they 
observed it and did not know whether such equipment had been used 
during the Clinton administration. He also said that, for the 
equipment to be operational in a secure mode, the key in the receiving 
equipment also must be engaged. The official said that, typically, 
this type of equipment is picked up from offices by WHCA at the end of 
an administration, but because the agency had no record of the 
equipment in that office, it was apparently left there.[Footnote 49] 

According to the White House, based on what it said was extremely 
conservative estimates and straightforward documentation, the 
government incurred costs of at least $6,020 to replace missing 
telephone labels and reroute forwarded telephones. The documentation 
provided included two blanket work orders and associated bills, a 
closed orders log for the period January 20 through February 20, 2001, 
8 individual work orders for telephone service, and two monthly AT&T 
invoices. The White House also identified, but did not provide 19 
other individual telephone service work orders that it used in its 
cost estimate for or placing labels on telephones. 

Six of the 29 work orders listed on the closed orders log that cited 
needing or placing labels and four individual work orders that 
included labels were for work in offices where telephone labels were 
observed missing. However, both the orders listed on the closed orders 
log and the individual work orders, as well as the blanket work 
orders, cited other services besides labeling, and it was not clear to 
us from the documentation provided the extent to which relabeling was 
done solely to replace missing labels or would have been necessary 
anyway due to changes requested by new office occupants. None of the 
documents provided specifically cited correcting forwarded telephones. 
The documentation provided included blanket work orders representing 
114 hours for work done on January 20 and 78.5 hours for work on 
January 21. Costs associated with individual services were not 
identified for the blanket work orders, but they indicated that the 
services were for "install, moves, relabeling, rewire, etc." The 
summary of work orders closed between January 20, 2001, and February 
20, 2001, listed work orders for services such as installing new 
telephones and fax lines, replacing labels on telephones, clearing 
voice mail, resetting passwords, and reprogramming telephone numbers. 

The OA telephone services coordinator estimated that a technician 
could determine the numbers for 20 to 30 telephones per hour, but also 
indicated that a technician's $75.92 hourly charge ($113.88 per hour 
on Saturdays and $151.84 per hour on Sundays) would be charged even if 
it took less than an hour to complete a service order. Although we do 
not question that costs were incurred to replace labels or reroute 
forwarded telephones, we do not believe the documentation provided is 
clear or descriptive enough to indicate what those costs were. 

A January 29, 2001, telecommunications service request documented a 
request for services including "replace labels on all phones that 
[sic] removed," but the orders closed log for this service request 
showed "install new [numbers]/replace label." This service request was 
not made for an office where telephone labels were observed missing. 

A February 7, 2001, telecommunications service request documented a 
request to remove a telephone from an office where piles of telephones 
were observed at a cost of $75.92. 

Comments from Former Clinton Administration Staff: 

Regarding observations by EOP staff that telephone cords were "ripped" 
from walls, one former Clinton administration employee said that cords 
may have been pulled out of walls as a result of moving. She said that 
she remembered seeing two telephone cords pulled out of walls 
previously, but not around the time of the transition, which she 
believed was the result of an office move. Another former Clinton 
administration employee noted that, with respect to the observation 
that telephone cords were cut, when the carpet was being stretched in 
an office, a computer cord was cut with a carpet stapler.[Footnote 50] 
(She said this did not occur during the transition.) 

The former occupant of an office suite (consisting of his office and a 
reception area) where an EOP employee told us she observed more than 
25 cords torn out of the walls said that he did not observe any 
computer or telephone cords that were cut or torn out of the walls in 
any office when he was helping to remove hard drives from computers 
during the morning of January 20. He said that his office had only 5 
telephone and computer cords when he worked there.[Footnote 51] 
Similarly, the former senior advisor for presidential transition said 
that he was in that office after 10:30 a.m. on January 20, and he did 
not see any telephone or computer cords cut or torn out of walls. 

The former chief of staff of an office where two EOP staff told us 
they observed 9 to 11 missing labels identifying the telephone numbers 
said she was aware that six telephones in that office suite were 
missing labels before the transition. She said those telephones were 
used by interns to invite people to events and that they were used for 
outgoing calls only, not to receive calls. In addition, another former 
employee said that a telephone in a room (a reception area) in an 
office where EOP staff told us they observed missing labels 
identifying the telephone numbers was missing such a label before the 
transition. She said that, while she worked there, the office staff 
did not know the number for that telephone.[Footnote 52] She also said 
that the telephone was used only by visitors for outgoing calls. A 
former employee who also worked in that office suite said that other 
telephones in the office suite were missing labels before the 
transition, but he did not know how many were missing. 

Another former employee who worked in another office where two EOP 
staff told us they observed missing telephone labels[Footnote 53] said 
that her telephone did not have a label identifying the number when 
she started working there in 1997, and that someone told her what her 
telephone number was. The former director of another office, where an 
EOP official told us he observed missing telephone labels, said that 
staff sometimes moved to other desks and took their telephone numbers 
with them. The deputy assistant to the president for management and 
administration during the Clinton administration said that he did not 
know why labels identifying the telephone numbers were missing. He 
noted that the label for his telephone was missing when he started 
working in the White House complex in 1997. 

The former manager of an office where an EOP employee told us he 
observed telephones that were unplugged said that he was not aware of 
anyone in that office unplugging them. A former employee in another 
office where EOP staff told us they observed telephones that were 
piled up said that there were extra telephones in that office that did 
not work and had never been discarded. 

The former senior advisor for presidential transition said that, 
during transition meetings, EOP staff discussed a plan to erase the 
voice mail greetings on all of the telephones during the transition. 
He provided a typewritten copy of notes regarding an April 28, 2000, 
transition team meeting indicating "telephones—mass clearing." 
However, he said that given the reports of inappropriate voice mail 
messages found at the beginning of the new administration, the plan 
apparently had not been carried out. He also said that it would have 
been technically possible to erase voice mail greetings for most 
departing EOP staff without also deleting the greetings for staff who 
did not leave at the end of the administration.[Footnote 54] In 
January 2002, he provided us with his telephone number in the White 
House complex during the Clinton administration; when we called it, 
his voice mail greeting could still be heard.[Footnote 55] This former 
official also said that some telephones were forwarded to other 
numbers for business purposes at the end of the Clinton 
administration. He said, for example, that some of the remaining staff 
forwarded their calls to locations where they could be reached when no 
one was available to handle their calls at their former offices. 

A former employee who worked in an office where three EOP staff told 
us they heard a prank voice mail greeting said that on his last day of 
work at the end of the administration, he left a voice mail greeting 
on his telephone indicating that he would be out of the office for the 
next 4 years due to a decision by the Supreme Court, and he provided 
his home telephone number. He said that he presumed that the message 
would be erased the day after he left because he would no longer be 
employed there. He also said that departing staff were told that they 
would not be able to access voice mail after they left, but could not 
recall who told him that or how it was communicated to him (verbally 
or by E-mail). This former employee said that he left the message in 
"good humor." 

The former manager of the office where two EOP officials told us they 
observed a secure telephone with the key left in it said that the 
telephone had not been used for 4 years and was not active. 

Fax Machines, Printers, and Copiers: 

The June 2001 list indicated that "six fax machines were moved to 
areas other than the ones in which they had been installed, making 
them inoperable." 

Observations of EOP Staff and Related Documentation: 

One EOP official told us that he had seen 12 fax machines with the 
telephone lines switched and another fax machine that was 
disconnected. Another EOP official said that he also observed some fax 
machines that were swapped between rooms. Three EOP staff said that 
they observed a total of 5 copy machines, fax machines, and printers 
that did not work. Two EOP staff said they observed fax machines moved 
to areas where they did not appear to belong, including some in the 
middle of a room, unplugged. An EOP employee who helped prepare the 
offices for new staff said that the serial numbers for 5 to 7 copy and 
fax machines and 10 printers were marked out or removed, and that 
without the serial numbers, he was unable to determine whether the 
machines were subject to maintenance agreements. He also said that no 
one knew the access codes needed for some copy machines. Another 
employee said that a printer and fax machine had been emptied of paper. 

The EOP provided a copy of a log of broken copy and fax machines for 
the period from January 29, 2001, to February 28, 2001. The log 
indicated 18 instances of problems with copiers, such as paper 
jamming, feeder not working, and printing crooked during this period; 
and 19 instances of fax machine problems, including not being able to 
send or receive and a request for service that had not been completed 
the previous week. One of the items on the log was to repair a copy 
machine in an office where an EOP employee said that the copy and fax 
machines and printer did not work, although he said that he did not 
believe that they were not working because of something intentional. 
It was not possible to ascertain when the copier and fax machines in 
the log were broken and whether they were broken intentionally, and if 
so, who was responsible. 

Costs: 

We did not request cost information associated with preparing these fax
machines, printers, and copy machines for use by the new staff. 

Comments by Former Clinton Administration Staff: 

The former director of an office where an EOP official told us that fax
machines were swapped between rooms said that a fax machine may have 
been pulled around a corner, but it was not done as a prank. Regarding 
a statement by an EOP employee that no one knew the access codes 
needed for some copy machines, the former senior advisor for 
presidential transition said he did not believe that any copy machines 
in the White House complex had access codes. 

Trash and Related Observations: 

The June 2001 list indicated that "offices were left in a state of 
general trashing," including contents of drawers dumped on the floor, 
desk top glass smashed and on the floor,[Footnote 56] and 
refrigerators unplugged with spoiled food. In addition, the list 
indicated that only 20 percent of the offices could be made available 
to incoming staff late in the afternoon of January 20. 

Observations of EOP and GSA Staff and Related Documentation: 

Twenty-two EOP staff and 1 GSA employee told us that they observed 
offices that were messy, disheveled, or dirty or contained trash or 
personal items left behind in specific rooms or offices.[Footnote 57] 
In addition, 6 EOP staff and 4 GSA staff said they observed office 
space in this condition on specific floors of the EEOB but could not 
recall the specific room or office. Nine additional EOP staff and 2 
GSA staff said that they observed office space in this condition, but 
they could not recall any locations. (These could be the same 
observations made by EOP staff in specific rooms or offices.) Included 
among these observations were EOP staff who described the office space 
as being "extremely filthy" or "trashed out," and that a certain room 
contained "a malodorous stench" or looked like there had been a party. 
GSA's director of the White House service center also said that 
numerous unopened liquor and wine bottles were found. 

GSA facility requests requesting cleaning in offices where 
observations were made included the following: 

* A January 30, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a request to
clean carpet, furniture, and drapes and to patch and paint walls and
moldings in an office that an EOP employee said was "trashed out," 
including the carpet, furniture, and walls, and had three to four 
"sizable" holes in a wall. The facility request was made by the EOP 
employee who told us about this observation. 

* Another January 30, 2001, GSA facility request form documented a 
request to clean carpet, furniture, and drapes in a different office 
that an EOP employee said was filthy and contained worn and dirty 
furniture. 

* January 25, 2001, and February 17, 2001, GSA facility request forms 
documented requests to clean carpet, furniture, and drapes in a suite 
of offices that an EOP employee told us was "extremely trashed" and 
smelled bad. The facility requests were made by the EOP employee who 
told us about this observation. 

We interviewed 23 GSA staff who cleaned the offices during the 
transition and 4 GSA team leaders.[Footnote 58] None of the 23 
cleaning staff said they observed any damage, vandalism, or pranks. 
Two of the cleaning staff said that they saw personal items left 
behind, such as books and an eyeglasses case; 2 employees said that 
they observed a lot of trash; 1 employee said that he saw empty desk 
drawers on tables; and 1 employee said that she saw discarded unused 
office supplies. Three of the 4 team leaders, who were responsible for 
different floors of the EEOB, said they did not observe any damage. 
[Footnote 59] Three of the team leaders said that they saw personal 
items left behind, such as unopened beer and wine bottles, a blanket, 
shoes, and a T-shirt with a picture of a tongue sticking out on it 
draped over a chair. One team leader said that the space on the floor 
of the EEOB where she worked was "extremely filthy," and another 
leader said that trash was piled up because there were not enough 
dumpsters to handle all of the trash.[Footnote 60] 

EOP and GSA staff also provided specific examples of their 
observations regarding the condition of the office space. Four EOP 
staff (4 different employees for each of the following observations) 
said they saw food left in refrigerators[Footnote 61] and that the 
furniture, carpet, or drapes in their offices were dirty. Three EOP 
staff (3 different employees for each of the following observations) 
said they saw holes or unpainted areas of walls where items had been 
removed and a key broken off in a door leading to a balcony.[Footnote 
62] Two EOP staff and 1 GSA employee said they saw drawers pulled out 
of desks. Two EOP staff (2 different employees for each of the 
following) said they saw the contents of desk drawers or filing 
cabinets dumped on the floor in two offices; pencil sharpener shavings 
on the floor of two offices; and paper hole punches arranged on a 
floor to spell a word. Either one EOP or GSA employee said he or she 
saw the following: an unplugged refrigerator, a plant turned upside 
down, a room without lightbulbs, a broken safe lock, and a bolt 
missing from a lock on the door to the outside.[Footnote 63] 

The director of GSA's White House service center during the transition 
said that most of the cleaning began at about 7:00 a.m. or 8:00 a.m. 
on January 20 after OA provided a list of offices to be cleaned. 
[Footnote 64] He said that OA authorized GSA to clean only a few 
offices before January 20 and that the cleaning was completed by the 
morning of Monday, January 22. The OA director said that the offices 
were in "pretty good shape" by the evening of January 22. Of the 23 
EOP and GSA staff who said they saw offices that were messy, 
disheveled, or dirty or contained trash or personal items left behind 
in specific rooms or offices, 13 staff made these observations on 
January 20 and 21; the remaining 10 staff made these observations on 
or after January 22. 

The OA associate director for facilities management said that there 
were "not a lot" of offices that could have been cleaned before 
January 20, and that maybe 20 such offices were on a list that was 
given to GSA. He also said that it took 3 to 4 days after January 20 
to complete the cleaning. He said that there was more to clean during 
the 2001 transition than during previous transitions because (1) more 
staff were working in White House office space during the Clinton 
administration compared with previous administrations, (2) many people 
were messier than they should have been, and (3) it was more difficult 
to do routine cleaning in some offices because of their condition. 
This official said the amount of trash he saw was "beyond the norm" 
and that he observed a limited amount of "trashing" of offices. He 
also said that it would have taken an "astronomical" amount of 
resources to have cleaned all of the offices by Monday, January 22. In 
his opinion, he said that departing staff should have left their 
offices in a condition so that only vacuuming and dusting would have 
been needed. 

A White House management office employee who said that he went into 
almost all of the offices on three floors of the EEOB and part of 
another floor said that he observed trash "everywhere" on January 21. 
He said that what he observed was probably a combination of some trash 
having been dumped intentionally and an accumulation built up over the 
years. Another employee said that an office that he saw looked like 
someone had deliberately left a mess, and that it appeared that 
someone was sending a message that they were going to make a mess for 
everyone. For example, he said that desk drawers were dumped out, 
lamps were on chairs, pictures taken down from the walls, and the door 
was jammed with pictures leaning against it so that the door could not 
be easily opened. Further, the OA director said that it looked as if a 
large number of people had "deliberately trashed the place," which he 
considered to be vandalism. 

The EOP also provided seven photographs of two or three offices in the 
EEOB taken on January 21, 2001, because, according to an associate 
counsel to the president, they were possibly responsive to our request 
for any record of damage that may have been caused deliberately by 
former Clinton administration staff. These photographs showed piles of 
empty binders and other office supplies left on the floor, empty 
filing trays stacked on a sofa, an empty styrofoam coffee cup on a 
desk, a desk pad with writing on it, a box of empty bottles left under 
a desk, a Christmas wreath on a table, a string of Christmas lights on 
a wall, Easter decorations, and three soda cans on a shelf. 

Costs: 

A GSA facility request form indicated that $1,150 was spent on 
professional cleaning services in a suite of offices that included a 
room that an EOP employee said was "extremely trashed" and smelled 
bad. We did not attempt to determine the costs associated with any 
additional cleaning effort that may have been needed as a result of 
excessive trash that needed to be discarded. 

Comments by Former Clinton Administration Staff: 

Former Clinton administration staff generally said the amount of trash 
that EOP and GSA staff said they observed during the transition was 
what could be expected when staff move out of office space after 8 
years; many staff were working up to the end of the administration and 
moved out at the last minute; staff worked long hours in their 
offices, often eating meals at their desks; certain offices were messy 
throughout the administration and not only at the end of the 
administration; trash cans and dumpsters were full, so trash was 
placed next to them; and that staff expected GSA to clean their 
offices after they left. 

Regarding the observations by some EOP staff who said that excessive 
trash had been intentionally left in vacated offices, none of the 67 
former Clinton administration staff we interviewed who worked in the 
White House complex at the end of the administration said that trash 
was left behind intentionally as a prank or act of vandalism. One 
former employee who worked in an administrative office said that she 
did not observe much cleaning of offices before January 20, and she 
believed that GSA did not have enough supervisors and decision makers 
to oversee the cleaning. A former administrative head of another 
office that no one said was left dirty said that he had asked 25 
professional staff to help clean the office before they left. 

In a letter sent to us in January 2002, the former deputy assistant to 
the president for management and administration and the former senior 
advisor for presidential transition said that, for months before the 
transition, they had been assured that additional cleaning crews would 
be detailed to the White House complex to assist GSA cleaning crews 
during the final week of the administration. However, the former 
officials said that they did not observe any cleaning crews during the 
evening of January 19 or the morning of January 20.[Footnote 65] 

Regarding files that an EOP official told us he observed dumped on a 
floor in another office during the afternoon of January 20, the former 
senior advisor for presidential transition said that he was in that 
office after 11:00 a.m. on January 20, and he did not see any files on 
the floor.[Footnote 66] The former director of that office also said 
that files could not have been found dumped on the floor on January 20 
because they were archived before he left on January 19. 

A former official in an office where an EOP employee told us she 
observed dirty carpet said that, except for one room in the office 
suite, no money had been available for carpet cleaning throughout the 
administration. 

A former employee of an office where three EOP staff told us they 
observed a key to a door to a balcony broken off in the lock said that 
only the Secret Service had a key to that door. The office manager for 
the office where an EOP employee told us it appeared that a pencil 
sharpener was thrown against the wall and that pencil shavings were on 
the floor said the sharpener in that office did not work and may have 
been placed on the floor with other items to be removed. Regarding 
things that appeared to have been "ripped" from walls that an EOP 
employee told us about, a former employee said the room had not been 
painted for years, and items had been put up and removed from that 
office several times. In addition, the former director of an office, 
where an EOP employee told us he observed paint missing from the 
walls, said that when the office was painted about a year before the 
transition there were air bubbles in the paint that turned into cracks 
and peeled. 

The former director of another office where an EOP employee told us 
she observed a broken safe lock said that it had not worked correctly 
for some time. The former occupant of an office, which an EOP employee 
told us contained an odor when he started working there, said that his 
former office had smelled bad since he started working there in 1999. 
He said the office smelled moldy every time it rained, and he believed 
that water seeped into his office from a balcony. In addition, 
regarding another office that an EOP employee told us smelled bad, 
[Footnote 67] the former occupant of that office said that he did not 
smoke in his office. 

Regarding the photographs of messy offices that the EOP provided of 
offices during the transition, the former senior advisor for 
presidential transition said the photographs showed trash, but they 
did not show evidence of vandalism. 

Writing on Walls and Prank Signs: 

The June 2001 list indicated that "writing on the walls (graffiti) in 
six offices" was found. 

Observations of EOP and GSA Staff: 

Six EOP staff said that they observed writing on the wall of a stall 
in a men's restroom that was derogatory to President Bush. In 
addition, two EOP staff and one GSA employee said that they observed 
messages written on an office wall.[Footnote 68] Two of those three 
employees said that the writing they observed in that office was on a 
writing board that could be erased. Two other EOP employees said that 
they saw pen and pencil marks on the walls of two offices, but no 
written words. This included one employee who said that it looked like 
there were cracks in the paint, but because the marks washed off, he 
thought it looked like someone had used a pencil on the wall. 

Twenty-nine EOP staff said that they observed a total of 25 to 26 
prank signs, printed materials, stickers, or written messages that 
were affixed to walls or desks; placed in copiers, printers, desks, 
and cabinets; or placed on the floor in specific rooms or offices, and 
that there were multiple copies of these in some locations.[Footnote 
69] The observers said these materials were generally uncomplimentary 
pictures or messages about President Bush or jokes about the names of 
certain offices. Six EOP staff said they saw a total of four messages 
that they said contained obscene words; three of the messages were 
observed in the same location. No one told us the pictures that they 
observed were obscene. 

Three other EOP staff and two GSA staff said that they observed a 
total of eight to nine prank messages and materials on certain floors 
of the EEOB, but they could not recall the specific rooms or offices. 
The messages and materials that were observed on certain floors, but 
not identified by specific office or room, could be the same as those 
that were observed in specific locations. 

In June and November 2001, EOP staff provided copies of 2 prank signs 
that were found during the transition, which were derogatory jokes 
about the president and vice president. In August and September 2001, 
we were also shown a roll of political stickers that were left behind 
and 2 stickers affixed to a file cabinet and desk containing 
derogatory statements about the president. 

Costs: 

We did not request cost information associated with removing writing on
walls and removing prank signs, stickers, and other written messages 
from the office space because we did not believe that such costs would 
be readily available. 

Comments by Former Clinton Administration Staff: 	 

Thirteen former Clinton administration staff said they saw a total of 
10 to 27 prank signs in the corridors of the EEOB.[Footnote 70] One of 
those former employees, who saw 2 signs, said she could not recall 
their content, but said they were "harmless jokes." 

Office Supplies: 

The June 2001 list indicated that "six to eight 14-foot trucks were 
needed to recover new and usable supplies that had been thrown away." 

Observations of EOP and GSA Staff: 

The OA associate director for the general services division, who is 
responsible for office supplies, said that about eight truckloads of 
excessed items were brought to an EOP warehouse where they were sorted 
into usable and nonusable materials. He said that departing staff 
brought excess office supplies to a room in the basement of the EEOB, 
which eventually became overloaded, and supplies were left in the 
hallway. However, he was not aware of any usable supplies being 
discarded. 

One EOP employee and one GSA employee said they saw supplies that were 
thrown away, but no one said that trucks were needed to recover 
supplies that had been thrown away. Another EOP employee said that 
there were no office supplies in her office when she started working 
in the EEOB. 

Costs: 

We did not obtain cost information concerning the value of office 
supplies that may have been thrown away because the statement that six 
to eight 14-foot trucks were needed to recover new and usable supplies 
that had been thrown away generally was not corroborated. 

Comments by Former Clinton Administration Staff: 

The former deputy assistant to the president for management and 
administration said that departing staff were instructed at the end of 
the administration to recycle usable office supplies by bringing them 
to the basement of the EEOB. The former senior advisor for 
presidential transition said that office supplies were brought to that 
room so that staff could obtain them from there, rather than obtaining 
them from the supply center. A former EOP employee said that the room 
where the supplies were taken became overloaded at the end of the 
administration. A former office manager said that staff received E-
mails indicating that any office supplies that were left in their 
offices would be thrown away. 

Additional Observations Not on the June 2001 List: 

The OA associate director for facilities management said that he found 
a secure employee identification and two-way radios that were left in 
an office and not turned into WHCA. Another EOP employee said that he 
observed materials that were not returned to the White House library. 
A GSA employee said that she observed a few classified documents left 
unsecured in closets and the telephone service director said that he 
found classified documents in an unlocked safe.[Footnote 71] Another 
EOP employee said that he found sensitive documents in a room. No 
costs were associated with these additional observations. 

Regarding two-way radios that an EOP official said were left in an 
office and not turned into WHCA, the director of operations support at 
WHCA, which handles such equipment, said that the agency had no record 
of having provided two-way radios to the office where they were 
observed. The official said that this type of equipment is typically 
picked up from offices by WHCA at the end of an administration, but 
because the agency had no record of having provided equipment to that 
office, it was apparently left there. 

Comments by Former Clinton Administration Staff: 

The former manager of the office where an EOP official told us he 
observed two-way radios left and not turned into WHCA said it was 
possible that they were not turned into that office. 

[End of section] 

Appendix II: Observations Concerning the White House Office Space 
During Previous Presidential Transitions: 

We attempted to determine how the condition of the White House office 
space during the 2001 presidential transition compared with the 
conditions during previous recent transitions by interviewing 14 
Executive Office of the President (EOP) staff, 2 General Services 
Administration (GSA) staff, 19 former Clinton administration staff, 
and a National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) official 
about their recollections of damage, vandalism, or pranks during 
previous transitions. In addition, we reviewed news media reports to 
identify any reported damage, vandalism, or pranks during the 1993, 
1989, and 1981 transitions. 

Observations of EOP, GSA, and NARA Staff During Previous Transitions: 

Five EOP staff told us they observed damage, vandalism, or pranks in 
the White House complex when they worked there during past 
transitions. Regarding the 1993 transition, an EOP employee said that 
she observed five desks containing prank pictures of former Vice 
President Gore with written messages on them and a banner on a 
balcony. In addition, two EOP staff (a different employee for each of 
the following observations) said he or she observed 1 to 2 poster-
sized signs, and 5 to 10 missing office signs. Another EOP employee 
showed us writing inside a desk that was dated January 1993.
Seven EOP staff who had worked in the White House complex during 
previous transitions made observations comparing the condition of the 
office space in 2001 to previous transitions; six said that the 
condition was worse in 2001 than previous transitions and one said 
that the office space was messier in 1993 than 2001. The director of 
the Office of Administration (OA), who had been present during five 
previous transitions, said that he was "stunned" by what he saw during 
the 2001 transition and had not seen anything similar during previous 
ones, particularly in terms of the amount of trash. The OA associate 
director for facilities management said that there was more to clean 
during the 2001 transition than during previous transitions.[Footnote 
72] The telephone service director, who had worked in the White House 
complex since 1973, said that he did not recall seeing, in past 
transitions, the large amount of trash that he had seen during the 
2001 transition. Further, an employee who had worked in the White 
House complex since 1984 said that office space in the complex was 
messier during the 2001 transition than all of the other transitions 
he had seen. 

The chief of staff to the president, who was in charge of the 1993 
transition for the George H. W. Bush administration, said that he saw 
nothing comparable during prior transitions to what he saw during the 
2001 transition. (He said that he saw during the 2001 transition, 
among other things, overturned furniture, prank signs, keyboards with 
missing "W" keys, and trash and telephones on the floors of vacated 
offices.) The director of records management, who had worked in the 
White House complex since 1969 said that, over time, he noticed that 
more personal items have been left behind by departing staff. The OA 
senior preservation and facilities officer, who had worked for the EOP 
since 1978, said she observed some evidence of vandalism or pranks 
during the 2001 transition, but had not seen any damage, vandalism, or 
pranks during previous transitions. However, a facilities employee who 
said that she was responsible for overseeing the custodial staff in 
the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB) during the 2001 
transition and was involved in the cleanup effort in the EEOB during 
the 1993 transition said that she believed more trash was left in the 
building during the 1993 transition than the 2001 transition. She said 
that she found papers "all over the floor" and the remnants of a party 
during the 1993 transition. 

The OA associate director for facilities management said that every 
transition has had a problem with missing historic doorknobs. The 
telephone service director said that telephone cords were unplugged 
and office signs were missing in previous transitions and that 
unplugging telephones is a "standard prank." 

The director of GSA's White House service center during the 2001 
transition said that the condition of the office space during the 2001 
transition was the same as what he observed during the 1989 
transition. (He said that he observed little during the 2001 
transition in terms of damage, vandalism, or pranks.) Similarly, a GSA 
employee who was one of the cleaning crew leaders during the 2001 
transition and was the EEOB building manager when we interviewed him 
in July 2001, said that he had not seen any damage or pranks during 
any transition during his 31 years of working in the White House 
complex. He said there was an excessive amount of trash during the 
2001 transition, but that was not unusual for a transition. Further, 
in a March 2, 2001, letter to Representative Barr on this matter, the 
acting administrator of GSA said, regarding the condition of the White 
House complex during the 2001 transition, that "[t]he condition of the 
real property was consistent with what we would expect to encounter 
when tenants vacate office space after an extended occupancy with 
limited cyclical maintenance, such as painting and carpet 
replacement." (Real property includes the physical structure of the 
building and not items such as telephones, computers, and furniture.) 

NARNs director of presidential materials said that she was in the 
White House complex during the 1993 and 2001 transitions and that she 
went into about 20 offices in the EEOB during the morning of January 
20, 2001. She said that she saw a lot of trash in the EEOB during the 
2001 transition, but that it was no more than what she observed during 
the 1993 transition. She said that she did not see any damage, 
vandalism, or pranks during the 1993 or 2001 transitions. 

Observations of Former Clinton Administration Staff Regarding the 1993 
Transition: 

Regarding the 1993 transition, five former employees told us they 
observed furniture in hallways, piled up, or in places it did not 
appear to belong. One of those former employees also said there was no 
furniture in an office. One former employee (a different former 
employee for each of the following observations) said he or she 
observed each of the following: a person's initials carved into the 
front of the middle drawer of her desk, words carved into two 
additional desks (a former employee said one of the carved words was 
an obscenity; the person who observed the other carving in a desk said 
it was the name of the vice president during the George H. W. Bush 
administration), and broken chairs. 

Seven former employees also said that computers were not operational 
or were missing hard drives at the beginning of the Clinton 
administration. Two of those employees said that it took 1 to 2 weeks 
for the computers to work.[Footnote 73] Two former employees said that 
telephones were piled on the floors or were disconnected. (One of 
those former employees said she was told that staff would receive new 
telephones.)[Footnote 74] Another former employee said that she saw 
telephone lines pulled out of walls and that they appeared to have 
been pulled out intentionally. 

One former employee who started working in the White House complex in 
January 1993 and left in January 2001 said that the offices were 
messier in January 1993 compared with January 2001. Another former 
employee said that on January 20, 1993, his office contained leftover 
food and that the walls needed repainting. A third former employee 
said the offices were still not cleaned by the afternoon of January 
21, 1993. Another former employee said that there were "dusty and 
dirty" typewriters on desks. 

Three former staff said they saw a total of at least six Bush bumper 
stickers in different offices, on cubicle walls, in a desk, and on a 
telephone. One former employee said she saw one to two photocopies of 
political cartoons left in a copy machine, a medicine bottle with a 
prank note inside a desk, a banner on the balcony of the EEOB, and a 
tent tarp. 

Three former Clinton administration staff said that there were no 
office supplies when they started working in the White House complex 
in January 1993. 

News Report Regarding the Condition of White House Complex during 
Previous Transitions: 

We searched major newspapers and selected magazines for any news 
reports regarding the condition of the White House office space during 
the 1981, 1989, or 1993 presidential transitions and found only one 
such mention. The March 1981 issue of Washingtonian magazine indicated 
that incoming Reagan administration staff had some complaints about 
the condition of the EEOB that were similar to observations made by 
EOP staff in 2001. According to the article, a visitor described the 
EEOB as being "trashed," and indicated that memorandums taped to 
walls, lampshades torn by paper clips hung on them to hold messages, a 
refrigerator with thick mold, and a large coffee stain on a sofa 
outside the vice president's office were found. 

[End of section] 

Appendix III: Procedures for Vacating Office Space: 

According to former Clinton administration and General Services 
Administration (GSA) officials, departing Executive Office of the 
President (EOP) staff at the end of the Clinton administration were 
required to follow a check-out process that involved obtaining written 
approval in 21 categories, including the return of library materials, 
government cellular telephones, pagers, and building passes. The form 
indicated that the employee's final paycheck and/or lump sum leave 
payment could not be issued until he or she had completed the form and 
returned it to the White House director of personnel.[Footnote 75] 
However, the check-out process did not include an office inspection, 
including an inspection of the physical condition of the office, 
equipment, or furniture. 

We asked former Clinton administration officials what instructions 
were provided to departing staff regarding vacating their offices at 
the end of the administration. We were provided with a January 4, 
2001, memorandum sent by President Clinton's chief of staff to the 
office heads of the White House Office and the Office of Policy 
Development that encouraged staff to check out by the close of 
business on January 12, 2001, unless there was an operational need to 
be on the premises until January 19.[Footnote 76] However, this 
memorandum did not indicate in what condition the office space should 
be left or how office supplies should be handled, nor did it provide 
any warning about penalties for vandalism. Provisions of 18 U.S.C. 
1361 provide for the punishment of anyone who willfully commits or 
attempts to commit damage to U.S. government property. If the damage 
to government property exceeds $1,000, the crime is treated as a 
felony; if the damage does not exceed $1,000, the crime is a 
misdemeanor. 

We contacted congressional personnel to ask what procedures are 
followed regarding offices on Capitol Hill that are vacated by members 
of Congress and their staff. They included staff from the Office of 
the Chief Administrative Officer, House of Representatives; Office of 
Customer Relations; Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms; and Office 
of the Building Superintendent, Office of the Architect of the 
Capitol. The staff said that House and Senate offices are inspected 
when members vacate their space, and they are held personally liable 
for any damaged or missing equipment. They also said that former 
members of both the House and Senate have been charged for this 
reason. Further, we were informed that furniture is inspected in House 
members' district offices. In addition, we note that landlords of 
privately owned office space and apartments routinely inspect the 
vacated space when tenants leave, and they charge for any damages. 

[End of section] 

Appendix IV: Comments from the White House: 

The White House: 
Washington: 

May 31, 2002: 

The Honorable David M. Walker: 
Comptroller General of the United States: 
441 G Street, N.W. 
Washington, D.C. 20548: 

Dear Mr. Walker: 

On May 13, 2002, I provided you with my office's comments on the May 
3, 2002 draft of the General Accounting Office's report on vandalism, 
damage, and pranks that occurred in the White House complex during the 
2001 presidential transition. Enclosed are a revised draft of those 
comments in which the names of individuals who provided information 
during the GAO's investigation have been removed, and certain 
conforming changes made. Please use this draft in preparing the 
comments for publication together with the final version of the GAO 
report. 

In addition, I wish to address a matter which has been discussed 
between our respective staffs. We understand that you propose to 
redact in the published version of our comments a specific reference 
to a matter that GAO considers "inappropriate" for publication by the 
GAO. Specifically, as I understand it, this redaction would cover 
portions of a sign of a mock Time magazine cover (p. 9 of our May 13 
comments and pp. 10 and 70 of our May 31 comments). For the following 
reasons, I strongly disagree with GAO's proposal to redact some of 
this material (or any other portion of our comments). 

First, as we have repeatedly stated in our comments on the draft 
report, we believe it is vital to include the substance of specific 
graffiti, messages and signs observed in the White House complex if 
the report is to achieve the objective set for the GAO by Congressman 
Ban: to "fully document the reported examples of vandalism" during the 
transition. While we agree that the statement itself is not 
"appropriate", particularly when affixed to government property, and 
while we certainly do not wish to propagate such statements, those 
considerations are outweighed here by the clear relevance of the 
content of the statement to the objectives of the GAO's inquiry. 
Indeed, to the extent that this specific message is especially 
offensive or vulgar, it may be more relevant to the inquiry because, 
among other things, 

* the content of a message can -and often does - indicate who wrote 
the message, and when. We think it unlikely that a reader would 
attribute the message in question to members of the incoming 
Administration, for example. 

* the content often provides an insight into the mindset or intention 
of the person who wrote it. This is important because it allows the 
reader to determine for himself whether some of the statements found 
in the White House complex were "harmless jokes" or "goodwill 
messages", as former Clinton Administration officials now claim. (See 
May 3 Report at 10 and 17). [Now on pp. 8 and 14] 

* the content of the message allows the reader to assess whether the 
GAO's characterization of the observations is fair and objective. For 
instance, in the May 3 draft report, the GAO describes a particular 
message as "arguably derogatory to the President." That message reads, 
"jail to the thief." Because the report does not reveal the content of 
the message, readers have no way of knowing whether the GAO's 
characterization of it as "arguably" derogatory is accurate. 

We raised these (and other) considerations in our May 13 comments in 
the hope the GAO would recognize the deficiencies in the current draft 
and revise accordingly. While we have not seen the final report to be 
published, we are disappointed to learn that apparently not only has 
the GAO not revised the report as we suggested (at least with respect 
to this comment), but in fact it proposes to redact our comments, 
which will effectively prevent the reader from having the necessary 
information about this particular matter to judge for themselves. 

Second, we do not agree with the suggestion that by publishing our 
comments, GAO as an institution will be tainted or associated in some 
way with the offensive matters they report -- any more than the White 
House itself has been tainted by the offensive material discovered 
during the transition. Any such taint reflects only on the individuals 
who created the material, not those who discover and report it. 

Third, although the President and the Administration had no interest — 
and have no interest — in dwelling upon what happened in the 2001 
transition, we have cooperated fully in the GAO investigation and we 
believe that if there is to be a report, it is incumbent upon us to 
ensure through our published comments that the facts are accurately 
and fully reported. Whatever changes the GAO may or may not choose to 
make in the final report in light of our comments, those comments are 
a separate document for which we are solely responsible and over which 
we must exercise sole control. 

Finally, I note that the suggestion made by your staff that the GAO 
would provide the substance of the redacted material to persons who 
make specific inquiry after reviewing the published comments, is not 
sufficient in our view to address these concerns. The published 
version of the report and accompanying published comments will be the 
definitive public documents for current and historical purposes, and 
will reach a much broader audience than any information made available 
to those who specifically request it. 

We also understand that GAO intends to publish a response to our 
comments as an appendix to its final report. This is inconsistent with 
all previous representations regarding the GAO process, and we are 
disappointed that we will not have an opportunity to consider or reply 
to GAO's responses to our comments prior to publication of the final 
report. 

If you have any questions about the enclosed comments, or wish to 
discuss these matters further, please do not hesitate to contact me or 
Associate Counsel Jennifer Newstead at 202-456-1984. 

Sincerely, 

Signed by: 

Alberto R. Gonzales: 
Counsel to the President: 

cc: Bernard L. Ungar: 

[End of letter] 

Comments Of The Office Of The Counsel To The President On The GAO'S 
Draft Report: "Allegations Of Damage During The 2001 Presidential 
Transition" (Dated May 3, 2002): 

The President and his Administration had no interest — and have no 
interest — in dwelling upon what happened during the 2001 transition. 
In early 2001, when the press first asked about damage found in the 
complex, the President said that "it's time now to move forward." 
Members of this Administration went to great lengths to dampen public 
interest in the issue, hoping — as Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said 
at the time — "to put it all behind us" and to "focus [on]...just 
doing the job that the American people elected President Bush to do." We
certainly did not instigate an investigation by the General Accounting 
Office (GAO), nor revel at the prospect of such an inquiry. However, 
once the GAO agreed to undertake the investigation, we agreed to 
cooperate fully. We have done so. And we now believe that, if there is 
to be a report, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that the facts are 
accurately and fully reported. 

With that goal in mind, and as a matter of comity between the 
legislative and executive branches, we provide the GAO with the 
following comments. We have now provided the GAO with two rounds of 
extensive comments on their draft. Our first round of comments were 
provided on April 26, 2002. Unfortunately, the GAO's revised draft, 
which we received on May 3, failed to address many of the concerns we 
had raised. Accordingly, we have now provided a second set of detailed 
comments on the May 3rd draft. We now understand that GAO intends to 
publish a response to our comments as an appendix to its final report. 
We are disappointed that we will not have an opportunity to consider 
or reply to GAO's responses to our comments prior to publication of 
the final report. 

Part I of the comments describes some general concerns about the 
overall structure, content, and use of terminology in the draft 
report.[Footnote 77] Part II offers more specific comments. And Part 
III addresses the GAO's proposed recommendations. In preparing these 
comments, we have consulted with representatives of the Office of the 
Vice President, the Office of Administration, the United States Secret 
Service, and others, on issues involving those entities or their 
personnel. We have also identified to the GAO the source of all 
factual information and statements cited herein. 

Part I: General Comments: 

1. Failure To Report Material Facts. The GAO has not included in its 
draft report many facts that a reader needs, in our view, to have a 
complete and accurate understanding of what happened during the 2001 
transition. In calling for this investigation, Congressman Barr asked 
the GAO to "to fully document the reported examples of vandalism." And 
section 7.51 of the Government Auditing Standards "requires that [a] 
report contain all information needed to satisfy the audit objectives 
[and] promote an adequate and correct understanding of the matters 
reported." In our view, neither Congressman Barr's directive nor the
Government Auditing Standard has been met. 

For example, the GAO does not specifically identify anywhere in its 
report, including the appendices, each reported instance of vandalism, 
damage, or a prank. The GAO's omission is troubling not only because 
it ignores the explicit request of the sole Member of Congress who 
requested the investigation ("to fully document"), but also because 
the GAO seems willing to detail each comment made by a former staff 
member. Thus in many cases, the GAO has included a former staff 
member's comment in response to a particular observation without ever 
having discussed the observation itself We believe that the GAO should 
treat observations by current staff members in the same manner it 
treats comments by former staff members. We also believe that the 
report should refer to each observation of damage individually. 

The GAO also omits from its report details about when, where, and by 
whom an observation was made. When an incident was observed is often 
relevant to determining the likely perpetrator. For example, the 
damage, vandalism, and pranks were often observed during the night of 
January 19 — before the cleaning staff began cleaning offices and 
before members of the Bush Administration entered the complex — and 
thus eliminating those individuals as the possible culprits. Where 
damage was found is relevant, for example, because often more than one 
incident and type of damage was observed in the same location; a 
concentration of damage (such as that found in the Vice President's 
West Wing and EEOB offices) makes it less likely, in our view, that an 
innocent explanation exists. Finally, who made the observation can 
bear on issues of credibility; if staff who served in the White House 
complex during many Administrations observed the damage, as was often 
the case, then a reader may find the observation more credible than if 
a member of the incoming Bush Administration reported the same 
observation. 

The report also does not contain the content of the graffiti, 
messages, and signs. We were told that the GAO thinks it is "not 
appropriate" to include such vulgar and disparaging statements about 
the President of the United States. While we agree that the statements 
themselves are "not appropriate," particularly when affixed to 
government property, and while we certainly do not wish to propagate 
such maledictions, we believe that including the content in the report 
is important for at least five reasons. 

* First, the content of the message can — and often does — indicate 
who wrote the message and when. 

* Second, the content often provides an insight into the mindset or 
intention of the person who wrote the message. This is important 
because it allows the reader to determine for himself whether the 
statements were "harmless jokes" or "goodwill" messages, as former 
Clinton Administration officials now claim (see Report at 10 and 17). 
[Now on pp. 8 and 14] 

* Third, the content also allows the reader to infer that, if 
departing staff left a vulgar or derogatory message, those same 
individuals may also be responsible for other incidents that were 
observed near the location of the message. 

* Fourth, the content of the messages and other details equip the 
reader to compare the 2001 transition and prior transitions. 

* Finally, the content of the message allows the reader to assess 
whether the GAO's characterization of the observations is fair and 
objective. For instance, in its report, the GAO describes a particular 
message as "arguably derogatory to the President." Report at 10. That 
message reads, "jail to the thief." But because the report does not 
reveal the content of the statement, readers have no way of knowing 
whether the GAO is accurate in describing the message as "arguably 
derogatory." By disclosing the content of the messages and other 
important details about the reported observations, the GAO can best 
assure the objectivity of the entire report. 

Because we believe these details are important, many of our comments 
highlight facts that the GAO omitted. These facts are undisputed. The 
GAO omitted them from its report, we were told, not because it has 
reason to doubt their truth, but because the GAO concluded that it was 
"not appropriate" to include this level of detail and that the facts 
were not "material" to the GAO's conclusions. On this, we simply 
disagree. By including these facts in our comments and explaining 
their relevance, we hope that the GAO will recognize the
deficiencies in the current draft and revise the final report 
accordingly. If not, the facts will be in our comments for the readers 
to judge for themselves. 

2. The "June 2001 List." Throughout the draft report, the GAO refers 
to a "June 2001 list." 

The GAO structures its report around the list and compares the staff 
members' observations with the content of the list. The GAO uses the 
list in this manner even though the Counsel to the President cautioned 
the GAO, in transmitting the list, that: 

the list is not the result of a comprehensive or systematic 
investigation into the issue, and should not be considered a complete 
record of the damage that was found. Rather, the list was prepared 
quickly and based on the recollections of a handful of individuals who 
witnessed or learned of the damage. 

Further, the GAO never even asked the individuals whose names appear 
on the list to explain how the list was prepared, who transcribed it, 
what its purpose was, or what each line refers to. Nonetheless, the 
GAO features the list prominently in its draft report as some type of 
benchmark or guidepost against which the observations are measured. 

Worse, the GAO often misstates the contents of the list. For instance, 
on page 3, the draft report states that "it listed ... offices with a 
lot of trash." In fact, the list states that offices were left in a 
state of general trashing." (And under that heading are three bullet 
points that read, "Contents of drawers dumped on floor," "Desk top 
glass smashed and on the floor," and "Refrigerators unplugged (spoiled 
food).") We highlighted the GAO's error—that in today's parlance 
saying an office was "generally trashed" is not the same as saying it 
had "a lot of trash" — in our April 26 comments on the GAO's 
preliminary findings. But for some reason, the GAO chose to ignore us. 
We will continue to note this type of error in this set of comments to 
allow the GAO another opportunity to correct the record and, in all 
events, to inform the reader about what the list actually says. 

3. Flawed Analysis. Rather than "fully document" each observation, the 
GAO generally states only "a range" of the "total" number of 
observations for each category of damage. While we would prefer that 
GAO simply provide the underlying data, if the GAO includes these 
ranges, they must be correct. In our opinion, they are not. The GAO 
materially understates the number of observations, and its methodology 
for calculating the ranges, in our view, is flawed. 

Here is the problem. The GAO said that, in calculating the "total" 
observations, it is crediting as true each person's observation. Yet, 
the GAO reports a range that takes the lowest number of observations 
in an office suite and then aggregates that lowest-possible number for 
each suite to arrive at the low end of the range. For the high end, 
the GAO, by and large, adds up each observation and assumes that no 
observer is repeating an observation reported by anyone else. Two 
examples — one taken from a data table which the GAO provided to us 
and the other a hypothetical — illustrate the flaw in this approach.
For purposes of the first example, let us assume that only two of the 
office suites from the GAO data table reported missing W keys — the 
Advance Office and the Communications/Media Affairs/Speechwriting 
Offices. For those office suites, the GAO data table shows: 

Room no. or floor: 185 1/2; 
No. observed[Footnote 78]: 
3-4; 
3-4; 
No. for report (reason): 2-8 (used range for different recollections). 
	
Room no. or floor: Adv. (174, 185, 185 1/2); 
No. observed[Footnote 78]: 
2; 
7-8; 
No. for report (reason): 2-8 (used range for different recollections). 

Room no. or floor: 192-198[Footnote 79]; 
No. observed[Footnote 78]: 
1-2; 
No. for report (reason): 1-7 (used range for different recollections). 

Room no. or floor: 197; 
No. observed[Footnote 78]: 
4 (observed by three persons); 1; 
No. for report (reason): 1-7 (used range for different recollections). 

Room no. or floor: 198; 
No. observed[Footnote 78]: 
1; 
No. for report (reason): 1-7 (used range for different recollections). 

[End of table] 

Under the GAO's methodology, and this data, the GAO would say that 10 
staff members reported "a total of 3 to 15 damaged keyboards observed 
in the two office suites. But that is incorrect if, as the GAO says, 
all observations are being treated as truthful. One person alone said 
that he saw 7 or 8 keyboards with missing W keys; thus it could never 
be the case that a total of only 3 keyboards was observed damaged 
Assuming the GAO's data were correct, the appropriate statement would 
be that 10 staff members reported a total of 11 to 26 (i.e., 7 to 18 
in the Advance Office and 4 to 8 in Rooms 192-198); here, the range 
properly reflects the possibility that an observer may or may not be 
reporting a keyboard that was observed and reported by another. 

A simplified and hypothetical example may further clarify the point. 

Room no. or floor: Office Suite A; 
No. observed (observer): 
1 (Washington); 
25 (Adams); 
100 (Jefferson); 
No. for report (reason): [Empty]. 

Room no. or floor: Office Suite B; 
No. observed (observer): 
1 (Madison); 
50 (Monroe); 
No. for report (reason): [Empty]. 

[End of table] 

Under the GAO's methodology, the number of "total" observations would 
be 1 to 126 for Office Suite A and 1 to 51 for Office Suite B — or a 
total of 2 to 177 for both offices. But that would be an absurd 
conclusion since three people said that they each alone observed more 
than 2 damaged keyboards; so unless the GAO is going to simply ignore 
their observations, or find them not credible, the total must reflect 
what they said. Therefore a proper range would be 100 to 126 for 
Office Suite A and 50 to 51 for Office Suite B, or a combined total of 
150 to 177. 

It appears that this flaw in the GAO's methodology infects each of the 
ranges presented in the GAO report. It also appears that some of the 
data is inaccurate in the data tables that the GAO has provided. 
Without being provided copies of all of the data tables for each 
category of damage, we cannot know — and hence cannot comment 
specifically on — the factual accuracy of all data, nor on how each 
range was calculated. Where the GAO has provided copies of the data 
table or has described the underlying data to us, we provide specific 
comments below. 

4. Use of the Term "Executive Office of the President." Throughout the 
draft report, the GAO refers to organizational units that are housed 
within the White House complex — such as the White House Office (WHO), 
the Office of the Vice President (OW), or the Office of Administration 
(OA) — individually and collectively, as the "Executive Office of the 
President" or "EOP." As we explained to the GAO in our April 26 
comments, it is not accurate to refer to each unit individually or all 
units collectively as the Executive Office of the President. In this 
context, the term is both under- and over-inclusive. It is under-
inclusive because not all offices in the complex fall within the EOP 
umbrella. And it is over-inclusive to the extent that it covers units 
that the GAO did not investigate. Thus, for example, it is not 
accurate to say, as the GAO does, that it "asked EOP" for information 
(Report at 1). The GAO is also inaccurate when it refers to the EOP 
units as "agencies." Report at 3 n.2, 4. They are not. [Now on p. 4] 

We therefore again recommend that the GAO state specifically the unit 
being referring to —whether it be the WHO, the OVP, the OA, the NSC, 
etc. 

5. Effort To Downplay the Damage Found in the White House Complex. It 
appears that the GAO has undertaken a concerted effort in its report 
to downplay the damage found in the White House complex. The following 
facts lead us to that conclusion: 

* the GAO omits from its report a reference to each reported instance 
of vandalism, damage, or a prank; 

* the GAO underreports the number of observations for nearly every 
category of damage; 

* the GAO omits from its report any mention of several individuals 
(all but two of whom served during the Clinton Administration) who 
told the GAO that the damage found during this transition was worse 
than prior transitions; 

* the GAO ignores documents that show requests were made to repair 
telephone damage and clean offices; 

* the GAO fails to quantify or estimate certain real costs incurred to 
remedy or repair the damage; 

* the GAO fails to report the content of the graffiti and signs that 
were found in the complex; and; 

* the GAO is unwilling to conclude that the vandalism, damage, and 
pranks were intentional, even where the circumstances plainly indicate 
that they were (e.g., damaged W keys, graffiti and signs disparaging 
the President and the incoming Administration, damaged furniture that 
contained anti-Bush statements, more than 100 missing phone labels, 
vulgar and inappropriate voicemail greetings, etc.). 

Part II: Specific Comments: 

1. Pages 2-3. [Now on p. 2] The GAO misstates the contents of the June 
2001 list: 

* The GAO says that the list "listed ... offices with a lot of trash." 
It does not. It says that the "offices were left in a state of general 
trashing," and then provides examples that the GAO omits — "contents 
of drawers dumped on the floor," "desk top glass smashed and on the 
floor," and "refrigerators unplugged (spoiled food)." 

* The GAO says that the list "listed ... cut telephone lines." In 
fact, the list says "ten phone lines cut in the EEOB —pulled from the 
wall." 

* The GAO says that the list "listed ... a secure telephone left 
operational." It does not. It says that "a stu3 phone... was left open 
with the key in it." 

2. Page 3. [Now on p. 2] The GAO misidentifies the units that comprise 
the EOP. As stated above, not all of the units identified by the GAO 
fall squarely within the EOP. See, e.g., Sweetland v. Walters, 60 F.3d 
852, 854-55 (D.C. Cir. 1995) ("the Executive Residence is not a unit 
within the Executive Office of the President"). And none of the EOP 
units are "agencies," as the GAO contends (see Report at 3 n.2 and 4). 

3. Pages 7 and 23. [Now on pp. 6 and 19] The GAO concludes that 
"damage, theft, and pranks did occur in the White House complex during 
the 2001 presidential transition." Congressman Barr asked the GAO to 
address "vandalism," and elsewhere in the report, the GAO discusses 
observations of vandalism. Is the GAO unwilling to conclude that 
"vandalism," as well as "damage, theft, and pranks" occurred? Or did 
the GAO simply inadvertently omit the word "vandalism" in these two 
instances? 

4. Page 8. [Now on p. 6] The GAO writes that "multiple people said 
that...they observed (1) many offices that were messy, disheveled, or 
contained excessive trash or personal items." That is an 
understatement, to say the least. The offices were not simply "messy" 
and "disheveled." Multiple observers told the GAO that the offices, 
for example, had more than 20 W keys glued to the walls; at least 14 
to 19 pieces of furniture overturned; computers piled up or overturned 
on floor; telephones and fax machines unplugged and/or piled on the 
floor in 25 or more offices; at least a dozen fax lines switched; 5 or 
6 glass desk tops broken; a plant dumped in the middle of the floor; 
drawers open and their contents dumped on the desk or the floor; food 
inside of desks; and beer, wine and liquor bottles littering offices. 
When one knows the specific allegations, a reader can evaluate the 
explanation offered by "some former Clinton administration staff" that 
"the amount of trash that was observed during the transition was what 
could be expected when staff move out of their offices after 8 years." 

Further, if the GAO is going to include the statement by former 
Clinton administration staff that the amount of trash was "what could 
be expected," it should also include the statements of longtime staff 
members who said the opposite. For example, an individual who has 
worked in the White House complex since 1971 told the GAO that the 
amount of trash "was beyond the norm," and a different individual, who 
has worked in the White House complex for 17 years, said that the 
trash was "worse this time" than in prior transitions and that the 
offices were "more messy" than what he had observed during other 
transitions. 

5. Page 8. [Now on p. 6] The GAO reports that some former Clinton 
Administration staff said that "some reported observations were 
false." We are disappointed that President Clinton's former staff 
would make such a reckless statement — a statement that is neither 
based on nor supported by a single shred of evidence. We believe that 
self-serving accusations like this one illustrate why it is important 
to provide the reader with many of the details that the GAO omits. If, 
for example, the reader is told that a particular observation was made 
by a staff member who worked in the complex for many years (including 
during the Clinton Administration), or that the damage was found in a 
location where others observed lots of other damage, then the reader 
can determine for himself the credibility of the observation. 

6. Page 9. [Now on p. 7] The GAO writes: "Documentation was provided 
indicating that much telephone service work was done during the 
transition, but this information did not directly corroborate 
allegations of vandalism and pranks involving the telephones." We 
simply do not understand how the GAO can say the documentation does 
not corroborate the allegations. Several staff members reported 
missing telephone labels, and the documentation shows, for example, 

* a list of closed telephone service orders that shows, among other 
things, at least 28 separate work-order requests for replacement of 
labels on one or multiple telephones; 

* a Telephone Service Request (TSR) that says, "Need Button labels 
typed. Tech to label sets"; 

* A TSR That Says, "Room[S] 274, 272, 284, & 286. Program 
Phones	Need Button labels typed. Need tech to place labels on sets"; 

* a TSR that says, "Room[s] 272 & 276. Program phones Need Button labels
typed & placed on sets"; 

* a TSR that says, "Reprogram sets in Room 263, 265, 266, 267, 268, 
269 and 271. Need labels placed on each set"; 

* a TSR that says, "Need Tech To Place Button Labels" on sets in Room 
270; 

* a TSR that says, "Replace labels on all phones that removed" in Room 
18; 

* a TSR that says, "Need label placed on set" in Room 148; and; 

* A TSR That Says, "Need Label Placed On Set" In Room 100. 

In addition, the GAO received two TSRs that show work — "including ... 
relabeling" —performed on January 20 and 21, 2001, when individual 
work orders were not completed. 

Likewise, staff members reported that telephones were left on the 
floor, and the documentation shows a request for a technician to 
retrieve a telephone found on the floor. 

7. Page 9. [Now on p. 7] The GAO writes that "seventy-nine EOP staff 
who worked in the White House complex on or after January 20, 2001, 
provided observations about the condition of the complex at the 
beginning of the administration." This statement is inaccurate in two 
respects. First, many of these 79 staff members worked in the complex 
before, during, and after January 20, not simply "on or after January 
20, 2001." Second, those staff members provided observations of 
damage, vandalism, and pranks that occurred shortly before "the 
beginning of the administration" — on January 19 and the early morning 
of January 20, 2001. 

8. Page 10. [Now on p. 8] The GAO reports that "EOP staff...observed a 
total of about two dozen prank signs, printed materials, stickers, or 
written messages that were affixed to walls or desks; placed in 
copiers, desks, and cabinets; or placed on the floor." We believe the 
GAO has substantially underreported the number of signs and messages. 
The GAO was informed of, and has not disputed, the following 
observations: 

Messages And Signs Written On Or Affixed (Not Simply Taped) 
To Furniture And Other Government Property: 

Location: EEOB — 191; 
Observation[A]: Sticker affixed to filing cabinet that reads "jail to 
the thief"; shown to GAO. 

Location: EEOB - 191A; 
Observation[A]: Writing on a pull-out tray on desk that reads "W 
happens"; shown to GAO. 

Location: EEOB - 191B; 
Observation[A]: Writing in top left drawer of desk that reads "GET 
OUT"; shown to GAO. 

Location: EEOB - 196A; 
Observation[A]: Writing in middle drawer of desk that reads "Flail to 
the Thief"; shown to GAO. 

Location: EEOB — 197: 
Observation[A]: Key broken off in file cabinet with Gore bumper 
sticker with the words "Bush Sucks" stuck to the inside of the cabinet 
(observed by two persons). 

Location: EEOB - 125A; 
Observation[A]: Writing in middle drawer of desk that wishes all "who 
work here" "good luck"; shown to GAO. 

Location: EEOB — 1st floor; 
Observation[A]: Writing in desk drawer. 

Location: West Wing — outside COS and VP offices; 
Observation[A]: Gore bumper sticker stuck to the bottom of paper tray 
in the copier. 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 7 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[End of table] 

Signs And Messages (not including messages and signs written on or 
permanently affixed to property): 

Location: West Wing — Vice President's Office; 
Observation[A]: "Vulgar words" on white board[B]. 

Location: West Wing; 
Observation[A]: Sign comparing President Bush to a chimpanzee found 
"in a number of printers"; "laced" throughout the reams of paper[C]. 

Location: West Wing — Vice President's Reception Area; 
Observation[A]: Three copies of the same sign taped to wall (observed 
by two persons)[B, D] 

Location: West Wing — Vice President's Reception Area; 
Observation[A]: 15-20 copies of the same sign laced throughout ream of 
paper in fax machine and copier (observed by two persons). 

Location: West Wing — First Floor; 
Observation[A]: Same sign shuffled throughout the paper tray in copy 
machine outside the Chief of Staff's office. 

Location: West Wing; 
Observation[A]: 20-30 copies of same sign interspersed throughout ream 
of paper in printer in office that is adjacent to the Oval Office. 

Location: East Wing; 
Observation[A]: 8" x 10" color piece of paper that said "see you in 
four, Al Gore" in drawer of the copy machine. 

Location: EEOB — room not identified; 
Observation[A]: Same President Bush/chimpanzee sign found in a 
printer[B]. 

Location: EEOB — basement; 
Observation[A]: In location where people "dumped" supplies, a sign 
read "Gifts for the New President" (Head Telephone Operator)[E]. 

Location: EEOB — 87; 
Observation[A]: Sign taped to a desk of a mock MasterCard ad that 
includes a picture of President Bush and reads, "New Bong: $50, 
Cocaine Habit: $300, Finding Out That The Good-Old-Boy Network Can 
Still Rig An Election In The Deep South: Priceless. For the rest of us 
there's honesty." The GAO was provided with a copy of this sign. 

Location: EEOB — 100-104; 
Observation[A]: T-shirt with tongue sticking out draped over chair[B]. 

Location: EEOB — 128; 
Observation[A]: Sign that read "just laugh" taped to the wall; Signs. 

Location: EEOB — 160-164; 
Observation[A]: "Inappropriate" message in printer or fax tray; "Quite 
a few signs." 

Location: EEOB — 160; 
Observation[A]: Picture of former First Lady taped to the inside of 
cabinet. 

Location: EEOB — 162; 
Observation[A]: Photo in safe that had the word "chad" spelled out in 
paper punch holes (observed by two persons). 

Location: EEOB-177-189; 
Observation[A]: Signs; Notes in the desk drawers. 

Location: EEOB — 192; 
Observation[A]: Sign addressed to and disparaging of "Bush staffer" on 
wall; Sign of a mock Time magazine cover that read "We're ******" on 
wall (observed by five persons). 

Location: EEOB — 197B; 
Observation[A]: Desk drawer had 2 Gore/Leiberman stickers displayed 
inside. 

Location: EEOB — 2d floor; 
Observation[A]: Picture of Bush with something drawn on it on the 2d 
floor[H]. 

Location: EEOB — 3d floor library; 
Observation[A]: Sign reading "VP's cardiac unit" (observed by two 
persons)[F,G]; The GAO was shown a copy of this sign. 

Location: EEOB — 4th floor; 
Observation[A]: Pictures of President Clinton and notes about 
President Bush "were everywhere."[I] 

Location: EEOB; 
Observation[A]: Signs inserted into office nameplates, including signs 
outside of the former First Lady's Office (Room 100-104), the OMB, and 
the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (observed by four 
persons; three of these (two OA employees and one GSA employee) had 
worked in the White House complex during the Clinton Administration) 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 28 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[B] OA employee who worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[C] OA employee who worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[D] OA employee who worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[E] OA employee who worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[F] OA employee who worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[G] OA employee who worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[H] GSA employee who worked in the White House complex during the 
Clinton Administration. 

[I] GSA employee who worked in the White House complex during the 
Clinton Administration. 

[End of table] 

9. Page 10. [Now on p. 8] While, in some cases, the signs listed above 
were easily removed and, in a few cases, were probably meant as a 
joke, we believe the GAO should describe the signs more fully and with 
greater detail for the reasons stated in General Comment No. 1. Two 
statements on page 10 illustrate why. First, the GAO reports that "one 
former employee...said that the prank signs that she saw were harmless 
jokes." The reader is unable to determine whether the signs were truly 
"harmless jokes" in some, many, or all of the cases, unless the 
content is included. Second, the GAO reports that it was shown "2 
stickers affixed to a file cabinet and desk containing arguably 
derogatory statements about the President." The GAO is referring to a 
sticker that reads "jail to the thief." We do not think that statement 
is "arguably derogatory," and we believe that many people would agree 
with us. Yet, since the report does not reveal the content of the 
statement, the reader cannot determine whether the GAO is accurate in 
saying the statement is "arguably derogatory." 

10. Page 10. [Now on p. 8] The GAO reports that "twenty-six EOP staff 
said that they observed a total of 30 to 64 computer keyboards with 
missing or damaged 'W' keys" where a specific room or office was 
identified. Again, we believe the range provided by the GAO ("30 to 
64") does not accurately reflect the number of observations reported. 
According to our records, which we earlier provided to the GAO and the 
GAO did not dispute, staff members observed a total of 58 to 70 
computer keyboards with missing or damaged W keys where a specific 
office or room was identified. In addition, staff members reported
150 keyboards with missing or damaged W keys, where the staff member 
did not associate the observation with a particular room or office. 
The data are set forth below: 

Missing Or Otherwise Damaged W Keys (where a specific room or office 
was identified): 

Room no. or office: Former 1a Lady's Office, 100-104; 
No. observed[A]: Approx. 10 (observer "A")[B]; 7+ ("at least one in 
each of the 7 offices in suite") (observer "B") Approx. 18 (observer 
"C"); 
No. for report (reason): Approx. 18 (C's observation likely included 
the same damaged keyboards seen by A, B, D, and E). 
		
Room no. or office: 102; 
No. observed[A]: 2 (observer "D"); 
No. for report (reason): Approx. 18 (C's observation likely included 
the same damaged keyboards seen by A, B, D, and E). 

Room no. or office: 104; 
No. observed[A]: 1 (observer "E"); 
No. for report (reason): Approx. 18 (C's observation likely included 
the same damaged keyboards seen by A, B, D, and E). 	 

Room no. or office: 106; 
No. observed[A]: Approx. 2; 
No. for report (reason): Approx. 2. 

Room no. or office: 158/160A; 
No. observed[A]: 2; 
No. for report (reason): 2. 

Room no. or office: 160; 
No. observed[A]: 1; 
No. for report (reason): 1. 

Room no. or office: 172; 
No. observed[A]: 1; 
No. for report (reason): 1. 

Room no. or office: 173; 
No. observed[A]: 1; 
No. for report (reason): 1. 

Room no. or office: 176; 
No. observed[A]: 1; 
No. for report (reason): 1. 

Room no. or office: Advance Office (177-189); 
No. observed[A]: 3-4; 3-4; 15-16; "at least" 7-8; 
No. for report (reason): 15-16. 

Room no. or office: 196, 197, 197A, 197 and/or 199; 
No. observed[A]: 1-2 (observer "V"); 
No. for report (reason): 5-7 (W's observation likely included the same 
keyboards seen by V, X, Y and Z). 

Room no. or office: 197, 197A, 197B, and/or 199; 
No. observed[A]: 5 (observer "W") (4 missing, 1 defaced); 
No. for report (reason): 5-7 (W's observation likely included the same 
keyboards seen by V, X, Y and Z). 

Room no. or office: 197B; 
No. observed[A]: 1 (observers "X" and "Y"); 
No. for report (reason): 5-7 (W's observation likely included the same 
keyboards seen by V, X, Y and Z). 

Room no. or office: 199; 
No. observed[A]: 1 (observers "Y" and "Z"); 
No. for report (reason): 5-7 (W's observation likely included the same 
keyboards seen by V, X, Y and Z). 

Room no. or office: 198; 
No. observed[A]: 1; 
No. for report (reason): 1. 

Room no. or office: OW; 
No. observed[A]: 4-5; "heavy concentration" [D]; "some" [E]; 	
No. for report (reason): 5-10. 

Room no. or office: 286; 
No. observed[A]: 1; 
No. for report (reason): 5-10. 

Room no. or office: 288; 
No. observed[A]: 4; 
No. for report (reason): 5-10. 

Room no. or office: West Wing[C]; 	
No. observed[A]: 6-10[F]; 	
No. for report (reason): 6-10. 

Room no. or office: Total; 	
No. for report (reason): Approx. 58-70. 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 26 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[B] Letter designations are for purposes of this table only. 

[C] Although no specific room was identified in the West Wing, we have 
included this observation in this table because, as stated in footnote 
19 of the Report, the GAO places it in this category. 

[D] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during the Clinton 
Administration. 

[E] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during the Clinton 
Administration. 

[F] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during the Clinton 
Administration. 

Missing Or Otherwise Damaged W Keys (Where No Specific Room Or Office 
Was Identified): 

Location: EEOB and WW; 
No. observed[A]: 150[B]; 
No. for report (reason): 150. 

Location: EEOB — no specific location; 
No. observed[A]: 1[C]; 
No. for report (reason): 0-1 (observation likely counted above). 

Location: First Floor, East Hall — EEOB; 
No. observed[A]: 2; 
No. for report (reason): 0-2 (observation likely counted above). 

Location: Total; 
No. for report (reason): 150. 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 3 
separate individuals. Each line reports an observation by one person. 

[B] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration 

[C] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during the Clinton 
Administration. 

[End of table] 

11. Page 11. [Now on p. 9] The GAO repeats its statement (found on 
page 8 of the Report) that staff "told us that they saw offices that 
were messy, disheveled, dirty or contained excessive trash or personal 
items left behind" and that "former Clinton administration staff said 
that the amount of trash that was observed during the transition was 
what could be expected when staff move out of their offices after 8 
years." Please refer to the comments we provided in Specific Comment 
No. 4. 

12. Pages 11-12. [Now on p. 9] The report states that the "EOP 
provided seven pictures that ... showed piles of binders and office 
supplies, empty beverage containers, and other items left behind. 
However, a Clinton administration transition official said that the 
pictures showed trash, and not vandalism." The GAO's description of 
the photographs is, in our view, incomplete. Any description of the 
photos should also say that the pictures show, among other things, 
binders, folders, papers, and other trash piled in the middle of the 
floor; framed pictures and bulletin boards removed from the walls and 
placed on the ground and on furniture; Christmas lights and strands of 
tinsel hung from the walls; desk drawers and cabinets left open and 
containing Easter decorations and personal products; and office 
supplies piled on sofas. 

13. Page 12. [Now on p. 10] The report describes two facility request 
forms that document requests for cleaning in particular offices where 
the GAO was told by current staff that the offices were "trashed" or 
extremely "filthy." The GAO, however, fails to mention three 
additional and similar facility request forms that we provided: 

* A January 30, 2001, facility request form (Form No. 56990.) shows 
that an employee asked for the following services in the Advance 
suite: "Walls/moldings need patching and paint.... 1 — Need carpet 
vacuumed — is awful! 2 — Furniture cleaned and drawers need vacuuming 
out. 3 — Drapery needs cleaning or replacement." Facility Request No. 
56990. During her interview, this employee told the GAO that the 
Advance suite was "still trashed out" even after the GSA crew went 
through the offices for the first time and that it took approximately 
three weeks before things were "back to standard." 

* A January 25, 2001, facility request form (Form No. 56662) shows 
that a different employee asked that GSA clean the carpet, furniture, 
and drapes in Room 160A. Facility Request No. 56662. This employee had 
to repeat that request on February 17, by submitting another form 
(which the GAO does describe) to clean a room that the employee said 
was "extremely trashed." 

* A February 21, 2001, facility request form (Form No. 58369) shows a 
request to clean the carpet in the former First Lady's suite (Rooms 
100-104). At least four current staff members told the GAO that this 
office suite was trashed, including reports of pencil shavings, dirt, 
and trash covering the floor. 

* In addition, in describing the January 30, 2001, facility request 
form, the GAO writes that the form "documented a request to clean 
carpet, furniture, and drapes in an office that an EOP employee said 
was 'filthy' and contained worn and dirty furniture." This description 
is incomplete. The same employee, as well as others from her office 
suite, also told the GAO about significant damage to furniture in 
those offices, including a desk drawer with its drawer fronts removed, 
chairs without legs, and a chair with its entire back broken off. 

14. Page 12. [Now on p. 11] The GAO underreports the number of reports 
of damaged furniture and the number of observers. Our records show 17 
current staff members reported a minimum of 31 to 33 pieces of damaged 
furniture — not counting the furniture that was defaced with writing 
and stickers — as follows: 

Damaged Furniture: 

Location: 100-104 (Former First Lady's office); 
Observation[A]: 4 chairs with broken legs. 

Location: 102; 
Observation[A]: Desk drawers kicked in — "clearly" intentional; "not 
just wear and tear." 

Location: 103; 
Observation[A]: Desk drawers locked; pried open the drawers and found 
2 pieces of paper that had anti-Bush statements. 

Location: 104; 
Observation[A]: 2 broken chairs — arms lifted off (observed by two 
persons) (The GAO apparently believes that one of the two observers 
said that 1 or 2 chairs had broken arms. That is incorrect; he told 
the GAO that 2 chairs had broken arms, and indeed showed the GAO the 
chairs.) 

Location: 158-160A; 
Observation[A]: "Number of the desks" appeared to have been scratched 
with knives; multiple "big scratches with a sharp object"; other 
furniture had red pen marks and other stains. 

Location: 160A; 
Observation[A]: Desk covered with 5-6 black, circular burn marks; 
appeared to be cigar burns. 

Location: 160-164 (Cabinet Aff.); 
Observation[A]: 1 or 2 chairs with broken legs (observed by three 
persons); 1 chair with its entire back broken out (observed by two 
persons); 1 chair with ripped seat. 

Location: 162; 
Observation[A]: Desk with 2 or 3 of the drawer fronts removed 
(observed by four persons, and witnessed by GAO). 

Location: 177-189 (Advance); 
Observation[A]: Glass top shattered on floor; appeared that someone 
stomped on it. 

Location: 179; 
Observation[A]: Lock to the cabinet in desk had been jammed inward so 
that it would not function. 

Location: 185-189; 
Observation[A]: Desk had a key broken off in the lock. 

Location: 197B; 
Observation[A]: Key broken off in file cabinet; key hanging in lock by 
metal thread, and Gore bumper sticker found inside (observed by four 
persons). 

Location: 199; 
Observation[A]: Glass in glass-fronted bookcase was broken with glass 
still sitting in cabinet. 

Location: EEOB — Southwest; 
Observation[A]: Cabinet with two doors hanging from hinges[B]
corner of first floor. 

Location: First floor EEOB — in hall; 
Observation[A]: Chairs with slit seats. 

Location: No specific room identified; 
Observation[A]: Sofa with broken legs and other broken furniture — 
probably in Counsel's office, the Scheduling office, and in the 
Advance offices. 

Location: No specific room identified; 
Observation[A]: Some broken pieces of furniture; upholstered pieces of 
furniture were "filthy" and had spills on them in same offices, where 
months and weeks earlier, things looked "pretty good"[B]. 

Location: No specific room identified; 
Observation[A]: Broken glass tops in 5 or 6 offices. 

Location: No specific room identified; 
Observation[A]: Broken mirror. 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 17 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise noted, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[B] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[End of table] 

15. Page 12. [Now on p. 11] The GAO reports that "former Clinton 
administration staff said that some furniture was broken before the 
transition and could have been the result of normal wear and tear, and 
little money was spent on repairs and upkeep during the 
administration." This explanation cannot be squared with the 
circumstances surrounding the reported damage. For example, 

* With respect to the key broken off in a file cabinet in Room 197B, 
the key was found still hanging in lock by a metal thread (suggesting 
that the damage occurred not long before the transition) and, when the 
locksmith opened the cabinet, a Gore bumper sticker with the words 
"Bush Sucks" was prominently displayed inside (suggesting that the 
damage was intentional and done by a member of the former 
Administration). 

* Similarly, when the locked desk drawers were pried open in Room 103, 
two pieces of paper with anti-Bush statements were found displayed 
inside. Again, in our view, these facts indicate that the damage was 
intentional, occurred shortly before the transition, and was done by a 
member of the former Administration. 

* One employee told the GAO that the drawers on her desk "clearly" had 
been kicked-in intentionally and that it was "not just wear and tear"; 

* A second employee told the GAO that it was unlikely that the slit 
seats were the result of wear and tear because "the fabric otherwise 
looked new," and "it looked like someone had taken a knife or sharp 
object to the seat"; and, 

* A third employee told the GAO that she saw damaged furniture in 
offices where things had looked "pretty good" weeks or months earlier. 

* Finally, in still other cases, the nature of the damage suggests 
that it occurred shortly before the Inauguration because the offices' 
prior occupants and cleaning staff would not have let the damage 
remain in the office for long. For example, it is hard to believe that 
occupants would not fix or remove a bookcase with broken glass (with 
shards of glass still in the cabinet) or would allow chairs with 
broken legs and no backs to remain in an office suite for very long. 

16. Pages 12-13. [Now on p. 10] The GAO lists four facility request 
forms that show that staff requested repairs of furniture that they 
told GAO was damaged. The GAO, however, to fails to include in its 
list a second facility request form (Form No. 56695) submitted by a 
staff member on January 29, 2001, to obtain "a key to lateral file 
cabinet," which was "locked." 

17. Page 13. [Now on p. 11] We believe that the GAO has underreported 
the pieces of furniture that were observed overturned. Our notes show 
(notes that were provided to the GAO and the GAO did not dispute) that 
five White House employees, one OA employee, and one GSA employee 
reported seeing at least 14 to 19 pieces of furniture that were on 
their sides or overturned, as follows. 

Table: Overturned Furniture: 

Location: 128; 
Observation[A]: In each of the three offices and the secretary's 
space, almost every desk was overturned — at least one desk or table 
in each room; 
No. of pieces: 4+. 

Location: 177-189 (Advance Off.); 
Observation[A]: At least 2 "desks turned over"; 
No. of pieces: 2+. 

Location: 177-189 (Advance Off.); 
Observation[A]: Coffee table standing on end; 
No. of pieces: 1. 

Location: 177-189 (Advance Off.); 
Observation[A]: Sofa upside down; 
No. of pieces: 1. 

Location: 177-189 (Advance Off.); 
Observation[A]: Tables upturned; 
No. of pieces: 2+. 

Location: OW; 
Observation[A]: Chair overturned; 
No. of pieces: 1. 

Location: 1st floor EEOB; 
Observation[A]: 3-4 pieces of furniture turned over; "couple desks on 
side," "couple of chairs"[B]; 
No. of pieces: 1-3. 

Location: Not identified; 
Observation[A]: Desks and credenzas turned on their sides[C]; 
No. of pieces: 2. 

Location: Not identified; 
Observation[A]: Overturned sofa; 
No. of pieces: 0-1 (may or may not be same one seen by a different 
person). 

Location: Not identified; 
Observation[A]: Desks turned on sides; 
No. of pieces: 0-2 (may or may not be same ones that others observed). 

Total: 
No. of pieces: At least 14-19. 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 7 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[B] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[C] GSA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[End of table] 

18. Page 13. [Now on p. 11] The report reads: "Six EOP staff said they 
observed a total of four to five desks with a sticky substance or glue 
on the top or on drawers." That is inaccurate and incomplete. The GAO 
was told that a thick layer of an oily glue-like substance was smeared 
on the bottom of the middle drawer of the desks and smeared all over 
the top of the right pull-out trays of at least two desks. In 
addition, three separate employees said that the desk-drawer handle on 
at least one of the desks was missing, and one of the three said that 
the handle was found inside the drawer along with more of the glue 
substance. 

19. Page 13. [Now on p. 11] The GAO Writes That "Four EOP Staff Said 
That They Observed A Total Of 10 To 11 missing doorknobs, which may 
have been historic originals." In fact, the GAO was told that 11 to 13 
doorknobs were missing, as follows: 

Table: Missing Doorknobs: 		 

Location: EEOB - 128D; 
Observation[A]: 2 pairs of doorknobs missing on pair of exterior doors; 
No. of doorknobs: 4. 

Location: EEOB — 1st floor, closet at top of Navy steps; 
Observation[A]: 1 doorknob missing[B]; 
No. of doorknobs: 1. 

Location: EEOB — interior door between Rooms 286 and 288; 
Observation[A]: 1 pair missing; 
No. of doorknobs: 2. 

Location: EEOB — Room 288, exterior door to hall; 
Observation[A]: 1 pair missing; 
No. of doorknobs: 2. 
		
Location: EEOB — 4th floor; 
Observation[A]: 1 pair missing[B]; 
No. of doorknobs: 2. 

Location: EEOB — location not identified; 
Observation[A]: Missing doorknob[C]; 
No. of doorknobs: 0-2 (may or may not be accounted for in the above 
observations. 

Total; 
No. of doorknobs: 11-13. 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 4 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[B] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[C] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[End of table] 

20. Page 13. [Now on p. 11] The GAO is incorrect when its states that 
"two EOP staff said they observed a total of 9 to 10 missing 
television remote controls." An employee of the OW said that five or 
six television remote controls were missing from the OVP offices, and 
a second employee said that "approximately five remote controls" 
disappeared from various offices throughout the correspondence suite. 
(The second employee had worked in the same offices before the 
transition.) Thus, there were reports of 10 to 11 missing remote 
controls. 

21. Page 13. [Now on p. 11] The report states that "two EOP officials 
said that about 20 cellular telephones could not be located in the 
office suite where they belonged" and that "[t]he former occupants of 
offices during the Clinton administration where items were observed 
missing said that they did not take them." 

* The GAO is referring here to cellular phones that were missing from 
the OW, and should so state. 

* The second clause suggests that the GAO interviewed all former 
employees of the OVP, and all former OW employees said they did not 
take them. But that is not true. 

22. Page 14. [Now on p. 11] The GAO refers to a February 7, 2001 
facility request form that asks the GSA to "put doorknob on" 
interoffice door. We ask the GAO to quote from — rather than 
paraphrase — this request since the form shows that the requesting 
employee is incorrect in his recollection that the doorknob was simply 
repaired (not replaced). Also, if the GAO includes this employee's 
recollection, we ask that it state his recollection is inconsistent 
with the facility request form and at least three current staff 
members, including the employee who prepared the form. 

23. Page 15. [Now on p. 8] The report states that "six staff said that 
they observed writing on the walls of two rooms." In fact, the GAO was 
told about writing on the walls of four rooms, as follows: 

Table: Writing On Walls: 

Location: EEOB — 191M; 
Observation[A]: Graffiti in the men's restroom read, "What W did to 
democracy, you are about to do in here" (observed by five persons); 
No. for report: 1. 

Location: EEOB — Scheduling Office; 
Observation[A]: Writing on the wall that said something like 
"Republicans, don't get comfortable, we'll be back"; 
No. for report: 1. 

Location: EEOB — wall on or near Room 158; 
Observation[A]: a wall was covered in pencil and pen marks, which was 
described as "slasher marks" and "beyond normal" wear and tear; 
No. for report: 1. 

Location: EEOB — 2d floor; 
Observation[A]: Entire wall in one office was covered in lines that 
appeared at a distance to be cracks; 
No. for report: 1. 

Total: 
No. for report: 4. 

[A]The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 8 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[End of table] 

24. Page 15. [Now on p. 12] The GAO underreports the number of 
telephones found with missing labels and the number of observers when 
it states that "[flour EOP staff said that they observed a total of 99 
to 108 telephones that had no labels identifying the telephone 
numbers." Based on conservative estimates and calculations, 5 (not 4) 
staff members (2 White House employees, 2 OA employees, and 1 OW 
employee) recalled observing in specific offices or rooms at least 112-
133 telephones that had no labels identifying the telephone numbers. 
Specifically, our records show: 

Table: Missing Phone Labels In Identified Offices Or Rooms: 

Location: 18; 
Observation[A]: "at least 3 missing labels, possibly 5" (observed by 
two individuals); 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 3-5. 

Location: 100-114 ("south corridor"); 
Observation[A]: "additional labels missing in rooms on the South 
corridor"; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 2+. 

Location: 115; 
Observation[A]: 1 phone missing label; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 1. 

Location: 118; 
Observation[A]: "at least 3 phones" were missing labels; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 3+. 

Location: 119; 
Observation[A]: 8 phones; "all phones were missing their labels" — 
both the large paper panel that lists the lines that are in use and 
the small label that lists the number of the phone; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 8. 

Location: 121; 
Observation[A]: "phones were missing labels"; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 2+. 

Location: 122; 
Observation[A]: 1 phone was missing label; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 1. 

Location: 118-122; 
Observation[A]: "lot missing" in Public Liaison space[B]; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 0. 

Location: 118-122; 
Observation[A]: "all stations" in the Public Liaison offices were 
missing labels; personally saw roughly 18 phones without labels; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 0-18. 

Location: 123; 
Observation[A]: "phones were missing labels"; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 2+. 

Location: 156/158; 
Observation[A]: 2 or 3 phones were missing labels; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 2-3. 

Location: 168/170; 
Observation[A]: "couple missing phone labels"; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 2. 

Location: 177-189 (Advance); 
Observation[A]: "couple missing phone labels"; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 2. 

Location: 177-189 (Advance); 
Observation[A]: "some missing in Advance"[B]; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 0. 

Location: 190-199 ("center corridor"); 
Observation[A]: "some missing in center corridor" on 1st floor[B]; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 2+. 

Location: OW; 
Observation[A]: "labels on phones were all gone" in all OW offices; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: 82. 

Location: Total; 
No. of pieces for calculating total: At Least 112-133. 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 5 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[B] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[End of table] 

25. Page 15. [Now on p. 12] The draft report states that "seven EOP 
staff said they saw telephones unplugged or piled up." This statement 
provides the reader with no information regarding how many phones or 
how many offices were affected. Our records show that 25 or more 
offices in the EEOB had phones piled up or unplugged. 

26. Page 16. [Now on p. 58] In its summary of the reported damage, the 
GAO fails to mention the telephones that were forwarded and 
reforwarded throughout the complex. According to our records, roughly 
100 telephones were forwarded to ring at other numbers, as follows: 

Table: Forwarded Phones: 

Location: 129; 
Observation[A]: "couldn't answer phone because, as soon as it rang, it 
would bounce to another phone in the suite, and then went straight 
into a voice-mail system that could not be accessed"; 
Total no. of pieces: 1. 

Location: 156 and other Presidential Personnel offices; 
Observation[A]: "phones were forwarded and then reforwarded so we 
could not figure out what number would ring the phone" on desk; 
Total no. of pieces: 2+. 

Location: 187 1/2; 
Observation[A]: Phone number in office (187Y2) did not ring if dialed 
the number on the phone; 
Total no. of pieces: 1. 

Location: West Wing—NEC; 
Observation[A]: Phones forwarded; 
Total no. of pieces: 2-5. 

Location: West Wing; 
Observation[A]: "called someone and reached a different and unrelated 
person"; 
Total no. of pieces: 1. 

Location: West Wing — Chief of Staff's Office; 
Observation[A]: "the Chief of Staff's phone had been forwarded to ring 
at a phone in a closet"; 
Total no. of pieces: 1. 

Location: West Wing and EEOB; 
Observation[A]: "majority of the phones did not ring" at the assigned 
phone number; "roughly 100" phones had been forwarded to ring at a 
different number; "phones [in the West Wing] were forwarded from the 
first floor to the second floor" and "phones from the West Wing were 
forwarded to the EEOB"; 
Total no. of pieces: Roughly 100. 

Location: EEOB — not identified; 
Observation[A]: Found at least 7-10 forwarded phones; 
Total no. of pieces: 7-10. 

Location: Total: 
Total no. of pieces: Roughly 100. 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 7 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[End of table] 

27. Page 16. [Now on p. 13] The draft report states that "[t]wo EOP 
staff said that they saw a total of 5 to 7 telephone lines 'ripped' 
(not simply disconnected) or pulled from the walls, and another EOP 
employee said that she saw at least 25 cords torn out of walls in two 
rooms. Former Clinton administration staff said that cords were 
probably torn by moving or carpet repairs." The GAO has failed to 
provide the reader with important information —information needed to 
promote "an adequate and correct understanding of the matters 
reported." Government Auditing Standard 7.51. The GAO fails to explain 
that the "two EOP staff" were the White House Director of Telephone 
Services and the OA's Associate Director for Facilities Management who 
together began touring offices and checking phone lines in the EEOB at 
approximately 1 a.m. on January 20 — before any moving or carpet 
repairs began in these offices. Thus, this is an instance where 
information that the GAO omits would have allowed the reader to test 
the credibility of the explanation provided by the Clinton 
administration staff. 

28. Page 17. [Now on p. 14] The GAO writes that, "with three 
exceptions," "[the GAO] was generally unable to determine when the 
observed incidents occurred and who was responsible for them because 
no one said he or she saw people carrying out what was observed or 
said that he or she was responsible for what was observed." We 
respectfully disagree. 

In many cases, the undisputed facts indicate when the incidents 
occurred and the likely perpetrators. For example, 

- With respect to the key broken off in a file cabinet in Room 197B, 
the key was found still hanging in lock by a metal thread (suggesting 
that the damage occurred not long before the transition) and, when the 
locksmith opened the cabinet, a Gore bumper sticker with the words 
"Bush Sucks" was prominently displayed inside (suggesting that the 
damage was intentional and done by a member of the former 
Administration). 

- Similarly, when the locked desk drawers were pried open in Room 103, 
two pieces of paper with anti-Bush statements were found displayed 
inside. Again, in our view, these facts indicate that the damage was 
intentional, occurred shortly before the transition, and was done by a 
member of the former Administration. 

- All of the obscene, inappropriate, and prank voicemail greetings 
must have been recorded shortly before the Inauguration (since many of 
the messages referred to the change of Administration and one presumes 
that former staff would not have left vulgar or inappropriate such 
messages on their phones during the Clinton Administration) and must 
have been recorded by the person who was assigned that telephone 
during the Clinton Administration (since a personal identification 
code is needed to change the voicemail greeting). 

- According to an individual who worked as White House Director of 
Telephone Services from 1973 to 2001, some of the missing telephone 
labels "were replaced early on January 20 — before noon"; but the 
labels were found "missing again later that day." These facts show 
that the removal of at least some of the labels was an intentional 
act, occurred early on January 20, and outgoing staff members were 
almost certainly responsible. 

- The oily glue-like substance that was smeared on desks in the Vice 
President's West Wing office; prank signs that were on walls and 
interspersed in reams of paper in printer trays and copy machines in 
the Vice President's West Wing office; and the "vulgar words" on a 
white board in that office were all discovered between midnight on 
January 19 and noon on January 20 by three different individuals. 
Since we presume that Vice President Gore's staff did not generally 
work under these conditions, we can reasonably conclude that this 
damage occurred shortly before the Inauguration and again, members of 
the former Administration were the likely perpetrators. 

- Similarly, it is unlikely that Clinton Administration staff worked 
for long without having W keys on their keyboards, again suggesting 
that the vandalism occurred shortly before the Inauguration. 

* In other cases, the person who observed the damage firsthand told 
the GAO that the nature of the damage itself, and the surrounding 
conditions, suggested that the damage was done shortly before the 
transition weekend. For example, one employee told the GAO that she 
saw damaged furniture in offices where things had looked "pretty good" 
weeks or months earlier. 

* In still other cases, the nature of the damage suggests that it 
occurred shortly before the Inauguration because the offices' prior 
occupants and cleaning staff would not have let the damage remain in 
the office for long. For example, it is hard to believe that occupants 
would not fix or remove a bookcase with broken glass (with shards of 
glass still in the cabinet) or would allow chairs with broken legs and 
no backs to remain in an office suite for very long. 

* In addition, and with all due respect, it is not true that the GAO 
"was generally unable to determine who was responsible." The GAO 
simply failed to determine who was responsible. The GAO was able to 
identify the "former Clinton administration employee who said he wrote 
a 'goodwill' message inside the drawer of his former desk' because the 
GAO called that individual. The GAO failed, however, to try to contact 
the occupants of the offices where other written messages — expressing 
things other than "goodwill" — were left. Similarly, the GAO could 
have contacted — but failed to contact — several former Clinton 
administration staffers who left inappropriate voicemail messages. And 
the GAO did not contact all the former staff members who occupied 
offices where missing or damaged W keys, missing telephone labels, or 
other damage was found. Therefore, it is inaccurate, in our view, to 
say that the GAO was "generally unable to determine who was 
responsible." Respectfully, in our judgment, the GAO simply decided 
not to pursue the inquiry in many cases. 

* Finally, the GAO's suggestion (at page 17) that "contractor staff, 
such as movers and cleaners" were responsible for the vandalism, 
damage, and pranks is, in our view, preposterous. It is an insult to 
the men and women who worked so hard during the weekend of January 20 
to clean up the conditions left by the prior Administration and 
prepare the complex for the new staff. 

29. Page 18. [Now on p. 14] The GAO writes that, for certain 
categories of damage, "the observations of EOP staff differed from the 
[June 2001] list in terms of total numbers of incidents or [the] 
alleged extent of damage." The GAO then provides, as an example, the 
statement included in the list that furniture in six offices was 
damaged severely enough to require a complete refurbishment or 
destruction. But the GAO learned of at least 28 to 31 pieces of 
damaged furniture, including 5 or 6 chairs with broken legs (reported 
by four employees), 1 chair with its entire back broken out (reported 
by two employees), and a desk with its drawers kicked in (reported by 
one employee). These pieces of furniture, at the very least, would 
have required a complete refurbishment or destruction; they simply 
could not have been used in their current condition. In addition, when 
the GAO asked the Director of the Office of Administration what 
happened to the damaged furniture, he said that some of it was "thrown 
in the dumpster." Thus the observations of staff members did not, as 
the GAO suggests, differ from the June 2001 list. 

30. Pages 19-20. [Now on p. 15-17] The GAO omits the following 
documented costs from its list of "Costs Associated with the 
Observations" 

* A January 30, 2001, facility request form (Form No. 56713) shows 
that Cabinet Affairs asked for someone to clean the carpet, furniture, 
and drapes in Rooms 160, 162, and 164. GSA charged $2,905.70 for that 
service. As the GAO acknowledged earlier in its report (at page 12), 
this request was for an office suite that a White House Office 
"employee said was 'filthy' and worn and dirty furniture." As noted 
above, that same employee, as well as others from her office, also 
told the GAO about significant damage to furniture in those offices, 
including a desk drawer with its drawer-fronts removed, chairs without 
legs, and a chair with its entire back broken off. 

* The GAO's discussion of the "costs" associated with telephone 
problems is both inaccurate and incomplete. Based on extremely 
conservative estimates and straightforward documentation, the 
government incurred at least $6020 just replacing removed labels and 
rerouting the forwarded telephones. The evidence shows: 

- First, the GAO received, but fails to mention, a blanket work order 
and bill for work — including "relabeling" work — performed on 
Saturday, January 20, 2001. The techs billed 114 hours at a rate of 
$113.88 per hour for each hour or fraction of an hour spent on a 
particular job. Consequently, if technicians spent only ten percent of 
their time relabeling phones and correcting forwarded telephones on 
Saturday (a conservative estimate given that there were between 112 
and 133 specifically identified missing labels and roughly 100 
forwarded phones), that means it cost the taxpayer $1,298 for one 
day's work replacing the removed labels and fixing the forwarded 
phones. 

- Second, and similarly, the GAO acknowledges that it received a work 
order and bill for work — including "replacing labels on telephones" — 
performed on Sunday, January 21, 2001. But the GAO fails to estimate 
any costs associated with that work. The bill shows that the techs 
worked 78.5 hours that day at a rate of $151.84 per hour for each hour 
or fraction of an hour spent on a particular job. That means that, if 
technicians again spent only ten percent of their time relabeling 
phones and correcting forwarded telephones, the taxpayer incurred an 
additional cost of $1,192 for that day's work replacing the removed 
labels and fixing the forwarded phones. 

- Third, the GAO fails to estimate the costs associated with replacing 
labels even where it was provided both individual work orders and a 
summary of orders that specifically identify the relabeling work 
performed and the amount of time spent on the job. Specifically, we 
provided the GAO with a document entitled "Orders Closed 1/20/01 Thru 
2/20/01" that lists many orders (some of which are highlighted above) 
where a tech was asked to place one or more labels on the telephone 
sets. For each of those orders, a "T&M" charge (time and materials) is 
identified in terms of hours and minutes. Those charges can be 
computed in dollars by multiplying the total number of hours of T&M 
charged times $75.92. We do not understand why the GAO failed to 
perform this simple exercise, particularly given its willingness to 
provide cost estimates in the context of missing and damaged W keys. 
Had the GAO done the calculation, the reader would know that 
approximately $2201.68 was spent to replace labels on telephone sets, 
as set forth below: 

-- On Monday, January 22, 2001, a telephone tech was asked by the OW 
to "PROGRM PHNS PER MATT, NEED BTN [button] LABELS, TECH TO LABEL 
SETS." The tech billed "4HRS" (4 hours) on this order, for an 
estimated total cost of $303.68. TSR No. 01010183. 

-- On January 31, 2001, a tech was called to Room 273 of the OVP 
because, among other things, the phones "NEED BTN [button] LABELS 
TYPED, PLACED." The tech billed "2HRS" on this order, for an estimated 
total cost of $151.84. TSR No. 01010386. 

-- On February 5, 2001, a tech was called to Room 200 because the 
phones "NEED LABELS PLACED ON SETS." The tech billed "2HRS" on this 
order, for an estimated total cost of $151.84. TSR No. 01020071. 

-- On February 9, 2001, a tech was asked to "REPROGRAM [phone] IN ROOM 
276 EEOB, [and] PLACE BUTTON LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "1HR" on 
this order, for an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020225 

-- On January 29, 2001, a tech was called to Room 18 to, among other 
things, "REPLACE LABEL." The tech billed "1HR" to this order, for an 
estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01010306. 

-- On January 30, 2001, a tech was called to Room 113 because the 
occupants "NEED LABEL PLACED ON SET BY TECH." The tech billed "1HR" to 
this order, for an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01010342. 

-- On February 3, 2001, a tech was called to Room 100 to "PLACE BTN 
[button] LABEL." The tech billed "1HR," for an estimated total cost of 
$75.92. TSR No. 01020154. 

-- Also on February 3, 2001, a tech was called to Room 100 because the 
occupants "NEED BTN LABELS FOR SET." The tech billed "1 HR," for an 
estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020156. 

-- In six additional and separate service orders on February 3, 2001, 
a tech was asked to "REPROGRAM" phones in the Room 100 suite and "TO 
PLACE LABEL ON SET." TSR No. 1020330; see also TSR Nos. 1020325 ("NEED 
LABELS PLACED ON SET"), 1020328 ("NEED BTN LABELS"), 1020329 ("NEED 
LABELS"), 1020331 ("NEED LABELS PLACED ON SET"), 1020340 ("NEED LABELS 
PLACED ON SET"). The tech billed "1HR" on each of the six service 
orders, for an estimated total cost of $455.52. 

-- On February 5, 2001, a tech was told that the occupants of Room 135 
"NEED LABEL PLACED ON SET." The tech billed "1HR" for this order," for 
an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020075. 

-- On February 3, 2001, a tech was asked to "REPROGRAM SET [in] ROOM 
137" and "PLACE LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "MRS," for an estimated 
total cost of $151.84. TSR No. 01020099. 

-- On February 3, 2001, someone in Room 131 asked a tech to "PLACE 
LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "1HR," for an estimated total cost of 
$75.92. TSR No. 01020055. 

-- In a separate service request on February 3, 2001, a tech was asked 
to "REPROGRAM IN ROOM 137 EEOB" and "PLACE LABELS ON SET." The tech 
billed "1HR," for an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020168. 

-- On February 3, 2001, a tech was told that the occupants of Room 154 
"NEED BUTTON LABEL," among other things. The tech billed "1HR" to this 
order," for an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020327. 

-- On February 5, 2001, a tech was told that "LABELS ALSO NEEDED" in a 
Presidential Personnel Office. The tech billed "1HR" for this order," 
for an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020360. 

-- On February 3, 2001, a tech was asked to "REPROGRAM [a phone] IN RM 
131" and "PLACE LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "1HR," for an estimated 
total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020363. 

-- On February 2, 2001, a tech was asked to "REPROGRAM IN ROOM 184 
EEOB" and "PLACE LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "1HR," for an 
estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020132. 

-- On February 8, 2001, a tech was told that the occupants of Room 87 
"NEED LABELS PLACED ON SET." The tech billed "1HR" on this order, for 
an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020160. 

- Fourth; and even more perplexing, the GAO ignores the AT&T invoices 
("Activity Reports") and individual works orders (TSRS) that we 
provided that show the actual charges incurred on particular orders. 
We have not attempted in preparing these comments to review all such 
invoices, but a sampling shows $1,328.60 in charges in addition to 
those listed above: 

-- TSR No. 01010184 (request to "program phones" and "place labels on 
sets" in Rooms 272, 274, 284, and 286): $341.64. 

-- TSR No. 01010185 (request to program phones and place labels on 
sets in Rooms 272 and 276): $341.64. 

-- TSR No. 01010195 (request for, among other things, labels for sets 
in Rooms 263, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, and 271): $341.64. 

-- TSR No. 01010206 (request for, among other things, "tech to place 
button labels"): $303.68. 

- Fifth, the GAO also can and should estimate, based on this data, how 
much it would cost to replace labels on 112-133 telephones (or, at 
least, on the 99 to 108 that the GAO concedes were observed missing) 
by estimating how much was charged per telephone and extrapolating 
that amount to account for the total number of missing labels. 

- Sixth, the GAO suggests that it is unable to provide any estimate on 
the costs to repair the damaged phones because "the extent to which 
the service order that mentioned labels involved missing labels was 
not clear and all of the service order involving labels were part of 
order for other service." That is incorrect. 

-- As we explained to the GAO, when a System Analyst (SA) performs 
work that does not require a technician to be dispatched to the office 
(e.g., reprogramming a phone), there is no separate charge. If work 
requires a tech dispatch (e.g., replacing a label), then there is a 
minimum charge of $75.92 for each hour or portion of an hour ($113.88 
on Saturdays and $151.84 on Sundays), even if it takes only minutes to 
perform the work. Therefore, for service orders that requested, for 
example, both a telephone to be reprogrammed and its label to be 
replaced, the entire charge is attributable to replacing the label. 
This is clear from the AT&T billing invoices (or "Activity Reports") 
that show that the cost associated with the work orders is for "LABOR 
CHARGES FOR EQUIP. MOVES/CHGS," and not for reprogramming expenses. 

-- In addition, for the service orders where the minimum charge of 
$75.92 was assessed, it is immaterial whether work in addition to 
replacing the label was performed; a charge of $75.92 would have been 
incurred for replacing the label(s) regardless of whether other work 
was performed within that first hour. 

-- Finally, the closed order list and the service orders do far more 
than "mention labels," as the GAO suggests. See Specific Comment No. 
79. 

31. Page 20 n.9. [Now on p. 16] In estimating the cost to replace 
missing doorknobs, the GAO has "deducted the value of replacing one 
historic doorknob from the total number observed missing because ... a 
GSA planner/estimator said that a facility request to install a 
doorknob in an office ... was to perform maintenance on a doorknob 
with a worn-out part, not to replace a missing one." We are puzzled 
that the GAO would decide to credit the recollection of the GSA 
planner/estimator, even though his recollection is inconsistent with 
both a contemporaneous facility request form that asks GSA to "put 
doorknob on" interoffice door and the recollection of at least three 
current staff members who recall that no doorknob was on the door. The 
GAO's decision simply makes no sense to us. But if the GAO persists 
with that decision, we ask that the GAO also state in footnote 9 that 
the statement by the GSA planner/estimator is contrary to the 
documentation and the recollection of at least three other witnesses. 

32. Page 21. [Now on p. 17] The GAO concedes that it has not even 
attempted to quantify additional costs that were incurred as a result 
of the damage, including: 

* To pay computer staff and contractors who spent time replacing 
keyboards with missing and damaged W keys; 

* To pay staff who devoted extra hours to removing W keys and prank 
signs affixed to walls and to clean up trash and dirt that exceeded 
reasonable amounts or amounts seen in prior transitions; 

* To pay staff who devoted time to placing overturned furniture 
upright; 

* To pay telephone personnel and technicians to remove inappropriate 
or obscene voice-mail greetings and to correct phones that had been 
forwarded to unidentified numbers; 

* To pay telephone personnel and technicians to repair cables, phone 
jacks, and/or electrical cords pulled from the wall; 

* To pay personnel to investigate the theft of a Presidential seal; 

* To pay movers to remove damaged furniture; 

* To replace damaged furniture that was not repaired; 

* To remove and replace broken glass tops; and; 

* To hire repairman to repair broken cabinets and copy machines. 

While it may not be possible to associate precise amounts with these 
costs, the GAO could have generated a range of estimates, but chose 
not to do so. We believe that this shortcoming in the investigation 
results in a substantial underreporting of the very real costs 
associated with the damage, vandalism, and pranks that occurred during 
the 2001 transition. 

33. Pages 21-22. [Now on p. 17-18] In describing how the 2001 
presidential transition compared with previous transitions in terms of 
damage, vandalism, or pranks, the GAO fails to include the statements 
of several current staff members — all of whom served during prior 
administrations and many of whom served during the Clinton 
Administration — who told the GAO that the damage observed during the 
2001 transition was worse than prior transitions. The following 
statements are representative: 

* "This was unusual. ... Every administration has pranks," but this 
was "worse." (An employee who oversaw White House telephone services 
from 1973 to 2001) 

* "Never remember seeing anything like this before." (same employee as 
above) 

* "I never encountered any problems with telephones" when President 
George H.W. Bush left office (same employee as above). 

* Although he had been through many transitions, he "never thought 
[he] would find things like this." (same employee as above) 

* One employee was "stunned" by the condition of the EEOB; he had 
"never seen anything like it" in prior transitions. (An employee who 
has observed five prior transitions) 

* The amount of trash "was beyond the norm"; it was "cleaner in some 
other transitions." (An employee who has worked in the White House 
complex since 1971) 

* The damage "was more than [he]'d seen in other transitions"; in the 
1993 transition, this official saw "nothing comparable" to what he saw 
during this transition. (This Bush Administration official, who worked 
in the White House complex during Reagan Administration and the prior 
Bush Administration, personally toured four floors of the EEOB and 
West Wing on January 20, 1993) 

* The trash was "worse this time" than in prior transitions; "more 
messy than other[]" transitions. (An employee who has worked in the 
White House complex for 17 years) 

In addition, while pranks and damage may have been observed in prior 
administrations, the reported observations are not the same in number 
or kind as those observed during the 2001 transition. Yet the GAO does 
not mention this in its report. The reader, moreover, is hampered in 
drawing his own conclusion because the GAO fails to include details 
about how much damage was reported by current staff. 

In addition, the GAO seems to overstate the extent of the damage 
reported during prior transitions. For example, while the GAO writes 
that the "observations included missing building fixtures like office 
signs and doorknobs," we understand there were no observations of 
"missing building fixtures" other than office signs and doorknobs, and 
those observations were few in number. A more accurate statement 
therefore might read "observations included 'no more than' 10 missing 
office signs and 1 or 2 missing doorknobs." Similarly, the GAO writes 
that the "observations included ... messages written inside and carved 
into desks." We understand that there was only one observation of a 
message written inside a desk — the same observation that the GAO 
repeats, for some reason, in the sentence that follows. And apparently 
there were only three observations of carving in desks by staff who 
served only during the Clinton Administration. 

Finally, while the GAO refers to "piles of ... equipment" (apparently 
referring to only one observation by a Clinton staffer of piles of 
telephones), the GAO fails to explain that the individual who has 
overseen telephone services since 1973, said that he "never 
encountered any problems with telephones" during the 1993 transition; 
he said that "perhaps some were unplugged, but that would be it." This 
employee also told the GAO that, as the Clinton Administration entered 
office in 1993, he was instructed to "get[] rid of [the] Republican 
phone system," which apparently resulted in the replacement of all the 
phones. 

34. Page 22. [Now on p. 18] The GAO says that "former Clinton 
administration officials told [the GAO] that departing EOP staff were 
required to follow a check-out procedure that involved turning in such 
items as building passes, library materials, government cellular 
telephones at the end of the administration." We have repeatedly told 
the GAO that some current staff members who served during the prior 
administration believe that the checkout procedures were often not 
followed and, in particular, building passes were not returned. The 
GAO apparently did not ask the Clinton staff or the National Archives 
to produce copies of the check-out forms, so there is no documentation 
to shed light on the issue. Consequently, we asked the GAO to include 
in its report the understanding of current staff — that some or all of 
the check-out procedures were not followed — and that there was no 
documentation to support or refute their claim. Or, alternatively, we 
asked that the GAO delete from its report the description to the 
"check-out procedures." For reasons that were not explained to us, the 
GAO has chosen not to do so. 

35. Page 23. [Now on p. 19] The GAO writes, "Incidents such as the 
removal of keys from computer keyboards; the theft of various items; 
the leaving of certain voice mail messages, signs, and written 
messages; and the placing of glue on desk drawers clearly were done 
intentionally." We believe that this list of incidents is incomplete. 
The GAO should also include on its list at least the following 
observations — all of which appear, based on their timing, recurrence, 
and/or content, to have been done deliberately by former staff leaving 
the complex. 

* Damage to computer keys (primarily W keys); 

* W keys glued to walls and placed in drawers; 

* Missing phone labels (some of which were replaced on January 19, 
only to have them removed again before noon on January 20); 

* Forwarded telephones (including the Chief of Staff's phone which was 
forwarded to ring in a closet); 

* "Crank" calls; 

* Phones piled on floor (observed before cleaning staff and telephone 
technicians entered offices); 

* Most if not all printers and fax machines emptied of paper in 
vacated offices in the EEOB; 

* Removal of an office sign that was witnessed by current staff member; 

* Overturned furniture (observed before cleaning staff entered 
offices); 

* Key broken off in file cabinet that, when opened, displayed Gore 
bumper sticker with the words "Bush Sucks" on it; 

* Desk drawers locked that, when opened, contained messages 
disparaging President Bush; 

* Gore bumper sticker stuck to the inside of copy machine; 

* Writing on and in desks that reads "W happens," "Hail to the Thief," 
and "Get Out." 

* Sticker inside a filing cabinet that reads "jail to the thief"; 

* Lamp placed on chair (observed before cleaning staff entered office); 

* Pictures and other objects placed in front of doors (observed before 
cleaning staff entered office); and; 

* Desk drawers turned over on the desk and on the floor (observed 
before cleaning staff entered offices). 

36. Page 23. [Now on p. 19] The GAO states that "it was unknown 
whether other observations, such as broken furniture, were the result 
of intentional acts and when and how they occurred." 

While that may be true with respect to a few pieces of the furniture, 
that is not a reasonable conclusion with respect to other items. For 
example, in our view, it is not plausible that a key was broken off 
accidentally in the lock of a cabinet, the key was left hanging by a 
thread in the lock, and, when opened, a Gore bumper sticker with the 
words "Bush Sucks" on it was prominently displayed. Nor, in our view, 
is it reasonable to conclude that desk drawers were accidentally 
locked and just happened to contain two pieces of paper with anti-Bush 
statements displayed inside. It is also not plausible to think the 
cleaning staff completely broke off the backs and legs of multiple 
chairs within the same office, and then left that furniture in the 
offices for the new occupants. And it would certainly be odd behavior, 
in our view, for occupants of these offices to have broken those 
chairs through normal wear and tear and to have left those chairs in the
office — unrepaired — for some period of time. Likewise, the nature of 
some of the damage — e.g., two seat cushions slit in an identical 
manner on apparently new upholstery — indicates that it was not 
accidental. And the GAO's conclusion that the furniture damage could 
have been accidental fails to take into account the testimony of one 
employee who served during the Clinton Administration and told the GAO 
that some of the upholstered furniture that she saw damaged during the 
transition looked "pretty good" when she visited the same offices 
weeks and months earlier. 

Similarly, it is not reasonable, in our view, to conclude that the 
furniture was overturned unintentionally. First, most of the witnesses 
observed the overturned furniture before the cleaning staff or new 
occupants entered the rooms. Second, it is not plausible to think that 
cleaning staff would have upended extremely heavy furniture in the 
manner described by the witnesses: 

* At least two "desks turned over" in the Advance Office (observed by 
employee with 29 years of service in the White House) 

* Desks and credenzas turned on their sides (observed by two 
witnesses); 

* Coffee table standing on end, sofa upside down, and tables turned 
over in the Advance Office; 

* In the Counsel's Office, in each of the three offices and the 
secretarial space, almost every desk was overturned — "at least one 
desk or table in each room"; 

* "Couple desks on side" and a "couple of chairs" turned over on the 
first floor of the EEOB (observed by employee with 31 years of service 
in the White House); 

* Sofa overturned with broken legs. 

In fact, the GAO was told by two employees of the GSA that cleaning 
staff would "not move" large pieces of furniture in this fashion, and 
none of these things would happen in the normal course of "moving" out 
of an office. 

Likewise, we know that the removal of at least some of the labels was 
an intentional act, occurred early on January 20, and outgoing staff 
members were almost certainly responsible. The employee who oversaw 
White House telephone services from 1973 to 2001 told the GAO that 
some of the missing telephone labels "were replaced early on January 
20 — before noon," but were found "missing again later that day." 

37. Page 28. [Now on p. 36] The GAO writes: "Staff we interviewed told 
us that they saw evidence of damage, vandalism, or pranks on or after 
January 20, 2001, when they started working in the White House 
complex." This statement is misleading for two reasons. First, it 
suggests that all observations were made by staff who "started working 
in the White House complex" "on or after January 20, 2001"; in fact, 
many, if not most, of the observations were made by employees who 
worked in the complex long before Inauguration Day. Second, the 
statement suggests that the staff members saw evidence of damage only 
"on or after January 20, 2001"; in fact, many observations were made 
on January 19, 2001. Therefore, to be accurate, this sentence should 
read: "The staff we interviewed, many of whom worked here during the 
Clinton Administration, told us that they saw evidence of damage, 
vandalism, or pranks shortly before, on, and shortly after January 20, 
2001." 

38. Page 28. [Now on p. 36] The GAO repeats a statement made on page 
23 that, although "incidents such as the removal of keys from computer 
keyboard, the theft of various items, the leaving of certain voice 
mail messages, signs, and written messages, and the placing of glue on 
desk drawers clearly were done intentionally," the GAO "generally 
could not make judgments about whether [other observations] were acts 
of vandalism because [it] did not have information regarding who was 
responsible for them, when they occurred, or why they occurred." 
Again, we respectfully disagree. 

The GAO's statement is categorical and speaks of an unwillingness to 
make any "judgments" about the observations. But the GAO certainly 
"could" make a judgment about whether at least some — if not most — of 
the observations were acts of vandalism. As explained in Specific 
Comment Nos. 35 and 36, the GAO's list of "clearly intentional" acts 
is under-inclusive, and the GAO had considerable "information 
regarding who was responsible for [other incidence of damage], when 
they occurred, or why they occurred." The GAO, it seems, has simply 
decided to ignore that evidence. It is simply not credible, in our 
view, for the GAO to claim that it cannot make a judgment about the 
incidents listed in Specific Comment No. 35. 

In addition, we believe the GAO should report the views of many 
current staffers (including employees who served during the Clinton 
Administration) who said that, based on their firsthand observations, 
the damage appeared to have been "deliberate," "purposeful," and 
"intentional." For example, one employee who has worked in the White 
House since June, 1998 told the GAO that the missing phone labels 
"must have been intentional," and another employee said that the 
damage done to a desk in Room 102 was "clearly" intentional and "not 
just wear and tear." A third person told the GAO that the broken file 
cabinet looked "deliberate." And two others (one of whom has observed 
five White House transitions, the other of whom has worked at the 
White House since 1998) said that, in their view, people had 
"deliberately" trashed their offices. An employee who worked at the 
White House from August 1999-August 2001 likewise told the GAO that 
the condition of 30-40 NSC rooms "was intentional, not accidental." 
Two other employees (one of whom has worked at the White House since 
1971) also told the GAO that some of the "trashing" was "intentional." 
A Bush Administration official said that the conditions he observed 
were "more than wear and tear." And an employee who has worked in the 
White House since 1973 said it looked like the prior occupants had 
"purposely trashed the place." 

By including these sorts of statements, the GAO would not only be 
providing the reader with "information needed to ... promote an 
adequate and correct understanding of the matters reported,"[Footnote 
80] the GAO would also then be treating statements made by current and 
former staff alike. As drafted, the report contains the views of 
"former Clinton administration staff" on whether the observed acts 
were intentional. See, e.g., Report at 8 (Former Clinton 
administration staff said that some furniture was broken, "but not 
intentionally"); Report at 46 ("The former senior advisor for 
presidential transition questioned whether as many as 60 keyboards 
could have been intentionally damaged...."); Report at 83 ("Former 
employee said that she saw telephone lines pulled out of walls [in the 
1993 transition] and that they appeared to have been pulled out
intentionally."). But the GAO fails to report the views of the current 
staff members regarding precisely the same issue. 

39. Page 29. [Now on p. 37] We disagree with the GAO's statement that, 
"[i]n the overwhelming majority of cases, one person said that he or 
she observed an incident in a particular location." According to our 
records, in many (if not most) cases, more than one person reported 
seeing the same incident in the same location. Indeed, the GAO reached 
that conclusion in its April 2002 preliminary draft report, where it 
stated (on page 22) that "several people observed most incidents; 
however, in a few cases, only one person observed them." The 
observations have not changed; we do not know why the GAO's conclusion 
has. 

40. Page 29. [Now on p. 37] The GAO states that, "in some cases, 
people said that they observed damage, vandalism, or pranks in the 
same areas where others said they observed none, sometimes only hours 
apart." In our April 26 comments on the GAO's preliminary draft, we 
explained that, without a description of the specific instances where 
one current staff member recalled seeing something and another 
expressly disavowed seeing the same thing, it was impossible to know 
whether the apparent conflict in testimony could be reconciled or 
whether the GAO's statement is factually accurate. We also complained 
that this vague sentence provides no indication of how many such 
conflicts existed or what types of incidents are involved. 

The GAO provided us with only two specific instances to which this 
sentence refers. The first example was an observation by two 
individuals — a Bush Administration official, and an employee who has 
observed five prior transitions -- of overturned furniture in the 
Counsel's Office suite (Room 128), which another person claimed could 
not be reconciled with a third person's alleged statement that he 
observed no overturned furniture in the same office. First, according 
to our interview notes, when the GAO asked the third person (who has 
worked in the White House for 33 years) specifically about Room 128, 
and whether he had observed overturned furniture in that office, he 
told the GAO that he had "no specific recollection of going into that 
room." Second, this person told the GAO, during both interviews with 
him, that he entered rooms in the EEOB between approximately midnight 
and 2:30 a.m. on January 20, at which time his attention was diverted 
to the West Wing. This person also told the GAO, during his first 
interview, that when he entered the Counsel's Office, "there were 
still people working" there. (This is consistent with the testimony 
provided by the prior occupants of that office, who said they left the 
EEOB close to noon on January 20.) Consequently there is no conflict 
between this person's recollection and that of the other two 
individuals, who said that they did not enter Room 128 until after 
noon on January 20. This person had no specific recollection of 
entering that office and, even if had recalled seeing no overturned
furniture, he would have made that observation roughly 12 or more 
hours before the observations of the two other individuals, leaving 
plenty of time for someone to overturn furniture. 

The second example that the GAO provided was an observation by an 
employee who has observed five prior transitions, of a broken glass 
top and files on the floor in the Advance Office suite, which the GAO 
claims is inconsistent with "other staff," who "said they
didn't see that." While again, the GAO has not identified who offered 
conflicting testimony, this employee's observations, which he made 
around 12:15 p.m. on January 20, are entirely consistent with another 
employee's recollection that he saw 5 or 6 broken glass tops when he 
surveyed the first few floors of the EEOB shortly after noon on 
January 20. While current staff who occupy the Advance Office may not 
have seen the broken glass top or dumped files, that would not be 
surprising since they did not enter the building until much later, 
allowing time for the broken glass and files to have been removed.
Thus we are aware of no instance where there is a direct conflict 
where one person said they observed damage in a location where others 
observed none. 

41. Page 31. [Now on p. 38] The GAO writes: "Six EOP staff told us 
that they observed a total of 5 to 11 missing office signs...." 

* Four of the "six EOP staff" members are employees of the OA and 
served here during the Clinton Administration. A fifth employee, who 
worked for the White House Office, also served during the Clinton 
Administration. 

* One of the employees told the GAO that a former member of the 
Counsel's Office during the Clinton Administration told her that he 
too observed two missing brackets on the morning of January 20, 2001. 

42. Page 31. [Now on p. 38] The GAO continues: 
These observations included an office sign that an EOP employee said 
that she saw someone remove on January 19 outside an office in the 
EEOB. The EOP employee said that the person who removed the sign said 
that he planned to take a photograph with it and that she reported the 
incident to an Office of Administration (OA) employee. Further, the 
EOP employee said that the person attempted to put the sign back on 
the wall, but it was loose. 

* This statement implies that the individual who pried the sign off 
the wall intended all along to put the sign back. In fact, it was only 
when he was confronted by an OA employee that the individual claimed 
that he wanted to take a photograph with it and tried to put the sign 
back. This employee does not believe that the volunteer intended all 
along to return the sign, as the GAO's sentence suggests. 

* The GAO fails to mention that the same employee also said that a 
former member of the Clinton Counsel's Office told her that he saw 
that the sign was missing at some point during the night of January 
19, 2001. 

43. Page 31. [Now on p. 39] The GAO fails to mention in its discussion 
of missing office signs that a facility request form, dated April 19, 
2001, requests the "replacement of frames & medallions" on four rooms. 

44. Page 31. [Now on p. 38] We disagree with the GAO's statement that 
"[flour EOP staff said they saw a total of 10 to 11 doorknobs, which 
may have been historic originals, were missing in different 
locations." As explained above (in Specific Comment No. 19), the GAO 
was told that 11 to 13 doorknobs were missing. 

45. Pages 31-32. [Now on p. 38] The GAO writes: 
A GSA planner/estimator who said he was in charge of repairing and 
replacing building fixtures in the EEOB, including office signs, 
medallions, and doorknobs, said he received no written facility 
requests made to GSA for replacing missing office signs, medallions, 
or doorknobs during the transition. He said that the February 7, 2001, 
GSA facility request was not to replace a missing doorknob, but to 
repair one that had a worn-out part. He also said that over the past 
20 years, doorknobs have been found missing about a half-dozen times 
in the EEOB, and not only during transitions. In addition, he said 
that medallions are difficult to remove and that a special wrench is 
needed to remove them from an office sign. 

First, if the GAO says that this GSA employee "said he received no 
written facility requests made to GSA for replacing missing office 
signs, medallions, or doorknobs during the transition," it is 
important that the GAO also say: 

* there is, in fact, a work request, dated April 19, 2001, for 
"replacement of frames & medallions" on 4 rooms, as well as the 
February 7 work request to "put ... on" a doorknob; 

* An employee of the OA said he provided a written request (although 
perhaps not on a facility request form) to the GSA for the replacement 
of name brackets and medallions; 

* An OA manager who has worked at the White House since 1971 recalled 
telling the GSA to replace missing knobs, brackets, and medallions and 
asking the GSA to check all signs and to take corrective actions; and; 

* A WHO employee told the GAO that the GSA noted that the office sign 
on Room 457 was missing when the GSA did a survey of the rooms. 

Second, we again ask that the GAO note that the employee's 
recollection that the doorknob was repaired (not replaced) is 
inconsistent with the facility request form and the recollection of at 
least three current staff members, including the individual who 
prepared the facility request form. 

46. Page 33. [Now on p. 39] GAO states that "two EOP staff told us 
that 9 to 10 television remote control devices were missing from two 
offices." 

* Here, the GAO conflates two separate reports — one the disappearance 
of five or six television remote controls from the OW; the other the 
disappearance of approximately five remote controls from various 
offices throughout the correspondence suite — for a total of 10 to 11 
missing remote controls. We believe that the GAO should discuss these 
incidents separately. 

* The employee who reported the remote controls missing in the 
Correspondence Office, worked for the Correspondence Office during the 
Clinton Administration. This is an important fact because this 
employee's prior tenure with the Clinton Administration placed her in 
a position to know if remote controls were in the rooms before the 
transition. 

47. Page 35. [Now on p. 41] The GAO says that "the OA associate 
director for facilities management estimated it will cost about $350 
to make a replica of the presidential seal that was reported 
stolen.... We did not obtain any information about the possible 
historic value of the seal that was stolen." That is untrue. The GAO 
was told, in writing, that the $350 purchase price would not purchase 
an exact replica of the brass seal that was stolen; that seal was 
purchased in the mid-1970s, and is no longer available. Rather, the 
$350 would purchase a plastic-type casting. 

48. Pages 35-36. [Now on p. 42] The GAO begins its section on 
"Comments by Former Clinton Administration Staff," with the following 
statement:
The former director of an office where an EOP employee told us that 
she saw someone remove an office sign said that an elderly volunteer 
in her office removed the sign from the wall on January 19, 2001. She 
said that she did not know why he had removed the sign. She said that 
she attempted to put the sign back on the wall, but it would not stay, 
so she contacted OA and was told to leave it on the floor next to the 
door. The former office director said that she left the sign on the 
floor, and it was still there when she left between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. 
on January 19. 

The GAO's report omits the fact that another employee, who also worked 
here during the Clinton Administration, told the GAO that she 
confronted the volunteer while he was removing the sign and that she 
contacted the OA immediately. We believe that it was the confrontation 
by this employee that explains why the volunteer ultimately did not 
take the sign, and hence that information should be included in the 
report. The GAO also fails to mention that a former member of the 
Counsel's Office said that the sign was missing during the night of 
January 19, 2001. 

49. Page 36. [Now on p. 42] The GAO writes: "The former director of an 
office where an EOP employee told us that he observed two pairs of 
missing doorknobs said that the office had several doors to the 
hallway that at some time had been made inoperable, and he was not 
sure whether the interior sides of those doors had doorknobs." Even if 
it were true that the doorknob on the interior side of the door was 
missing, that fact would not explain this employee's observation that 
the door was missing both an interior and an exterior knob. 

50. Page 38. [Now on p. 44] It is noteworthy that the GAO describes 
one individual as "another EOP employee who worked in that office 
during the Clinton administration and continued working there during 
the Bush administration for 5 months," but the GAO fails to note when 
and for how long a current staff member worked for the Clinton 
Administration. If tenure during both Administrations is relevant for 
the individual referred to above, wouldn't it also be relevant for 
current employees? Again, we simply ask that the GAO treat statements 
made by staff serving during this Administration just as the GAO 
treats the statements made by members of the former Administration — 
with the same kind of characterization and level of detail. 

51. Page 40. [Now on p. 45] We believe the range provided by the GAO 
("30 to 64 computer keyboards with missing or damaged 'W' keys") 
understates the actual number of observations. According to our 
records, which we earlier provided to the GAO and the GAO did not 
dispute, staff members observed a total of 58 to 70 computer keyboards 
with missing or damaged W keys where a specific office or room was 
identified. In addition, staff members reported 150 keyboards with 
missing or damaged W keys, where the staff member did not associate 
the observation with a particular room or office. The detailed data 
are set forth in Specific Comment No. 10. 

52. Page 40. [Now on p. 49] The GAO states that "one EOP employee said 
that she observed 18 keyboards with missing 'W' keys in an office 
suite. However, the manager of that office during the Clinton 
administration said that there were 12 keyboards in that office suite 
at the end of the administration." We do not understand why the GAO 
includes the second sentence in its section on "Observations of EOP 
and GSA Staff," instead of the section on "Comments By Former Clinton 
Administration Staff," where it would appear to belong. 

53. Page 40 n.19. [Now on p. 45] In calculating its range of missing 
or damaged W keys where the observer identified a specific office or 
room, the GAO "included the observation of one EOP employee who said 
that she saw 6 to 10 keyboards missing 'W' keys in the West Wing." The 
GAO is referring to an individual who was an employee of the Office of 
Administration. We ask that the GAO use her title — Branch Chief for 
Program Management and Strategic Planning in the OA Information 
Systems and Technology Division — and note (as the GAO did in 
identifying the person referred to in Specific Comment 50) that this 
individual worked in that position during the Clinton Administration 
and during the first four months of the Bush Administration. 

54. Page 41. [Now on p. 45] The GAO continues its discussion of 
damaged keyboards on page 41: "Five other EOP staff said that they saw 
a total of four keyboards with inoperable, missing, or switched keys; 
they said they were not the 'W' keys or could not remember which keys 
were affected." 

* The GAO fails to mention that, in addition to these five additional 
observations, the OA's Associate Director for Information Systems and 
Technology Division reported that she observed "some glued down space 
bars." 

* Also, for clarity, we recommend rewriting that sentence to read: 
"Five other current staff members said that they saw, in other rooms 
or offices, an additional four keyboards that had damaged keys (e.g., 
a key or keys that were inoperable, switched, or missing). In these 
cases, either it was not the 'W' key that was affected, or the 
observer could not specifically recall the key or keys that were 
damaged." 

55. Page 41. [Now on p. 45] The GAO continues:
In addition, five EOP staff and one GSA employee said that they saw 13 
to 15 'W' keys taped or glued on walls; four EOP staff said they 
observed piles of keyboards or computers or a computer monitor 
overturned; three EOP staff said that something was spilled on their 
keyboards; one EOP official said that she found 3 'W' keys in a desk; 
and one EOP employee said that his keyboard was missing at the 
beginning of the new administration. 

* First, there were reports of at least 19-21 W keys taped or glued on 
walls (not 13 to 15), as follows: 

Table: W Keys Taped Or Glued On Walls: 		 

Location: EEOB — 128; 
Observation[A]: W key "stuck over doorway"; 
No. for report: 1. 

Location: EEOB — 197, 197A, 197B, 199, 199A, 199B; 
Observation[A]: Saw on the walls "most" of the four keys that he 
observed missing from the keyboards; 
No. for report: 3. 

Location: EEOB — 199; 
Observation[A]: W key taped above door; 
No. for report: 1. 

Location: EEOB — OW 2nd floor; 
Observation[A]: "some" W keys on walls[C]; 
No. for report: 2+. 

Location: EEOB — 4th floor; 
Observation[A]: 10-12 Ws glued on the wall, over the doors and beside 
doors[B]; 
No. for report: 10-12. 

Location: WW — including upper press secretary's office; 
Observation[A]: "some keys" were taped above doorways" — for example, 
key was taped above door to press secretary's office suite[D]; 
No. for report: 2+. 
		
Location: TOTAL: 
No. for report: At least 19-21. 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 6 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[B] GSA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Admin strewn. 

[C] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[D] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[End of table] 

* Second, the GAO fails to mention that two other staff members also 
reported that they found W keys sitting next to keyboards and 
computers. 

* Third five (not four) staff members "observed piles of keyboards or 
computers or a computer monitor overturned" — including two WHO 
employees and three OVP employees -- in multiple locations in the EEOB. 

56. Pages 41-42. [Now on pp. 45-46] The GAO's two paragraphs on the 
observations of computer personnel keyboards fail, in our view, to 
present the information that GAO received in a fair and objective 
manner. These paragraphs (like the entire discussion of damaged 
keyboards) appear to be designed to downplay the extent of the damage 
reported. The GAO writes: 

In addition to the EOP staff we interviewed about their observations 
regarding the keyboards, we met with EOP personnel who worked with 
computers during the transition. The OA associate director for
information systems and technology provided us with documentation 
indicating that on January 23 and 24, 2001, the EOP purchased 62 new
keyboards. The January 23, 2001, purchase order for 31 keyboards 
indicated that "keyboards are needed to support the transition." The
January 24, 2001, purchase order for another 31 keyboards indicated 
"second request for the letter 'W' problem." The OA associate director 
for information systems and technology said that some of the 
replacement keyboards were taken out of inventory for the new 
administration staff, but she did not know how many. In an interview 
in June 2001, this official said that 57 keyboards were missing keys 
during the transition and 7 other keyboards were not working because 
of other reasons, such as inoperable space bars. 

After later obtaining an estimate from the branch chief for program 
management and strategic planning in the information systems and 
technology division, who worked with computers during the transition, 
that 150 keyboards had to be replaced because of missing or damaged 'W'
keys, we conducted a follow-up with the OA associate director for 
information systems and technology. In February 2002, the OA associate 
director for information systems and technology said that her memory 
regarding this matter was not as good as when we interviewed her in 
June 2001, but estimated that 100 keyboards had to be replaced at the 
end of the administration and that one-third of them were missing 'W' 
keys or were intentionally damaged in some way. She also said that of 
those 100 keyboards, about one-third to one-half would have been 
replaced anyway because of their age. This official said that she took 
notes regarding computers during the transition, but she was unable to 
locate them. 

We offer the following specific comments: 

* The GAO basically ignores the comments of the IS&T Branch Chief, by 
relegating her observation to the passing phrase, "after later 
obtaining an estimate from the branch chief ... worked with computers 
during the transition that 150 keyboards had to be replaced because of 
missing or damaged 'W' keys ...." While the report dismisses her 
observations, this employee may, in truth, have been the one person in 
the best position to assess the total damage. This employee worked 
during the transition as the person with the cart who continually 
moved equipment around. She moved the broken and old items out of 
offices and made deliveries of replacement equipment. She thus 
personally saw many of the damaged keyboards, which she transported to 
a temporary workroom in the EEOB. She did this throughout the 
Inaugural weekend and into the following week. She specifically 
recalls that, on one of her last deliveries of broken items to the 
temporary workroom, someone said that the count of damaged keyboards 
was up to 150. 

* Contrast the GAO's treatment of the IS&T Branch Chief's observations 
with its discussion of another individual, the IS&T Associate 
Director. The latter individual told the GAO (but the GAO fails to 
mention) that she was "not focused on keyboards" during the transition 
and that she "personally saw" only about "10 keyboards" with missing W 
keys and only heard about others. Her estimates of the total number of 
keyboards damaged were based purely on inferences drawn from what 
others may have said. The GAO nonetheless details the IS&T Associate 
Director's statements, but not those of the IS&T Branch Chief. 

* Even then, the GAO's reporting of the IS&T Associate Director's 
statements is incomplete. The GAO fails to mention, for instance, that 
the IS&T Associate Director said that she "saw personally" a 
concentration of missing W keys in the former First Lady's Office and 
in the OW; that there were "some keyboards" where the space bar had 
been glued down; and that she was "very upset at the condition" in 
which some of the keyboards were left. In describing her second 
interview, the GAO fails to mention that it asked her to estimate the 
number of keyboards with missing W keys, even though the GAO had asked 
the same question during her first interview (seven months earlier) 
and the GAO did not remind her about the earlier inquiry. Nor did the 
GAO ask her whether she had any reason in February 2002 to question 
the accuracy of what she had said in June 2001. 

* The GAO also fails to say that the IS&T Associate Director recounted 
what the contractor who packed the damaged keyboards, had said — 
namely, that there were "6 boxes of 20 keyboards or more with 'W' 
problems or space-bar problems." The GAO pressed the IS&T Associate 
Director to give her own estimate of damaged keyboards (again, even 
though she had told the GAO that she did not have personal knowledge 
about the keyboards), and she said that she "thinks around 100 were 
damaged," and "if there were 100," then roughly one-third might have 
had a "W" missing "or looked like something intentional." 

* The GAO says that it "met EOP personnel who worked with computers 
during the transition." The GAO actually did not "meet" the IS&T 
Branch Chief; the GAO interviewed her by telephone. So we would 
recommend rephrasing the report to say that the GAO "spoke to" 
computer personnel. Also, the IS&T Associate Director and the IS&T 
Branch Chief are both former employees of the OA and both served 
during the prior Administration. The contractor referred to in the 
paragraph immediately above is employed by a contractor, Northrop 
Grumman. 

* Finally, the GAO misquotes the IS&T Associate Director, when it 
states that she "also said that of those 100 keyboards, about one-
third to one-half would have been replaced anyway because of their 
age." The IS&T Associate Director told the GAO that the keyboards 
would have been replaced "if they had not been changed out in 4 or 8 
years." It is not clear how many (if any) of the damaged keyboards 
were four years old or older. Therefore, it is not fair to say, and 
the IS&T Associate Director did not say, that "about one-third to one-
half would have been replaced anyway; at most, they may have been. 

57. Page 43. [Now on p. 47] The GAO says that "12 boxes of keyboards, 
speakers, cords, and soundcards were discarded," and "the contract 
employee who prepared that [excess] report said that she did not know 
how many keyboards were discarded, but that each box could have 
contained 10 to 20 keyboards, depending on the size of the box." We 
believe that the GAO should also explain that the contractor 
personally packed some of the boxes; and for those, she filled the box 
with keyboards and then used excessed speakers, cords, and soundcards 
to fill in gaps and ensure that the keyboards would not shift in the 
box. 

58. Page 44. [Now on p. 47-48] The GAO discusses the "costs" 
associated with the damaged keyboards: 

We are providing cost estimates for each of the various totals 
provided by EOP staff. In reviewing the costs, it must be recognized 
that according to the OA associate director for information systems 
and technology, one-third to one-half of the keyboards for EOP staff, 
including the ones provided to EOP staff at the beginning of the Bush 
administration, may have been replaced every 3 or 4 years because of 
their age. Therefore, some of the damaged keyboards would have been 
replaced anyway. 

Below is a table showing the different costs that could have been 
incurred on the basis of different estimates that we were provided 
regarding the number of damaged keyboards replaced. The cost estimates 
were calculated on the basis of the per-unit cost of the 62 keyboards 
that the White House purchased in late January 2001 for $4,850, or $75 
per keyboard. 

This paragraph is followed by a table entitled "Estimated costs of 
replacing damaged keyboards." The table lists four estimates. The 
first estimate, for $2,250-$4,800, is based on the GAO's "range of 30 
to 64 keyboards that were observed by EOP staff with missing or 
damaged keys." The second estimate, for $2475, is based on a statement 
that the IS&T Associate Director made that she "thinks around 100 were 
damaged," and "if there were 100," then roughly one-third might have 
had a W key missing "or looked like something intentional." 

* The GAO's first estimate is simply wrong, in our view, because there 
were a total of 58 to 70 (not 30 to 64) keyboards with missing or 
damaged W keys where the witness specified the room or office where 
the keyboard was located. In addition, contrary to the GAO's statement 
in the table, that range does not represent "keyboards that were 
observed by EOP staff with missing and damaged keys." It represents 
only those where a room or office was specifically identified; it does 
not account for the observations of other "EOP staff" (including the 
IS&T Branch Chief) who told the GAO about additional damaged keyboards. 

* It is remarkable to us that the GAO would include the second cost 
estimate when the GAO itself acknowledges that the IS&T Associate 
Director's February 2002 estimate of missing and damaged keyboards was 
unreliable. See Report at 42 ("[the IS&T Associate Director] said that 
her memory regarding this matter was not as good as when we 
interviewed her in June 2001). It is all the more peculiar given that 
the GAO is unwilling to engage in the same sort of cost estimation 
when it comes to estimating the cost of missing telephone labels, the 
repair and replacement cost for damaged furniture, and many of the 
other categories of reported damage. 

* Also, as stated earlier, it is not accurate to represent that the 
IS&T Associate Director said "one-third to one-half of the keyboards 
for EOP staff; including the ones provided to EOP staff at the 
beginning of the Bush administration, may have been replaced every 3 
or 4 years because of their age." the IS&T Associate Director told the 
GAO that the keyboards would have been replaced "if they had not been 
changed out in Oar 8 years." Again, it is not clear how many (if any) 
of the damaged keyboards were four years old or older. Therefore, it 
is not fair to say, as the GAO does, that "some of the damaged 
keyboards would have been replaced anyway"; at most, they may have 
been. 

59. Pages 46-47. [Now on p. 49] We believe that the GAO has 
underreported the extent of the damaged furniture. As set forth in the 
table that appears above (Specific Comment No. 14), 17 current staff 
members reported a minimum of 31 to 33 pieces of damaged furniture — 
not counting the furniture that was defaced with writing and stickers. 

60. Page 47. [Now on p. 50] The GAO writes that "six EOP staff... said 
that the locks on four desks or cabinet drawers were damaged or the 
keys were missing or broken of in the locks." We do not recall anyone 
complaining simply because "keys were missing" — which, in the 
ordinary case, would hardly be called damage, vandalism, or a prank. 
Rather, current staff members observed situations where it appeared 
that keys may have been purposefully broken-off in the locks or 
drawers were left locked intentionally and keys taken or discarded. 
For instance, 

* Four individuals told the GAO that a key was broken off inside the 
lock on a file cabinet in Room 197B; the key was still there hanging 
in lock by metal thread; and, when a locksmith opened the cabinet, a 
Gore bumper sticker with the words "Bush Sucks" was displayed inside. 

* A different employee told the GAO that his desk drawers were locked 
and no key was found; when the drawers were pried open, there were two 
pieces of paper inside that had "anti-Bush" statements. 

This is another instance where the GAO's lack of detail prevents the 
reader from having a complete and accurate understanding of the damage 
that was found. 

61. Page 47. [Now on p. 50] The GAO is mistaken when it says that 
"five EOP staff ... said that they observed writing inside drawers in 
five desks.... We were shown the writing in four of the five desks." 
Again, the GAO has underreported the number of observations. The GAO 
has told us the names of the "five EOP staff" to whom it refers, each 
of whom, according to the GAO, observed only one desk with writing 
inside drawers. The GAO omits, however, that one of these employees 
showed the GAO a second desk in another room with writing on the pull-
out tray that reads "W happens." Thus, five current staff members 
observed writing in or on six desks, not all the writing was "inside 
drawers"; and the GAO was shown the writing in five of the six cases. 
We also believe that the content of the messages is important because 
it indicates when and by whom the writings were made: 

Table: Messages Written On Or In Desks: 

Location: EEOB — 97; 
Observation[A]: Writing in desk drawer reads "Take care of this place. 
We will be back in four (4) years! (1/93)"; shown to GAO. 

Location: EEOB - 191A; 
Observation[A]: Writing on a pull-out tray on desk that reads "W 
happens"; shown to GAO. 

Location: EEOB — 191B; 
Observation[A]: Writing in top left drawer of desk that reads "GET 
OUT"; shown to GAO. 

Location: EEOB — 196A; 
Observation[A]: Writing in top middle drawer of desk that reads "Hail 
to the Thief"; shown to GAO. 

Location: EEOB — 125A; 
Observation[A]: Writing in middle drawer of desk that wishes all "who 
work here" "good luck"; shown to GAO. 

Location: EEOB — 1st floor; 
Observation[A]: Writing in desk drawer. 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 5 
separate individuals. Each line reports an observation by one person. 
The GAO has been provided with the source of information for each 
observation. 

[End of table] 

62. Page 47. [Now on p. 50] The GAO has underreported the number of 
pieces of furniture that were observed overturned. Our notes show 
(notes that were provided to the GAO and the GAO did not dispute) that 
five White House employees, one OA employee, and one GSA employee 
reported seeing at least 14 to 19 pieces of furniture that were on 
their sides or overturned, not the "8 to 10 pieces" that the GAO 
reports. The table detailing each observation of overturned furniture 
is found above in Specific Comment No. 17. 

63. Page 47. [Now on p. 50] The GAO writes that 'four EOP staff said 
they saw furniture that appeared to have been moved from areas where 
they did not appear to belong, such as desks moved up against doors." 
There were actually five such individuals — specifically, three WHO 
employees, one OW employee and one NSC employee. 

64. Pages 47-48. [Now on p. 50] We believe that the GAO is mistaken 
when it reports that "the director of GSA's White House service center 
said that furniture could have been overturned for a variety of 
reasons other than vandalism, such as to reach electrical or computer 
connections." Indeed, according to our notes, just the opposite is 
true: two GSA managers told the GAO that cleaning staff would "not 
move" large pieces of furniture in this fashion, and none of these 
things would happen in the normal course of "moving" out of an office. 

65. Page 48. [Now on p. 51] The GAO's description of the "four to five 
desks found with a sticky substance on them" is incomplete. 

* First, it is unclear from the GAO's description that the vandalized 
desks were in the Vice President's West Wing office area and included 
the Vice President's own desk. 

* Second, the "sticky substance" was a thick layer of an oily glue-
like substance (which one observer described as something like a 
mixture of Vaseline and glue). 

* Third, the substance was smeared on the bottom of the middle drawer 
of the desks. Consequently, when someone sat at the desk the substance 
would get on the person's legs or, when you tried to open the drawer 
(which had no handles) it would get on your hands. (In fact, one 
employee of the Office of the Vice President told the GAO that the 
substance got on her pants.) 

* Fourth, this OW employee also told the GAO that, on her desk, the 
substance was smeared all over the top of the right pull-out tray of 
the desk, as well as under her middle desk drawer. A second OW 
employee likewise told the GAO that the substance was on her desk's 
pull-out tray, as well as under her middle desk drawer. 

* Fifth, an OW employee and two OA employees said that the desk-drawer 
handle on at least one of the desks was missing, and one of the OA 
employees said that the handle was found inside the drawer along with 
more of the glue substance. 

* Finally, the substance on some of the desks was first discovered 
between midnight on January 19 and noon on January 20, 2001. 

We believe this additional information is relevant and should be 
included in the GAO report in order to promote an adequate and correct 
understanding of the matters reported. See Government Auditing 
Standard 7.51. 

66. Page 48. [Now on p. 51-52] The GAO's list of "documentation 
relating to the observations" of damaged furniture is incomplete. A 
facility request form states that one named employee "needs key to 
lateral file cabinet. Cabinet is locked." Facility Request No. 56695 
(Jan. 29, 2001). 

67. Page 49. [Now on p. 52] The GAO states that "definitive 
information was not available regarding when the furniture damage 
occurred; whether it was intentional and, if so, who caused it." While 
"definitive" proof may be lacking in some cases, that does not mean 
that the GAO (or the reader) must ignore both common sense and the 
overwhelming circumstantial evidence that does, in fact, indicate when 
the damage occurred, whether it was intentional, and who the likely 
perpetrators are. 

* In some cases, the circumstances indicate that the damage was 
intentional, occurred shortly before the Inauguration, and the most 
likely perpetrators were members of the former Administration. For 
example, 

- With respect to the key broken off in a file cabinet in Room 197B, 
the key was found still hanging in lock by a metal thread (suggesting 
that the damage occurred not long before the transition) and, when the 
locksmith opened the cabinet, a Gore bumper sticker with the words 
"Bush Sucks" was prominently displayed inside (suggesting that the 
damage was intentional and done by a member of the former 
Administration). 

- Similarly, when the locked desk drawers were pried open in Room 103, 
two pieces of paper with anti-Bush statements were found displayed 
inside. Again, in our view, these facts indicate that the damage was 
intentional, occurred shortly before the transition, and was done by a 
member of the former Administration. 

* In other cases, the person who observed the damage firsthand told 
the GAO that the nature of the damage itself, and the surrounding 
conditions, suggested that the damage was intentional and/or was done 
shortly before the transition weekend. For example, 

- One person told the GAO that the drawers on her desk "clearly" had 
been kicked-in intentionally and that it was "not just wear and tear"; 

- A second person told the GAO that it was unlikely that the slit 
seats were the result of wear and tear because "the fabric otherwise 
looked new," and "it looked like someone had taken a knife or sharp 
object to the seat"; and, 

- A third person told the GAO that she saw damaged furniture in 
offices where things had looked "pretty good" weeks or months earlier. 

* In still other cases, the nature of the damage suggests that it 
occurred shortly before the Inauguration because the offices' prior 
occupants and cleaning staff would not have let the damage remain in 
the office for long. For example, it is hard to believe that occupants 
would not fix or remove a bookcase with broken glass (with shards of 
glass still in the cabinet) or would allow chairs with broken legs and 
no backs to remain in an office suite for very long. 

68. Pages 49-50. [Now on p. 52] The GAO includes in its report 
statements from two employees — one who said that the damaged 
furniture that she observed was "not something intentional" and the 
second individual who said, according to GAO, that the four chairs 
with broken legs in her office were "not necessarily intentional." 

* First, the second employee told the GAO that, while it was possible 
that the legs were broken through wear and tear, she thought it 
"unlikely that you'd keep a broken chair in your office" in that 
condition. 

* Second, and more important, it is remarkable to us that the GAO 
includes in its reports the two statements by current employees who 
noted that particular damage was "not necessarily intentional," when 
the GAO has refused, despite our requests, to include statements from 
individuals (in some cases, the same individuals) who stated that 
damage which they observed appeared to be intentional. For instance, 

- One person told the GAO that the desk drawers were clearly damaged 
intentionally and not just wear and tear. 

- A second person said that "it was intentional, not accidental" with 
respect to the damage he observed in dozens of rooms. 

- A third person said that the broken key in the file cabinet looked 
"deliberate" to him. 

- A fourth person said that the missing phone labels "must have been 
intentional." 

- A fifth person said that the rooms he observed were "deliberately 
made to look like someone was communicating a message." 

- A sixth person said that some of conditions he saw looked 
"intentional." 

- A Bush Administration official who has observed a prior transition 
said the conditions of the offices was "more than wear and tear." 

- An employee who has observed five prior transitions said the offices 
looked like a "Marge number of people ... deliberately trashed the 
place." 

- A seventh person told the GAO that the repairman who fixed the 
broken copy machine found a pornographic or inappropriate message when 
he pulled out the copier's paper drawer and that the repairman thought 
the paper drawers had been "intentionally realigned" so that the paper 
supply would jam. 

- An OA manager who has worked at the White House since 1971 said that 
some of the damage was the result of "intentional trashing." 

- An employee with over 30 years of service in the White House said it 
looked like the prior occupants had "purposely trashed the place." 

69. Page 51. [Now on p. 53] The GAO's discussion of the "costs" 
attributable to the damage furniture fails to mention, or make any 
attempt to estimate, the costs incurred in replacing the furniture 
that was discarded because it was beyond repair. For instance, the GAO 
places no value on replacing the four chairs that an employee said had 
broken legs or the conference room chair that two other employees said 
had its back broken out. Likewise, the GAO made no attempt to 
determine how much it costs to reupholster chairs like the three that 
one employee told the GAO had slit seats. Nor did the GAO seek 
estimates on the cost of new glass tops for desks or to replace or 
repair a desk that had its drawers kicked in. The GAO has simply 
ignored these costs. 

Similarly, the GAO has made no attempt to quantify the very real costs 
incurred in, for example, having movers remove damaged furniture and 
return with replacement furniture; having movers upright overturned 
furniture; having personnel (like the employees who found it, or the 
cleaning staff) clean the glue-like substance; or having personnel 
divert their time and attention to removing or fixing furniture that 
should have been found in working condition. 

70. Page 52. [Now on p. 53] The GAO writes: 

The former manager of an office where two EOP staff told us they 
observed one or two chairs with broken or missing arms said that arms on
two chairs in that suite of offices had become detached a year or two 
before the transition, that carpenters had tried to glue them back, 
but the glue did not hold. 

We understand that the GAO is referring here to the former First 
Lady's offices — now the suite occupied by the Political Affairs 
office. At least six pieces of furniture were found damaged in that 
suite — some under circumstances that indicate the damage was
intentional — in addition to the two broken armchairs. These 
additional reports of damaged furniture as well as other damage found 
in the same suite undermine the former manager's innocent explanation 
for the two chairs. And the former manager of the office apparently 
provided no explanation for the additional damage. However, because 
the GAO is unwilling to specify the locations where damage was found, 
and has not included in its report the details that indicate that the 
damage was intentional, reader are unable to assess for themselves the 
credibility of the former manager's explanation. 

71. Page 53. [Now on p. 55] The GAO reports that "three former staff" 
of the Vice President's West Wing Office said they "were not aware of 
glue being left on desks" and that one of those employees "said that 
her desk was missing handles when she started working at that desk in 
1998, and it was still missing them at the end of the administration." 

* First, this explanation is inconsistent with one employee's 
observation that a handle was found inside the desk with more of the 
oily glue-like substance on top of it. 

* Second the reader again is unable to evaluate the credibility of the 
comments made by the former staff members because the report does not 
say where these vandalized desks were located and the various other 
damage and pranks that were found in the same location. For example, 
it is hard to believe the former staff members' claim of ignorance 
when one also knows that longtime OA employees found, in the Vice 
President's West Wing office, "vulgar words" on a board; signs 
comparing the President to a chimpanzee on the walls and interspersed 
in the reams of paper in the printers, copy machines, and fax machines 
(observed by three employees); empty champagne bottles; and a 
basketball stuck on a lighted ledge (each observed by one employee). 

72. Pages 53-54 and n. 32. [Now on p. 55] The GAO is just plain wrong 
when it says that "during [its] initial interview with [an] employee, 
she said that the desks with burn marks and scratches were in a 
particular office" and during a follow-up interview... she said her 
observations pertained to an office suite, rather than a single 
office." She said no such thing. During both interviews, this employee 
explained, in no uncertain terms, that her observations were with 
regard to a suite of offices. Indeed, there can be no doubt because 
this employee personally took the two GAO investigators into the two 
offices that she was referring to. 

Thus this employee's observations referred to multiple offices, and 
she did not say that the desks (and there was more than one) that she 
observed with scratch marks were in Room 160A, as the GAO apparently 
told the former occupant. Consequently, the former occupant's 
statement that "he did not recall seeing any scratches ... in his 
office" is somewhat beside the point because it does not address the 
condition of desks in the other office. Unfortunately, the GAO's 
report leaves the impression that the former occupant's statement has 
directly rebutted an allegation that was made by a member of the 
current staff, when it does not. 

73. Page 54. [Now on p. 56] The GAO's report details at length the 
testimonials of former staff members who said that they observed no 
overturned furniture: 

Three former occupants of a suite of three rooms where two EOP 
officials told us they observed a table and two desks overturned in 
the afternoon of January 20 said that no furniture was overturned in 
their offices when they left on January 20 and that their desks would 
have been difficult or impossible to move because of the weight of the 
desks. One of the three former occupants said that he was in his 
office until 3:30 a.m. or 4:30 a.m. on January 20, the second former 
employee said he was in his office until 10:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. on 
January 20, and the third former employee said that she was in her 
office until 11:50 a.m. or 11:55 a.m. on January 20. 

Regarding another office where two EOP officials told us that they 
observed overturned furniture, the former senior advisor for 
presidential transition said that he was in that office after 11:00 
a.m. on January 20, and he did not see any overturned furniture. 
Similarly, the former head of that office, who said that he left the 
office around 1:00 a.m. on January 20, said that he did not observe 
any overturned furniture. 

* If the GAO is willing to include this detailed response by members 
of the former staff, we ask that the GAO also explain that two of 
individuals who observed the overturned furniture have worked in the 
White House complex for 29 and 31 years, respectively (including 
during the Clinton Administration), and that they both observed 
overturned furniture between approximately 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. on 
January 20. Likewise, a GSA employee, who served during the Clinton 
Administration, reported seeing overturned furniture. The GAO's report 
should also say that two other individuals observed overturned 
furniture at approximately 12:15 p.m. on January 20. 

74. Pages 55-56. [Now on p. 57] We believe that the GAO's data on cut 
and pulled cords is not accurate. Our records show that 5 staff 
members (4 White House and 1 OA) told the GAO that they saw a minimum 
total of 32 to 35 telephone lines or other cords either cut or pulled 
from the wall, as follows: 

Table: Telephone And Other Cords Cut Or Pulled From Wall: 

Location: EEOB; 
Observation[A]: "total of 2 or 3 cords ripped from the walls" so that 
the "cables behind the jack were showing"; 
Total no. of pieces: 2-3. 

Location: 170; 
Observation[A]: "phone cable ripped from wall". 

Location: 182 suite (Scheduling); 
Observation[A]: "phone line pulled out — jack and all". 

Location: 100-104; 
Observation[A]: "some plugs" damaged; 
Total no. of pieces: 2+. 

Location: 1st Floor EEOB; 
Observation[A]: "1 or 2" pulled cables or broken jacks that had been 
"yanked"[B]; 
Total no. of pieces: 0-2. 

Location: 2nd Floor EEOB; 
Observation[A]: "couple" pulled cables or broken jacks that had been 
"yanked"[B]; 
Total no. of pieces: 2. 

Location: WW or EEOB/probably in NEC offices; 
Observation[A]: Phone wire cut; 
Total no. of pieces: 1. 

Location: 158/160A; 
Observation[A]: Wires torn out of the wall; 
Total no. of pieces: Approx. 25. 

Location: Total; 
Observation[A]: 5 observers; 
Total no. of pieces: At least 32-35. 

[A] Each line reports an observation by one person. 

[B] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[End of table] 

In addition, a facility request form shows that, on January 24, 2001, 
an employee asked for "electrical services" in her offices, and 
specifically asked for someone to "organize all loose wires." Facility 
Request No. 56662. 

75. Page 56. [Now on p. 58] We believe that the GAO has again 
underreported the observations of phones with missing labels. Based on 
conservative estimates and calculations, 5 (not 4) staff members (2 
White House employees, 2 OA employees, and 1 OW employee) recalled 
observing in specific offices or rooms at least 112-133 telephones 
that had no labels identifying the telephone numbers (not "99 to 
108"). A table setting forth our data appears above in Specific 
Comment No. 24. 

Oddly, in calculating the number of missing labels in the OUP's second 
floor offices, the GAO states (at fn. 36) that it "included a range of 
62 to 82," even though the GAO concedes that the "EOP indicated that 
there were 82 telephones in that office suite in January 2001." Why 
then would the GAO use a range of 62 to 82, particularly since we
provided the GAO with an OA document that shows, as a conservative 
estimate, 82 telephones were in that suite? 

In addition to the 112-133 missing labels where the observers 
identified specific rooms or offices, an employee with over 30 years 
of service in the White House told the GAO that he personally saw 
"more than 20" phones with missing labels; an OA manager who has 
worked at the White House since 1971 said that there were "many 
instances of missing labels on the phones"; and a third person (a new 
employee who coordinated telephone services during the first month of 
the Administration) said that the labels on the "majority of the 
phones" — or "roughly 85 percent" of the phones — in the EEOB and the 
White House had been removed or contained incorrect numbers. If the 
GAO is willing to include the OA telephone services coordinator's 
personal observation that "she ... observed 18 telephones that were 
missing number labels," we believe the observations of these other 
telephone and facility officials should also be included, and 
described accurately, in the report. 

The GAO says that the new employee who coordinated telephone services 
during the first month of the Administration "estimated that 85 
percent of the telephones in the EEOB and the White House [or 
approximately 594 telephones] were missing identifying templates or 
did not ring at the correct numbers." She actually said that she found 
that labels on the "majority of the phones" — or "roughly 85 percent" 
of the phones — in the EEOB and the White House had been removed or 
contained incorrect numbers. 

The GAO also downplays a critical fact about the missing phone labels. 
An employee who worked as White House Director of Telephone Services 
for 29 years told the GAO that "certain [telephone] labels were 
replaced early on Jan. 20 — before noon," but the labels were found 
"missing again later that day." In our view, this fact shows that no 
innocent explanation exists for at least some of the missing labels; 
their removal was an intentional act, apparently by members of the 
former Administration. 

76. Page 57. [Now on p. 58] We believe that the GAO has underreported 
the number of telephones that were forwarded and reforwarded to ring 
at different telephones throughout and between the EEOB and West Wing. 
As set forth in the table (see Specific Comment No. 26), seven White 
House staff reported that roughly 100 telephones were forwarded to 
ring at other numbers. 

We do not understand why the GAO treats the observations of the 
employee who coordinated telephone services during the first month of 
the Administration differently from the other observers. As the GAO 
concedes, this employee's sole responsibility during the first month 
of the administration was to address telecommunications problems and, 
in particular, to work as the "middleman" between the incoming staff 
who reported the problems and the telephone contractors and personnel 
who repaired them. This employee told the GAO that she "tried to go 
into every physical space" in the West Wing and the EEOB "to survey 
phones." Thus, her observations are as competent, if not more 
competent, than the other observations are. See Government Auditing 
Standard 6.54(f) ("Testimonial evidence obtained from an individual 
who ... has complete knowledge about the area is more competent than 
testimonial evidence obtained from an individual who ... has only 
partial knowledge about an area."). 

Finally, the GAO fails to mention that this employee told the GAO that 
the Chief of Staff's phone was forwarded to ring in a closet. This is, 
in our view, another important (but omitted) fact because it shows 
that the phones were not forwarded for legitimate business purposes. 

77. Page 57. [Now on p. 58] In reporting on telephones that were 
unplugged and/or piled up, the GAO fails to state 25 or more offices 
in the EEOB had phones piled up or unplugged. Nor does the GAO explain 
that one of the observers was an employee who has supervised White 
House telephone services for more than 30 years. Given his more than 
30 years of experience managing telephone services in the White House 
complex, this individual's observation is particularly noteworthy. In 
addition, since this individual identified the unplugged phones as an 
example of the vandalism, damage, or pranks that he observed while 
surveying the EEOB on January 19 and the early morning of January 20, 
it is clear that the phones were not unplugged by the telephone 
services personnel or by the cleaning staff; who had not yet entered 
these rooms. We believe that this information is important and, in its 
absence, the report is incomplete. See Government Auditing Standard 
7.51 ("Being complete requires that the report contain all information 
needed to satisfy the audit objectives, promote an adequate and 
correct understanding of the matters reported, and meet the report 
content requirement."). 

The information is particularly important because the GAO states on 
page 63 that "[t]he former manager of an office where an EOP employee 
told us he observed telephones that were unplugged said that no one in 
that office unplugged them" and "[a] former Clinton administration 
employee in another office where EOP staff told us they observed 
telephones that were piled up said that there were extra telephones in 
that office that did not work and had never been discarded." Since the 
GAO never mentions that there were observations of unplugged and piled 
phones in 25 or more offices, the reader does not know that the 
comments of the former Clinton administration employees, even if true, 
explain what happened in only 2 of 25 (or more) offices. Thus, the 
reader has no basis for placing the comments of the former employees 
in context, nor for understanding that the former employees apparently 
have no explanation for the remaining observations. 

78. Page 57. [Now on p. 59] In one of its more dramatic 
understatements, the GAO writes: "Two EOP staff said that they found 
telephones that were not working." Again, because of the GAO's failure 
to include important details, it has dramatically downplayed the 
extent of the problems observed. For instance, an individual who is 
employed by the OA and worked here during the Clinton Administration 
told the GAO that there was "no working phone on south side of 
building." Since there are a minimum of 26 offices on the south side 
of the first floor of the EEOB, each of which would contain at least 
one phone — and likely many more than that — the problem with non-
working phones was extensive. 

79. Page 58. [Now on p. 61-62] The GAO writes: "The EOP provided 
documentation summarizing telephone service orders closed from January 
20, 2001, through February 20, 2001, containing 29 service orders that 
mention labels; 6 of the 29 service orders were for work in offices 
where telephone labels were observed missing. All of the 29 service 
orders mentioning labels were part of orders for other telephone 
services. In discussing these documents, the OA telephone service 
coordinator said that the requests for labels did not necessarily mean 
that the telephones had been missing labels with telephone numbers. 
She said that a new label might have been needed for a new service, 
such as having two lines ring at one telephone." With all due respect, 
that statement is false. 

* First, the GAO never "discussed" the closed order list with the OA 
telephone services coordinator. The GAO never showed her the document, 
nor expressly discussed its contents with her. While the GAO did ask 
her whether a request to label a telephone always meant that the label 
was missing (and she rightly said that it did not), the GAO did not 
ask her about the document, any particular order on that list, or the 
labeling that occurred during the first few days of the Administration. 

* Second, the GAO's suggestion that something other than missing 
labels precipitated the request for new labels might be plausible if 
the GAO has nothing to consider except the closed order list. But that 
is not the case. Here, the GAO concedes that there were observations 
of more than 100 missing labels during the first days of the 
Administration. Under those undisputed circumstances, it is beyond 
doubt that the requests to "PLACE BUTTON LABEL[S] ON SET" were to 
replace the missing labels. 

* Third, the closed order list does more than "mention labels." If the 
GAO provided adequate detail in its report, the reader would learn 
that the document shows, for example: 

- On Monday, January 22, 2001, a telephone tech was asked by the OW 
because the phones "NEED BTN [button] LABELS, TECH TO LABEL SETS." The 
tech billed "4HRS" (4 hours) on this order. TSR No. 01010195. 

- On January 31, 2001, a tech was called to Room 273 of the OW 
because, among other things, the phones `WEED BTN [button] LABELS 
TYPED, PLACED." The tech billed "2HRS" on this order. 

- On February 5, 2001, a tech was called to Room 200 because the 
phones "NEED LABELS PLACED ON SETS." The tech billed "2HRS" on this 
order. 

- On February 9, 2001, a tech was asked to "REPROGRAM [phone] IN ROOM 
276 EEOB, [and] PLACE BUTTON LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "1HR" on 
this order. 

- Also on February 9, a tech was asked to "REPRGRM [phone] in RM 279 
EEOB,... [and] PLACE LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "30MINS" to this 
order. 

- On January 29, 2001, a tech was called to Room 18 to, among other 
things, "REPLACE LABEL." The tech billed "1HR" to this order. 

- On February 8, 2001, a tech was asked to "REPRGM RM 148 NEED LABEL 
PLACE." The tech billed "30MINS" to this order. 

- On January 30, 2001, a tech was called to Room 113 because the 
occupants "NEED LABEL PLACED ON SET BY TECH." The tech billed "1HR." 

- On February 3, 2001, a tech was called to Room 100 to "PLACE BTN 
[button] LABEL." The tech billed "1HR." 

- In six separate service orders on February 3, 2001, a tech was asked 
to "REPROGRAM" phones in the Room 100 suite and "TO PLACE LABEL ON 
SET." TSR No. 1020330; see also TSR Nos. 1020325 ("NEED LABELS PLACED 
ON SET"), 1020328 ("NEED BTN LABELS"), 1020329 ("NEED LABELS"), 
1020331 ("NEED LABELS PLACED ON SET"), 1020340 ("NEED LABELS PLACED ON 
SET"). The tech billed "1HR" on each service order. 

- On February 5, 2001, a tech was told that the occupants of Room 135 
"NEED LABEL PLACED ON SET." The tech billed "1HR" for this order. 

- Also on February 5, 2001, a tech was asked to "REPROGRAM SET [in] 
ROOM 137" and "PLACE LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "2FIRS." 

- On February 3, 2001, someone in Room 131 asked a tech to "PLACE 
LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "1HR." 

- In a separate service request on February 3, 2001, a tech was asked 
to "REPROGRAM IN ROOM 137 EEOB" and "PLACE LABELS ON SET." The tech 
billed "1HR." 

- On February 3, 2001, a tech was told that the occupants of Room 154 
"NEED BUTTON LABEL," among other things. The tech billed "1HR" to this 
order. 

- On February 5, 2001, a tech was told that "LABELS ALSO NEEDED" in a 
Presidential Personnel Office. The tech billed "1HR" for this order. 

- On February 3, 2001, a tech was asked to "REPROGRAM [a phone] IN RM 
131" and "PLACE LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "1HR." 

- On February 2, 2001, a tech was asked to "REPROGRAM IN ROOM 184 
EEOB" and "PLACE LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "1HR." 

- On February 8, 2001, a tech was told that the occupants of Room 87 
"NEED LABELS PLACED ON SET." The tech billed "1HR" on this order. 

* Fourth, the GAO was provided — but ignores — many of the individual 
work orders (so-called Telecommunications Service Requests (TSRs)) 
that are summarized on the closed order list. The TSRs are important 
because they provide additional information about the need to label 
the telephones and because, in some cases, they identify additional 
requests to place labels on telephones that are not referenced on the 
closed order list. A sampling shows: 

- TSR No. 01010183: "NEED Button labels typed. Tech to label sets." 

- TSR No. 01010184: "Room[s] 274, 272, 284, & 286. Program phones NEED 
Button labels typed. Need tech to place labels on sets." 

- TSR No. 01010185: "Room[s] 272 & 276. Program phones NEED Button 
labels typed & placed on sets." 

- TSR No. 01010195: "Reprogram sets in Room 263, 265, 266, 267, 268, 
269 and 271 NEED labels placed on each set." 

- TSR No. 01010206: Among other things, "NEED TECH TO PLACE BUTTON 
LABELS" on sets in Room 270. 

- TSR No. 01010306: Among other things, "Replace labels on all phones 
that removed" in Room 18. 

- TSR No. 01020463: "Need label placed on set" in Room 148. 

- TSR No. 01010342: "NEED Label placed on set" in Room 100. 

- Similarly the TSRs indicate, in some cases, where a staff member has 
reported a phone that is not ringing when the number on the phone is 
dialed — that is, it has been forwarded. TSR No. 01020225, for 
example, says line "does not ring on set 6-7453." 

- Finally, TSRs exist for work — "including ... relabeling" — 
performed on January 20 and 21, where individual work orders were 
often not completed. TSR No. 01010382 shows that, on Saturday, January 
20, 2001, the techs worked 114 hours, at $113.88 per hour (time and a 
half), for a total of $12,982.32. On Sunday, January 21, 2001, the 
techs worked 78.5 hours, at $151.84 (double time), for a total 
$11,919.44. 

80. Pages 58-59. [Now on p. 60] The GAO has failed in its discussion 
of obscene and inappropriate voicemail greetings to include important 
information — information needed to promote "an adequate and correct 
understanding of the matters reported." Government Auditing Standard 
7.51. The GAO fails to explain, for example, that the "two EOP 
employees" who heard the obscene voicemail messages were the White 
House Director of Telephone Services and the OA's Associate Director 
for Facilities Management, who together began touring offices and 
checking phones in the EEOB at approximately 1 a.m. on January 20. The 
first of these individuals estimated that he listened to "roughly 30 
greetings," approximately 10 of which (or one-third) were 
"inappropriate." Of the 10 inappropriate messages, "approximately 5 or 
6" (or roughly half) "were vulgar." (He also said that the White House 
telephone operators notified him that there were "obscene messages" on 
some of the voice-mail greetings.) This employee told the GAO that, 
after encountering this high ratio of inappropriate and vulgar 
messages, and because of these messages, a decision was made to take 
the entire system down. He also explained that he erased some messages 
around 1 a.m. on January 20, and they were re-recorded later that day. 
These are, in our view, important facts regarding the extent of the 
problem and the consequences thereof — namely, no one had voice-mail 
service for the first days and weeks of the Administration. 

81. Pages 60-61. [Now on p. 61-62] The GAO's section on the "costs" 
associated with telephone problems is both inaccurate and incomplete. 
Based on extremely conservative estimates and straightforward 
documentation, the government incurred at least $6020 just replacing 
removed labels and rerouting the forwarded telephones. The evidence 
shows: 

* First, the GAO received, but fails to mention, a blanket work order 
and bill for work — including "relabeling" work — performed on 
Saturday, January 20, 2001. The techs billed 114 hours at a rate of 
$113.88 per hour for each hour or fraction of an hour spent on a 
particular job. Consequently, if technicians spent only ten percent of 
their time relabeling phones and correcting forwarded telephones on 
Saturday (a conservative estimate given that there were between 112 
and 133 specifically identified missing labels and roughly 100 
forwarded phones), that means it cost the taxpayer $1,298 for one 
day's work replacing the removed labels and fixing the forwarded 
phones. 

* Second and similarly, the GAO acknowledges that it received a work 
order and bill for work — including "replacing labels on telephones" — 
performed on Sunday, January 21, 2001. But the GAO fails to estimate 
any costs associated with that work. The bill shows that the techs 
worked 78.5 hours that day at a rate of $151.84 per hour for each hour 
or fraction of an hour spent on a particular job. That means that, if 
technicians again spent only ten percent of their time relabeling 
phones and correcting forwarded telephones, the taxpayer incurred an 
additional cost of $1,192 for that day's work replacing the removed 
labels and fixing the forwarded phones. 

* Third, the GAO fails to estimate the costs associated with replacing 
labels even where it was provided both individual work orders and a 
summary of orders that specifically identify the relabeling work 
performed and the amount of time spent on the job. Specifically, we 
provided the GAO with a document entitled "Orders Closed 1/20/01 Thru 
2/20/01" that lists many orders (some of which are highlighted above) 
where a tech was asked to place one or more labels on telephone sets. 
For each of those orders, a "T&M" charge (time and materials) is 
identified in terms of hours and minutes. Those charges can be 
computed in dollars by multiplying the total number of hours of T&M 
charged times $75.92.[Footnote 80] We do not understand why the GAO 
failed to perform this simple exercise, particularly given its 
willingness to provide cost estimates in the context of missing and 
damaged W keys. Had the GAO done the calculation, the reader would 
know that approximately $2201.68 was spent to replace labels on 
telephone sets, as set forth below: 

- On Monday, January 22, 2001, a telephone tech was asked by the OVP 
to "PROGRM PHNS PER MATT, NEED BTN [button] LABELS, TECH TO LABEL 
SETS." The tech billed "4HRS" (4 hours) on this order, for an 
estimated total cost of $303.68. TSR No. 01010183. 

- On January 31, 2001, a tech was called to Room 273 of the OW 
because, among other things, the phones "NEED BTN [button] LABELS 
TYPED, PLACED." The tech billed "2HRS" on this order, for an estimated 
total cost of $151.84. TSR No. 01010386. 

- On February 5, 2001, a tech was called to Room 200 because the 
phones "NEED LABELS PLACED ON SETS." The tech billed "2HRS" on this 
order, for an estimated total cost of $151.84. TSR No. 01020071. 

- On February 9, 2001, a tech was asked to "REPROGRAM [phone] IN ROOM 
276 EEOB, [and] PLACE BUTTON LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "1HR" on 
this order, for an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020225. 

- On January 29, 2001, a tech was called to Room 18 to, among other 
things, "REPLACE LABEL." The tech billed "1HR" to this order, for an 
estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01010306. 

- On January 30, 2001, a tech was called to Room 113 because the 
occupants "NEED LABEL PLACED ON SET BY TECH." The tech billed "1HR" to 
this order, for an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01010342. 

- On February 3, 2001, a tech was called to Room 100 to "PLACE BTN 
[button] LABEL." The tech billed "1HR," for an estimated total cost of 
$75.92. TSR No. 01020154. 

- Also on February 3, 2001, a tech was called to Room 100 because the 
occupants "NEED BTN LABELS FOR SET." The tech billed "1 HR," for an 
estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020156. 

- In six additional and separate service orders on February 3, 2001, a 
tech was asked to "REPROGRAM" phones in the Room 100 suite and "TO 
PLACE LABEL ON SET." TSR No. 1020330; see also TSR Nos. 1020325 ("NEED 
LABELS PLACED ON SET"), 1020328 ("NEED BTN LABELS"), 1020329 ("NEED 
LABELS"), 1020331 ("NEED LABELS PLACED ON SET"), 1020340 ("NEED LABELS 
PLACED ON SET"). The tech billed "1HR" on each of the six service 
orders, for an estimated total cost of $455.52. 

- On February 5, 2001, a tech was told that the occupants of Room 135 
"NEED LABEL PLACED ON SET." The tech billed "1HR" for this order," for 
an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020075. 

- On February 3, 2001, a tech was asked to "REPROGRAM SET [in] ROOM 
137" and "PLACE LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "2HRS," for an 
estimated total cost of $151.84. TSR No. 01020099. 

- On February 3, 2001, someone in Room 131 asked a tech to "PLACE 
LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "1HR," for an estimated total cost of 
$75.92. TSR No. 01020055. 

- In a separate service request on February 3, 2001, a tech was asked 
to "REPROGRAM IN ROOM 137 EEOB" and "PLACE LABELS ON SET." The tech 
billed "1HR," for an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020168. 

- On February 3, 2001, a tech was told that the occupants of Room 154 
"NEED BUTTON LABEL," among other things. The tech billed "1HR" to this 
order," for an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020327. 

- On February 5, 2001, a tech was told that "LABELS ALSO NEEDED" in a 
Presidential Personnel Office. The tech billed "1HR" for this order," 
for an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020360. 

- On February 3, 2001, a tech was asked to "REPROGRAM [a phone] IN RM 
131" and "PLACE LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "1HR," for an estimated 
total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020363. 

- On February 2, 2001, a tech was asked to "REPROGRAM IN ROOM 184 
EEOB" and "PLACE LABEL ON SET." The tech billed "1HR," for an 
estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020132. 

- On February 8, 2001, a tech was told that the occupants of Room 87 
"NEED LABELS PLACED ON SET." The tech billed "1HR" on this order, for 
an estimated total cost of $75.92. TSR No. 01020160. 

* Fourth, and even more perplexing, the GAO ignores the AT&T invoices 
("Activity Reports") and individual works orders (TSRS) that we 
provided that show the actual charges incurred on particular orders. 
We have not attempted in preparing these comments to review all such 
invoices, but a sampling shows $1,328.60 in charges in addition to 
those listed above: 

- TSR No. 01010184 (request to "program phones" and "place labels on 
sets" in Rooms 272, 274, 284, and 286): $341.64. 

- TSR No. 01010185 (request to program phones and place labels on sets 
in Rooms 272 and 276): $341.64. 

- TSR No. 01010195 (request for, among other things, labels for sets 
in Rooms 263, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, and 271): $341.64. 

- TSR No. 01010206 (request for, among other things, "tech to place 
button labels"): $303.68. 

* Fifth, the GAO also can and should estimate, based on this data, how 
much it would cost to replace labels on 112-133 telephones (or, at 
least, on the 99 to 108 that the GAO concedes were observed missing) 
by estimating how much was charged per telephone and extrapolating 
that amount to account for the total number of missing labels. 

* Sixth, the GAO suggests that it is unable to provide any estimate on 
the costs to repair the damaged phones because "the extent to which 
the service order that mentioned labels involved missing labels was 
not clear and all of the service order involving labels were part of 
order for other service." That is incorrect. 

- As we explained to the GAO, when a System Analyst (SA) performs work 
that does not require a technician to be dispatched to the office 
(e.g., reprogramming a phone), there is no separate charge. If work 
requires a tech dispatch (e.g., replacing a label), then there is a 
minimum charge of $75.92 for each hour or portion of an hour ($113.88 
on Saturdays and $151.84 on Sundays), even if it takes only minutes to 
perform the work. Therefore, for service orders that requested, for 
example, both a telephone to be reprogrammed and its label to be 
replaced, the entire charge is attributable to replacing the label. 
This is clear from the AT&T billing invoices (or "Activity Reports") 
that show that the cost associated with the work orders is for "LABOR 
CHARGES FOR EQUIP. MOVES/CHGS," and not for reprogramming expenses. 

* In addition, for the service orders where the minimum charge of 
$75.92 was assessed, it is immaterial whether work in addition to 
replacing the label was performed; a charge of $75.92 would have been 
incurred for replacing the label(s) regardless of whether other work 
was performed within that first hour. 

* Finally, the closed order list and the service orders do far more 
than "mention[] labels." See Specific Comment No. 79. 

82. Page 62 n.42. [Now on p. 63] A footnote reads: "The director of 
GSA's White House service center said that there were 'any number' of 
reasons why problems could have been observed with telephone and 
computer wires besides having people cut them deliberately. He said, 
for example, that the cleaning staff could have hit the wires with the 
vacuum cleaners or computer staff could have been working with the 
wires." This statement would be relevant only if the cut and pulled 
wires were observed after the cleaning staff and the computer staff 
had entered the offices. But, in this case, the two staff members who 
reported the cords pulled from the walls observed the damage during 
the early morning hours of January 20, before any cleaning staff had 
entered the rooms and before the computer staff entered the rooms to 
archive computer data. Unfortunately, the readers of the GAO's report 
would not know this important fact — and therefore may have been 
misled by the GAO's footnote — because the GAO fails to include that 
detail in its report. 

83. Page 64. [Now on p. 63] The GAO reports that "[the former senior 
advisor for presidential transition] also said that it would have been 
technically possible to erase voice mail greetings for most departing 
EOP staff without also deleting greetings for staff who did not leave 
at the end of the administration." We believe that, to present a fair 
and balanced report, the GAO must explain here that two current OA 
staff members — both of whom served during the Clinton 
Administration — disagree with the former senior adviser. One of the 
OA staff members, who has worked at the White House since 1971 and who 
worked closely with the former senior adviser and the transition team, 
told the GAO that a proposal to delete all voicemail greetings at the 
end of the Clinton Administration "was discussed," but they had 
decided not to do it "because it would have erased the greetings of 
all staff members," including the roughly 1,700 staff members who were 
not vacating the building. This OA employee further explained that it 
was his "'call' not to go ahead with the proposal," although the staff 
which included the former senior adviser was "aware of the decision." 
OA's Telephone Service Coordinator, likewise told the GAO that, until 
November 2001, the EOP's phone system did not have the capability to 
erase voicemails en masse she explained that it was not until November 
2001 that the EOP both had purchased the software and had performed 
upgrades to the switch that were necessary to allow voicemails to be 
deleted on other than a manual basis. 

84. Page 64. [Now on p. 65] The GAO continues with the former senior 
adviser's comments: "This former official also said that some 
telephones were forwarded to other numbers for business purposes at 
the end of the Clinton administration. He said, for example, that some 
of the remaining staff forwarded their calls to locations where they 
could be reached when no one was available to handle their calls at 
the former offices." This explanation may sound plausible until you 
learn how and where the phones were forwarded. The Chief of Staff's 
telephone, for example, was forwarded to a closet. There could hardly 
be a legitimate "business purpose" for that. Yet, because the GAO has 
not provided the reader with details, like this one, about the current 
staff's observations, the reader does not have the facts to judge for 
herself the credibility of the former staffs' explanations. These 
omissions, in our view, result in a report that is woefully 
incomplete, and, as a consequence, a report that is arguably 
misleading and lacking in objectivity. See Government Auditing 
Standard 7.57 ("Objectivity requires that the presentation of the 
entire report be balanced in content and tone. A report's credibility 
is significantly enhanced when it presents evidence in an unbiased 
manner so that readers can be persuaded by the facts."). 

85. Page 65. [Now on p. 66] The heading of the next section of the 
report reads "Fax Machines," even though the GAO discusses in that 
section damaged and tampered with fax machines, printers, and copiers. 
We believe that the heading should be revised to accurately reflect 
the content of the section. 

86. Page 65. [Now on p. 66] The GAO is mistaken when it reports `%one 
EOP official told us that he had seen 12far machines with the 
telephone lines switched and another fax machine that was 
disconnected." Our notes shows that two employees told the GAO that 
they had observed fax machines that were "switched." An employee of 
the OA with over 30 years' service in the White House told the GAO 
that he saw "at least a dozen switched fax lines," and a different 
employee (who has almost 30 years' service) said that he too saw 
"faxes switched between offices." Thus, the GAO's sentence should 
read: "One OA employee and one White House employee told us that, 
during the night of January 19, they saw at least 12 to 14 switched 
fax lines." 

87. Page 65. [Now on p. 66] The GAO reports on observations that "5 
copy machines, printers, and copiers ... did not work." But the GAO 
fails to include the details that show that it was not simply a case 
of an innocently broken machine. For instance, one individual told the 
GAO that the repairman who fixed the broken copy machine found a 
pornographic or inappropriate message when he pulled out the copier's 
paper drawer and that the repairman told the individual that he 
thought the paper drawers had been "intentionally realigned" so that 
the paper supply would jam. 

88. Pages 65 and 66. [Now on p. 66] The GAO states that "two EOP staff 
said they observed fax machines moved to areas where they did not 
appear to belong." This is another example where we think that the GAO 
should simply report what the staff member said — and not 
recharacterize it. One employee said that she saw some fax machines 
sitting in the middle of the floor, unplugged. In our opinion, 
unplugged fax machines do not "belong" in the middle of the floor and 
thus the GAO's characterization that the fax machines were moved to 
areas "where they did not appear to belong" is overly charitable. 
Moreover, even if the GAO disagrees and believe that a fax machine 
could belong in the middle of the floor, that is a judgment that the 
reader should be allowed to make. 

More important, by recharacterizing the observation, the GAO deprives 
the reader of the facts that he or she needs to judge the relevance 
and credibility of the comments made by former staff members. On page 
66, the GAO reports that "[t]he former director of an office where fax 
machines were moved to areas other than where they had been installed 
said that a fax machine may have been pulled around a corner, but it 
was not done as a prank." But this explanation does not answer the 
charge: that multiple fax machines were placed in the middle of the 
floor, unplugged. Unfortunately, the reader would not know that 
because the GAO fails to provide the details needed to have a complete 
and accurate understanding of the matters reported. 

89. Page 65. [Now on p. 66] The GAO fails to mention in its discussion 
of fax machines than an employee told the GAO that all printers and 
fax machines that she observed had been emptied of paper. 

90. Page 67. The heading of the next section is "trash," which the GAO 
apparently equates with the statement on the June 2001 that the 
"offices were left in a state of general trashing." As noted above, in 
today's parlance, saying an office was "generally trashed" is not the 
same as saying it had "trash" in it. See General Comment No. 3. The 
existence of trash in offices was not, in our view, the problem; the 
problem was that many offices were trashed — and, as the observers 
told the GAO, it appeared that it was deliberately left in that 
condition. The GAO therefore should, in our view, revise its heading 
to read "Trashing of Offices." 

91. Page 67. The GAO reports that "twenty-two EOP staff and 1 GSA 
employee told us that they saw offices that were messy, disheveled, or 
dirty or contained trash and personal belongings left behind in 
specific offices or rooms." With all due respect, it is a gross 
understatement to say that the GAO was told that the "offices ... were 
messy, disheveled, or dirty." We asked the GAO to accurately report 
what it was told, and not to recharacterize it. Had the GAO done so in 
this case, the reader would have learned about the following 
observations, among others: 

Table: "Trashed" Offices (not including observations of damaged and 
overturned furniture or signs): 

Location: 91; 
Observation[A]: Plant dumped in the middle of the floor[B]; 

Location: 100 and 102; 
Observation[A]: Two pencil sharpeners thrown against wall: in Room 
100, mark on wall where hit, shavings on floor, and broken sharpener 
lay on ground; in Room 102, shavings on floor and broken sharpener lay 
on ground (observed by two persons). 

Location: 100-104; 
Observation[A]: files and papers everywhere on the floor — not just 
overflowing trash cans "trash everywhere". 

Location: 128B, 128C, 128D, and 128E; 
Observation[A]: file drawers and desk drawers pulled out and the 
contents dumped on floor. 

Location: 128C; 
Observation[A]: office was "trashed" and had a "malodorous stench"; 
all furniture piled in the corner. 

Location: 158 and 160A; 
Observation[A]: "extremely trashed"; "out of the ordinary"; because of 
smell, all of the curtains and the carpeting had to be immediately 
replaced. 

Location: 160, 162, 164; 
Observation[A]: Office was "filthy"; had to replace all furniture 
except one table and desk. 

Location: 170 or 172; 
Observation[A]: Very dirty; "more than wear and tear". 

Location: 173; 
Observation[A]: "lots of trash"; small pieces of office equipment 
stacked one on top of another. 

Location: 177-189; 
Observation[A]: "lots" of beer bottles and beer cans. 

Location: 177-189; 
Observation[A]: Offices "trashed out," even after GSA had been through 
once; "sizeable" holes in the walls. 

Location: 183; 
Observation[A]: Beer cans thrown on top of 10-foot high filing 
cabinets and stuffed animal and a shoe lodged in the rafters. 

Location: 183;
Observation[A]: Contents of large file cabinet units (measuring 
approx. 10' x 6' x 10') appeared to have been dumped on floor. 

Location: 1st floor EEOB; 
Observation[A]: "extremely filthy"[C]. 

Location: OW; 
Observation[A]: Lots of trash on the floors, food in desk drawers, 
pizza boxes in corner office, desks moved against doors. 

Location: OW; 
Observation[A]: "trashed"; supplies dumped on floor; "looked like 
people threw everything". 

Location: 286; 
Observation[A]: Soil spread across carpet. 

Location: 330; 
Observation[A]: Looked like office was "deliberately made to look like 
someone was communicating a message"; things in the desk dumped on top 
of desks; lamps were on chairs; pictures stacked on floor so you could 
not enter the room; etc.; "looked like when someone trashes a dorm 
room"[D]. 

Location: 330 and 380; 
Observation[A]: "clutter and mess over and beyond what you'd expect"; 
"would not have expected this under ordinary circumstances"[E]. 

Location: NSC offices; 
Observation[A]: in 25% of the spaces vacated in NSC (30-40 rooms), saw 
"something that [he] didn't expect." E.g., someone had spread holes 
from a hole punch all over the floor; a desk lamp was placed on a 
chair in the middle of the office; "papers strewn everywhere"[F]. 

Location: NSC offices; 
Observation[A]: Trash was "dumped everywhere"; pictures were pulled 
off the walls, leaving holes[B]. 

Location: Not identified; 
Observation[A]: "most of the rooms were trashed" and "filthy"[G]; 
Binders thrown everywhere and piles of paper; "very unclean; trash 
strewn about; refrigerators full of mold[H]; "tons and tons of trash"; 
binders piled over a copier; old food boxes; "trash was everywhere"; 
"filth"; food and trash in desks — pizza, sandwiches, tuna fish, 
chips; Offices were "trashed"; supplies and garbage all over; drawers 
open and on the floors[I]; Lots of beer and wine bottles[D]; Looked 
like there were a "large number of people who deliberately trashed the 
place"; "amount of trash was beyond the norm" for transitions[J]; 
Empty wine and beer bottles. 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 23 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[B] Employee of the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board; 
worked here during the Clinton Administration. 

[C] GSA employee; worked here during the Clinton Administration. 

[D] GSA employee; worked here during the Clinton Administration. 

[E] NSC employee; worked here during the Clinton Administration. 

[F] NSC employee; worked here during the Clinton Administration. 

[G] OA employee; worked here during the Clinton Administration. 

[H] OA employee; worked here during the Clinton Administration. 

[I] OA employee; worked here during the Clinton Administration. 

[J] OA employee; worked here during the Clinton Administration. 

[End of table] 

92. Pages 67-68. The GAO's list of facility request forms that 
document the condition of the offices is incomplete. The documents 
that were provided include: 

* A January 30, 2001, facility request form shows that Cabinet Affairs 
asked for someone to clean the carpet, furniture, and drapes in Rooms 
160, 162, and 164. GSA charged $2,905.70 for that service. Facility 
Request No. 56713. 

* A January 30, 2001, facility request form shows that an employee 
asked for the following services in the Advance suite reads: 
"Walls/moldings need patching and paint.... 1 — Need carpet vacuumed — 
is awful! 2 — Furniture cleaned and drawers need vacuuming out. 3 — 
Drapery needs cleaning or replacement." Facility Request No. 56990. 

* A January 25, 2001, facility request form shows that an employee 
asked that GSA clean the carpet, furniture, and drapes in Room 160A. 
Facility Request No. 56662. 

* A February 17, 2001, facility request form shows that an employee 
asked for a "professional] cleaning" in Rooms 154, 156, 157, 159, 
160Y2 (or 160A). For that service, GSA charged $1,150.00. Facility 
Request No. 58355. 

* A February 21, 2001, facility request form shows a request to clean 
the carpet in the former First Lady's suite (Rooms 100-104). Facility 
Request No. 58369. 

93. Page 70. [Now on pp. 69-70] Although the GAO reports that "[t]he 
OA director said that the offices were in 'pretty good shape' by the 
evening of January 22," the GAO has refused, despite our request, to 
include others' observations on how long it took to get the offices in 
shape. Had the GAO done so, the reader would learn: 

* The GAO asked the Director of White House Telephone Services when 
things were corrected, and was told that most things were cleaned up 
within 2 weeks, but "all the mess" was "not squared away until 
February." 

* In response to the GAO's question regarding how long it took to get 
problems fixed, the on-site manager for AT&T explained that the 
problems "lasted at least a month." 

* When the GAO asked an OA staff member with over 30 years' experience 
at the White House when the place was "cleaned up," he responded that 
"just the cleaning" was done "3 to 5 days" after January 20th. 

* When the GAO asked an employee how long did it take to get the 
phones operational, she answered "[a]bout a week and a half. Three or 
4 days to get people a working phone. To get people phone numbers took 
a week and a half." 

* An employee told the GAO it took approximately "3 weeks" before 
things were "back to standard." 

94. Page 70. The GAO states that "The OA associate director for 
facilities management said that about 20 offices were vacant before 
January 20. He said that it took 3 to 4 days after January 20 to 
complete the cleaning." That is not what this individual said. 

* He said that there was "some list of offices that could have been 
cleaned before the 20th," and the list was given to a GSA manager. He 
further explained that there were "not a lot of offices on the list" — 
"maybe 20." 

* He also said that it took "3 to 5 days" to complete "just the 
cleaning." 

95. Page 70. The GAO also misquotes the same individual when it 
writes: "This official said that he saw some a limited amount of trash 
that appeared to have been left intentionally." The GAO asked this 
individual, `Was there intentional trashing?" And he responded yes, a 
"limited amount." Therefore again the GAO has mistakenly equated 
"trash" that was left behind with the "trashing" of offices. 

96. Page 70. We believe that the GAO has again misquoted this 
individual when it reports that "[h]e also said that it would have 
taken an 'astronomical' amount of resources to have cleaned all of the 
offices by Monday, January 22." Rather, he said that they "could not 
have had enough people to clean it by the 22' because [the offices 
were] dirtier than past transitions." Indeed, when the GAO asked him 
expressly, "Is it legitimate to think people could start working on 
Sunday," January 21, he replied, "yes, in my opinion, people should 
leave their offices in an orderly fashion." He explained that it was 
"realistic" to expect offices to be cleaned by Monday night, January 
21. 

97. Pages 70-71. [Now on p. 70] Again the GAO improperly redefines the 
observations to simply a discussion of excessive "trash." But the 
observations were not so limited. The GAO reports that "[a White House 
management office employee] said that what he observed was probably a 
combination of some trash having been dumped intentionally and an 
accumulation built up over the years." We believe this employee's 
statement was far more direct and covered more than just "trash." The 
GAO asked whether the condition of the offices — which included, among 
other things, "filth" and trash, was "intentional or neglect," and the 
employee responded, "a combination." 

98. Pages 71 and 72. [Now on p. 70] In addition, the GAO should add 
similar statements by an employee who has worked at the White House 
since 1998, a second employee who has observed five prior transitions, 
a third employee (a Bush Administration official), and others who 
likewise told the GAO that it appeared that the offices were 
"intentionally" or "deliberately" trashed. The first of these 
individuals said that the NSC office was "deliberately made to look 
like someone was communicating a message." The second said that it 
looked like there were a "large number of people who deliberately 
trashed the place." And the Bush Administration official said the 
conditions he observed were "more than wear and tear." The fact that 
many observers concluded that the acts were intentional is important, 
because, if many people reached the same conclusion, it is more likely 
that the conclusion was correct and a reader will perceive the 
conclusion to be correct. In addition, since the GAO reports on page 
72 that, "none of the 67 former Clinton Administration staff we 
interviewed who worked in the White House complex at end of the 
administration said that trash was left behind intentionally as a 
prank or act of vandalism," it is only appropriate that the GAO also 
report that many current staff members — including staff who worked 
for the Clinton Administration — believe otherwise. 

99. Page 71. The GAO's discussion of the costs associated with 
cleaning the "trashed" offices is incomplete. 

* The GAO fails to mention the January 30, 2001, facility request form 
(No. 56713) which shows that Cabinet Affairs asked for someone to 
clean the carpet, furniture, and drapes in Rooms 160, 162, and 164. 
GSA charged $2,905.70 for that service. As the GAO acknowledged 
earlier in its report (at page 12), this request involved an office 
that a White House Office "employee said was 'filthy' and worn and 
dirty furniture." That same employee, as well as others from her 
office, also told the GAO about significant damage to furniture in 
those offices, including a desk drawer with its drawer-fronts removed, 
chairs without legs, and a chair with its entire back broken off. 

* The GAO could — but did not — determine how much time and money was 
actually spent paying the cleaning staff and how much time and money 
should reasonably have been spent (based on the amounts spent during 
past transitions or estimates provided by administrative staff). The 
difference in those amounts would provide a rough estimate of the 
costs attributable to the poor condition of the offices. We already 
know that the costs exceeded what was expected because the OA manager 
responsible for facilities management told the GAO that there was 
"lots of money that was spent that shouldn't have to be spent." 

* Nor did the GAO include in its estimate of costs all the facility 
request forms that show that the new staff had to request that 
carpets, furniture, and draperies be cleaned. While in some cases, the 
GSA pays for the costs associated with such cleaning (and hence no 
dollar amount appears on the form), actual costs exist and presumably 
could be estimated. 

* If the GAO is unwilling to estimate these costs, we believe that it 
should at least say that additional costs exist, and that the GAO did 
not attempt to quantify them. And again, the problem was far more than 
simply "excessive trash that needed to be discarded," as the GAO 
reports. 

100. Page 72. [Now on p. 71] Although the GAO is willing to report 
that former Clinton administration staff generally said the amount of 
trash that was observed during the transition was what could be 
expected when staff move out of office space after 8 years," the GAO 
fails to mention that one employee, who also served during the Clinton 
Administration, told the GAO that what she observed "was way beyond 
what you'd expect to see in a large move"; she was "surprised" and 
"embarrassed" by the condition of the offices on Inaugural weekend; 
and she knew that the same offices were in pretty good shape during 
the weeks and months before the transition. 

101. Page 72. [Now on p. 71] The GAO states that "one former employee 
who worked in an administrative office said that she did not observe 
much cleaning of offices before January 20, and she believed that GSA 
did not have enough supervisors and decision makers to oversee the 
cleaning." We previously told GAO that, if the report was going to 
include this comment, it should also state (either here or elsewhere 
in the report) how many cleaning staff were on duty and the hours they 
worked. Without that information, we believe the reader has no basis 
for evaluating the comments made by the former staff. The GAO 
apparently refuses to provide this important information. 

102. Page 72. [Now on p. 71] The report states that "the 
administrative head of another office said that he asked 25 
professional staff to help clean the office before he left." The GAO 
told us that this former employee is referring to a specific office 
within the Office of Management and Budget ("OMB"). No one alleged 
that this particular office — or any office in OMB —was left dirty. 
Therefore this comment is irrelevant, and we believe the GAO misleads 
the reader by including it in its report since the GAO does explain 
that the comment does not rebut or relate to any observation of a 
current staff member. The GAO has again failed to include the facts 
needed for the reader to have a complete and accurate understanding of 
the matters reported. 

103. Pages 72-73. [Now on p. 71-72] The GAO writes: 

In a letter sent to us in January 2002, the former director of the 
Office of Management and Administration and the former senior advisor 
for presidential transition said that, for months before the 
transition, they had been assured that additional cleaning crews would 
be detailed to the White House complex to assist GSA cleaning crews 
during the final week of the administration. However, the former 
officials said that they did not observe any cleaning crews during the 
evening of January 19 or the morning of January 20. 

* Again, we believe that if the GAO is going to include this criticism 
of the cleaning staff, it must also provide the reader with an 
estimate — based on the GAO's review of the GSA's work and payroll 
records (records that the GAO already has) — of the number of cleaning 
staff and contractors who worked that weekend and the numbers of hours 
worked. Otherwise, the reader has no means of evaluating the comment —
either its credibility or its relevance. 

104. Page 73. [Now on p. 72] The GAO reports that "the office manager 
for the office where an EOP employee told us that it appeared that a 
pencil sharpener was thrown against the wall and that pencil shavings 
were on the floor said the sharpener in that office did not work and 
may have been placed on the floor with other items to be removed." 

* The employee told the GAO that two pencil sharpeners were found 
broken and on the floor along with shavings. In addition, with respect 
to one of the two sharpeners, there was a distinct mark where the 
pencil sharpener struck the wall. The comment of the former office 
manager thus does not rebut the employee's observations. 

105. Page 75. [Now on p. 73] The GAO writes: 

Six EOP staff reported observing writing on the wall of a stall in a 
men's restroom that was derogatory to President Bush. In addition, two 
EOP staff and one GSA employee said that they observed messages 
written on an office wall. Two of those three employees said that the 
writing was on a writing board that could be erased. Two other White 
House employees said that they saw pen and pencil marks on walls, but 
no written words. 

A few comments: 

* The graffiti in the men's restroom was vulgar, in addition to being 
derogatory to the President. It said, "What W did to democracy, you 
are about to do in here." It was an act that was plainly intentional 
and, given its content, the GAO could reasonably conclude that it was 
written shortly before the transition. 

* The writing on the wall in the Scheduling Office, while not profane 
in nature, said something like "Republicans, don't get comfortable, 
we'll be back," thus again indicating that it was written shortly 
before the transition and by a member of the outgoing staff. One of 
the three observers who saw the room shortly after noon on January 20, 
told the GAO that he was certain that the writing was directly on the 
wall. 

* The GAO's final sentence — that "two other White House employees 
said that they saw pen and pencil marks on walls, but no written 
words" — does not, in our view, adequately describe what the GAO was 
told. These were not observations of a stray pen mark, as the sentence 
suggests. Rather, one White House employee said that an entire wall in 
one office was covered in lines that appeared at a distance to be 
cracks. That observation was confirmed by an OA employee, who said 
that she too had heard that someone had etched a wall like marble. A 
second White House employee said that a wall in or near Room 158 was 
covered in pencil and pen marks, which she described as "slasher 
marks" and "beyond normal" wear and tear. 

106. Pages 75-76. [Now on p. 74] We believe that the GAO has 
downplayed the number of the signs, the number of locations where they 
were observed, and their content. While in some cases such signs are 
easily removed and, in a few cases, were probably meant as a joke, we 
believe the GAO should describe the signs more fully and with greater 
detail for at least three reasons. First, the number, tone, and 
location of the signs may indicate the mindset of certain former staff 
members in offices where other damage was found. Second these details 
allow the reader to compare the 2001 transition and prior transitions. 
Notably, the GAO has included considerable detail about the number and 
content of signs found by former members of the Clinton Administration 
during the 1993 transition. Yet the same level of detail is lacking 
when the GAO discusses the 2001 transition. Third, and similarly, if 
the report is going to include a former staff member's comment that 
the signs were "harmless" (Report at 76) or not "obscene" (Report at 
75), we believe that the GAO should provide the signs' contents, or 
how the observer described the signs (e.g. "vulgar"), so that the 
reader can decide whether the characterizations are accurate. 

We also believe that stickers that were permanently affixed to 
government property (copiers and cabinets) are not the same as prank 
signs or messages that were simply taped on a wall or placed in copy 
machines and printers. Yet the GAO treats these things as equivalent.
The tables below detail the number, location, and content of some of 
the signs that were observed: 

Table: Signs Affixed To Furniture And Other Government Property: 

Location: 191; 
Observation[A]: Sticker affixed to filing cabinet that reads "jail to 
the thief"; shown to GAO. 

Location: 197; 
Observation[A]: Key broken off in file cabinet with Gore bumper 
sticker with the words "Bush Sucks" stuck to the inside of the cabinet 
(observed by two persons). 

Location: West Wing — outside COS and VP offices; 
Observation[A]: Gore bumper sticker stuck to the bottom of paper tray 
in the copier. 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 4 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[End of table] 

Table: Signs And Messages (not including signs affixed to property): 
Location: 
Observation[A]; 

West Wing — Vice President's Office; 
"Vulgar words" on white board[C]. 

West Wing; 
Sign comparing President Bush to a chimpanzee found "in a number of 
printers"; "laced" throughout the reams of paper[D]. 

West Wing — Vice President's Reception Area; 
Three copies of the same sign taped to wall (observed by two 
persons)[B,E]. 

West Wing — Vice President's Reception Area; 
15-20 copies of the same sign laced throughout ream of paper in fax 
machine and copier (observed by two persons). 

West Wing — First Floor; 
Same sign shuffled throughout the paper tray in copy machine outside 
the Chief of Staff's office. 

West Wing; 
20-30 copies of same sign interspersed throughout ream of paper in 
printer in office that is adjacent to the Oval Office. 

East Wing; 
8" x 10" color piece of paper that said "see you in four, Al Gore" in 
drawer of the copy machine. 

EEOB — room not identified; 
Same President Bush/chimpanzee sign found in a printer[B]. 

EEOB — basement: 
In location where people "dumped" supplies, a sign read "Gifts for the 
New President" (Head Telephone Operator[F]). 

EEOB — 87; 
Sign taped to a desk of a mock MasterCard ad that includes a picture 
of President Bush and reads, "New Bong: $50, Cocaine Habit: $300, 
Finding Out That The Good-Old-Boy Network Can Still Rig An Election In 
The Deep South: Priceless. For the rest of us there's honesty." The 
GAO was provided with a copy of this sign. 

EEOB — 100-104; 
T-shirt with tongue sticking out draped over chair[B]. 

EEOB — 128; 
Sign that read "just laugh" taped to the wall; Signs. 

EEOB — 160-164: 
"Inappropriate" message in printer or fax tray; "Quite a few signs." 

EEOB — 160; 
Picture of former First Lady taped to cabinet. 

EEOB — 162; 
Photo in safe that had the word "chad" spelled out in paper punch 
holes (observed by two persons). 

EEOB-177-189; 
Signs; Notes in the desk drawers. 

EEOB —192; 
Sign addressed to and disparaging of "Bush staffer" on wall; Sign of a 
mock Time magazine cover that read "WE'RE ******" on wall (observed by 
five persons). 

EEOB — 197B; 
Desk drawer had 2 Gore/Leiberman stickers displayed inside. 

EEOB — 2d floor; 
Picture of Bush with something drawn on it on the 2d floor[B]. 

EEOB — 3d floor library; 
Sign reading "VP's cardiac unit" (observed by two persons)[G,H]. 

EEOB — 4th floor; 
Pictures of President Clinton and notes about President Bush "were 
everywhere"[J]. 

EEOB; 
Signs inserted into office nameplates, including signs outside of the 
former First Lady's Office (Room 100-104), the OMB, and the Office of 
Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (observed by four 
persons)[H,I,K]. 

[A] The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 28 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[B] GSA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[C] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[D] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[E] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[F] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[G] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[H] 0A employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[I] OA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[J] GSA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[K] GSA employee, worked in the White House complex during Clinton 
Administration. 

[End of table] 

107. Page 77. [Now on p. 75] It is not accurate, in our view, for the 
GAO to say that the statement that trucks were needed to recover new 
and usable supplies "generally was not corroborated." OA's Associate 
Director for the General Services Division told the GAO that, because 
the excess supplies had been "dumped" in the basement hall and were 
piling up down there — leaving "much of it unusable" — he instructed 
his staff to take the supplies to the off-site warehouse where the 
staff could re-sort the supplies and salvage what was still reusable. 
As the GAO itself reports, eight truckloads were needed to recover 
these new and usable supplies from the basement. Had these trucks not 
been dispatched, all of the supplies (instead of just of portion) 
would have been rendered unusable. Thus the statement in the June 2001 
list was "corroborated." 

108. Page 78. [Now on p. 76] Two employees (not one) told the GAO that 
they had found classified materials left unsecured in multiple 
locations. An employee with more than 30 years of service in the White 
House complex told the GAO that he found classified materials in an 
unlocked safe during the night of January 19, when he toured the 
offices. In addition, a GSA employee said she found "classified 
information" in "quite a few rooms." It is understandable if the 
Director of Records Management did not find these documents himself, 
since he toured offices looking for documents for less than two-and-
one-half hours before his attention was diverted to the West Wing at 
approximately 2:30 a.m. on January 20. 

Also, as the GAO notes, a White House employee reported that he found 
a selection of sensitive documents, including some pardon-related 
materials and some fundraising materials, in the Counsel's Office in 
the EEOB. It is not surprising that the Director of Records Management 
did not find these documents since the occupants of the Counsel's
Office did not depart their offices until long after he stopped 
checking rooms in the EEOB at approximately 2:30 a.m. 

109. Page 80. [Now on p. 77] Appendix II addresses the condition of 
the White House complex during previous presidential transitions and 
compares that to the 2001 transition, where the GAO states that an 
"EOP employee showed us writing inside a desk that was dated January 
1993." The writing in the desk is neither profane nor disparaging of 
the incoming President or his administration. It reads: "Take care of 
this place. We will be back in four (4) years! (1/93)." 

110. Page 81. [Now on pp. 77-78] The GAO has included only some of the 
statements made by current staff members about past transitions. The 
GAO, for instance, fails to mention that several employees, including 
longtime staff members, said that the 2001 transition was "worse" (and 
not only with respect to the amount of trash) than what they had seen 
during past transitions. Omitted statements include the following: 

* After an individual employed at the White House since 1973 described 
problems found with the phones, the GAO asked, "Is this sort of thing 
unusual?" This employee responded yes, "this was unusual"; "every 
administration has pranks," but this was "worse." 

* When the GAO asked the same individual whether it looked like the 
prior occupants had "purposely trashed the place," he replied that it 
was "not sloppiness, it looked like one big party" had been there and 
that he "never remembers seeing anything like this before." 

* The same employee told the GAO explicitly that the offices "shined" 
during the Reagan Administration and that, when President George H.W. 
Bush left office, "[he] never encountered any problems with 
telephones"; perhaps "unplugging of phones, but that was it." 

* An individual who observed the transitions from Nixon to Ford, Ford 
to Carter, Reagan to Bush, Bush to Clinton, and Clinton to Bush, said 
that he had "never seen anything like it" and had "never seen this 
building [the EEOB] in such bad condition." 

* Another individual, an OA employee for roughly 17 years, said that 
the trash was worse this time than in prior transitions; in addition, 
he told the GAO that the condition in which the building was left "was 
a bit juvenile" and suggested the prior occupants were "not cognizant 
of responsibilities of people coming behind [them]." 

* A GSA manager told the GAO that there were "far more" personal 
belongings left behind during the 2001 transition than during the 1989 
transition. 

* In addition to telling the GAO that the offices were "dirtier than 
past transitions," an OA employee with more than 30 years of service 
said that the amount of trash "was beyond the norm." 

* A Bush Administration official, who was in charge of the transition 
out of government in 1992, told the GAO that he personally took a tour 
of four floors of the OEOB and West Wing on January 20, 1993, and he 
saw "nothing comparable" to what he saw during this transition. He 
twice told the GAO that the damage during this transition was "more 
than he'd seen in other transitions." 

* An OA employee who has worked in the complex for 23 years and 
observed seeing problems during the 2001 transition, told the GAO that 
she "didn't notice anything at all" during Bush-to-Clinton transition; 
nor did she recall anything when the Carter Administration left office. 

111. Page 82. [Now on p. 78] The GAO continues: 

The OA associate director for facilities management said that every 
transition had had a problem with missing historic doorknobs. 
Similarly, the director of GSA's White House service center said that 
doorknobs are favorite souvenirs of departing staff. The telephone 
service director said that telephone cords were unplugged and office 
signs were missing in previous transitions and that unplugging 
telephones is a "standard prank." 

* The GAO fails to mention that the GSA director has observed only two 
transitions — the 2001 transition and the 1989 transition. He said 
that he had only heard that doorknobs went missing during the 1989 
transition; he did not observe anything himself. 

* The Director of White House Telephone Services did not say that 
office signs were missing in previous transitions. He recalled that 
occurring in one prior transition. He recalled that, when the Carter 
Administration left office, "door signs were missing and cords 
unplugged." 

112. Page 82. [Now on p. 78] The GAO states that "the director of 
GSA's White House service center during the 2001 transition said that 
the condition of the office space during the 2001 transition was the 
same as what he observed during the 1989 transition." But the GSA 
employee observed little in the way of pranks, damage, or vandalism 
during the 2001 transition; saying that he "saw much the same thing" 
during the 1989 transition means that he claims not to have observed 
much in either transition. 

113. Page 82. [Now on pp. 78-79] The GAO's reference to what the GSA 
Acting Administrator said in his March 2, 2001, letter may be 
misleading to the reader. The GSA's letter references only "the 
condition of the real property" — and not the telephones, the 
computers, the furniture, the office signs, etc., which were the focus 
of the damage, vandalism, and pranks that occurred during the 2001 
transition. 

114. Page 83. [Now on p. 79] The GAO reports that "[s]even former 
employees ... said that computers were not operational or were missing 
hard drives at the beginning of the Clinton administration. Two of 
those employees said it took 1 to 2 weeks for the computers to work." 
The GAO was told that computers were not working and hard drives were 
missing because the prior Bush Administration was required to remove 
the hard drives in connection with a case captioned Armstrong v. Bush. 
The GAO obliquely refers to the case in footnote 64, but a reader will 
not understand the relevance without further explanation. 

115. Page 83. [Now on p. 79] The GAO reports that "[t]wo former 
employees said that telephones were piled on the floors or were 
disconnected. (One of those former employees said she was told that 
staff would receive new telephones.)" An employee with over 30 years 
of service told the GAO that, when the Clinton Administration came 
into office, he was instructed to "get rid of [the] Republican phone 
system." This would explain why the former employees found phones 
disconnected and were "told that staff would receive new telephones."
116. PAGE 83. We again note the GAO's willingness to include a 
characterization by a former staff member who says that damage 
"appeared to have been . intentional[]," but the GAO omitted from its 
report similar statements made by members of the current staff. For 
example, 

* The White House telephone services coordinator told the GAO that the 
missing phone labels "must have been intentional." 

* An employee who has worked at the White House since 1998 told the 
GAO that the rooms he observed were "deliberately made to look like 
someone was communicating a message." 

* A former White House manager told the GAO that some of conditions he 
saw looked "intentional." 

* An individual who has observed five prior transitions said the 
offices looked like a "Marge number of people ... deliberately trashed 
the place." 

* A current employee told the GAO that the desk drawers were clearly 
damaged intentionally and not just wear and tear. 

* An employee who worked at the White House from 1999-2001 told the 
GAO that "it was intentional, not accidental" with respect to the 
damage he observed in dozens of rooms. 

* A Bush Administration official who has participated in a prior 
transition told the GAO that the conditions he observed were "more 
than wear and tear." 

* A current employee said that the broken key in the file cabinet 
looked "deliberate" to him. 

* An OA employee responsible for facilities management said that some 
of the damage was the result of "intentional trashing." 

* An employee with over 30 years of service in the White House said it 
looked like the prior occupants had "purposely trashed the place." 

117. Page 84. [Now on pp. 79-80] The GAO writes: 

One former employee who started working at the White House in January
1993 and left in January 2001 said that the officers were messier in 
January 1993 compared with January 2001. Another former employee said 
that on January 20, 1993, his office contained leftover food and that 
the walls needed repainting. A third former employee said the offices 
were still not cleaned by the afternoon of January 21, 1993. Another 
former employee said that there were 'dusty and dirty' typewriters on 
desks. 

Three former staff said they saw a total of at least six Bush bumper 
stickers in different offices, on cubicle walls, in a desk, on a 
telephone. One former employee said she saw one to two photocopies of 
political cartoons left in a copy machine, a bottle of aspirin with a 
prank note inside a desk, a large banner on the balcony of the EEOB, 
and a tarp for a tent left behind. 

* Again, we note that the same level of detail — for precisely the 
same sort of allegations — is lacking when GAO describes observations 
made during the 2001 transition. By not including this information for 
the 2001 transition, the GAO has failed, in our view, to include all 
information needed to satisfy the audit objective to compare the 2001 
transition with past transitions. See Government Auditing Standard 
7.50 and 7.51 ("The report should be complete.... Being complete 
requires that the report contain all information to satisfy the audit 
objectives, promote an adequate and correct understanding of the 
matters reported, and meet the report content requirements. It also 
means including appropriate background information."). 

118. Pages 84-85. [Now on p. 80] The GAO was able to find only one 
news report that mentions the condition of the White House complex 
during previous transitions. The GAO claims that "the Washingtonian 
magazine indicated that incoming Reagan administration staff had some 
complaints about the condition of the EEOB that were similar to 
observations made by EOP staff in 2001." The Reagan administration 
staff complaints were, according to the article, finding memoranda 
taped to the walls; lampshades torn by paperclips hung on them to hold 
messages; a refrigerator with thick mold; and a large coffee stain on 
a sofa outside the vice president's office. These allegations are 
hardly "similar," as the GAO maintains, to what was found in 2001 
transition. By analogizing the circumstances, the GAO trivializes what 
was observed in 2001. 

Part III: Comments on Recommendations: 

119. Pages 86-87. [Now on pp. 81-82] Although Appendix III is entitled 
"Steps to Help Prevent Damage to Government Property during Future 
Presidential Transitions," the draft report does not actually contain 
any "steps" or recommendations in this section. It simply discusses 
the check-out process used during the Clinton Administration and the 
procedures followed on Capitol Hill when offices are vacated.
120. The GAO fails to include anywhere in its report two of the 
factors that OA officials, who have been through many transitions, 
identified as contributing to the problems found in the January 2001 
transition. 

First, an employee who has worked at the White House for over 30 years 
told the GAO that he felt "hampered" in doing his job because he was 
"not allowed to have any contact with the incoming Administration." He 
indicated that, in the past, he was allowed to confer with incoming 
staff regarding their telephone needs and expectations; but this was 
not permitted during the 2001 transition. Likewise, an employee who 
has observed five prior transitions told the GAO that this transition 
was unusual because, for other transitions, there was a transition 
team from the new Administration on-site in the complex. This time, 
the person said, the incoming administration did not get access to the 
space until three days before the Inauguration and did not get "legacy 
books" — books that explain how things work within the complex and 
within particular offices — until after the Inauguration. 

Second, a number of longtime employees told the GAO that problems 
could have been averted or remedied sooner if members of the Clinton 
Administration had vacated their offices earlier. By way of example, 
one OA manager recalled seeing a woman simply watching television in 
her office; precisely at noon, she turned her TV off and left. 
Documents that we provided the GAO show that 325 passes of White House 
Office employees were terminated on January 19 and January 20, 2001. 

We believe that the points made by these employees are valid ones, and 
deserve to be addressed in the GAO report. 

[End of Appendix IV] 

Appendix V: GAO's Response to the White House: Comments: 

GAO's response to the White House's specific comments follow. We have 
grouped the comments in the categories listed below. 

Underreporting of Observations: 

The White House said that we had underreported the number of 
observations in various categories, including the signs and messages, 
computer keyboards, missing items, furniture, offices with trash, 
telephones, writing on walls, and classified documents. 

Signs and Messages: 

In comment 8, the White House said it believed that we had 
substantially underreported the number of signs and messages observed 
in the letter portion of the report. However, as indicated in the 
results section, the letter portion of the report only contains 
observations made in specific locations, and additional observations 
that staff identified by floor or building, but not by room or office, 
are provided in appendix I. Moreover, we reported some observations of 
signs and messages differently from the White House. For example, we 
reported observations of writing in desks in the section regarding 
furniture-related problems. In addition, we reported two observations 
that the White House included in the category of signs and messages 
(observations of paper hole punches arranged on a floor to spell a 
word and a T-shirt draped over a chair with a picture of a tongue 
sticking out) in a different category relating to observations of 
trash and personal items left behind. We also added to our count two 
Gore stickers that staff told us were found in a file cabinet, which 
we had not included in our draft report. 

The White House also said in comments 9 and 106 that we should have 
reported the specific content of all of the signs and messages. We 
addressed these comments in the White House's general comments about 
the amount of detail provided. 

In comment 23, the White House said that writing was found on the 
walls of four rooms, rather than two rooms, as the report indicated. 
The statement concerning writing on the walls in the letter portion of 
our report summarized additional details provided in appendix I. 
Further, by "writing," the report referred to observations of actual 
words written on walls. As explained in appendix I, other staff 
observed pen and pencil marks on the walls of two other rooms, but no 
words. For the purposes of clarification, we revised the statement to 
indicate that staff observed writing "(words)" on the walls of two 
offices. 

The White House said in comments 68 and 87 that we failed to include 
the statement of an EOP employee who told us about statements made by 
a repairman, who while fixing a broken copy machine, said that he 
found a pornographic or inappropriate message when he pulled out the 
copier's paper drawer. We did not include the repairman's statement 
because we did not include information people relayed to us from third 
parties, which is generally not regarded as competent evidence. 

Keyboards: 

The White House disagreed with the range of keyboards that were 
observed with missing or damaged "W" keys in comments 10 and 51. We 
previously explained how we calculated the range of observations in 
response to the White House's general comment regarding the number of 
observations reported. 

In comment 54, the White House also said that we did not report that 
the Office of Administration (OA) associate director for information 
systems and technology saw some glued-down space bars. Although we 
modified our report, we note that this official first told us that the 
problem was inoperable space bars and subsequently said it was glued 
down space bars. 

In comment 55, the White House said that we underreported the number 
of "W" keys taped or glued to walls; that we failed to mention that 
other staff reported that they found "W" keys sitting next to 
keyboards and computers; and that an additional employee saw piles of 
keyboards or computers or a computer monitor overturned that we did 
not report. Our range of "W" keys taped or glued to walls differed 
from what the White House had indicated in its comments. Further, the 
White House counted a least two keys when people said they saw "some" 
keys taped or glued to walls, but did not specify a number. However, 
we did not estimate numbers in those cases and disclosed that in the 
report. We did not report the observations of "W" keys sitting next to 
keyboards or on computers because we believed that reporting the 
number of keys glued or taped to walls provided sufficient detail to 
support the observation of keyboards with missing or damaged keys. We 
revised the report to indicate that five, rather than four, employees 
observed piles of keyboards or computers or a computer monitor 
overturned. 

In comment 56, the White House said that we did not consider the 
statement of the OA branch chief for program management and strategic 
planning in the information systems and technology division. The White 
House pointed out that, on one of the branch chief's last deliveries of 
broken items to the temporary workroom, someone had told her that the 
count of damaged keyboards was up to 150. We did consider her 
statement. Our report contained a statement attributed to the branch 
chief that 150 keyboards had to be replaced. 

The White House also said that, by contrast, we provided more details 
regarding the observations made by the OA associate director for 
information systems and technology, but had omitted the fact that this 
official said that she was not focused on the keyboards during the 
transition, but that she personally saw only about 10 keyboards with 
missing "W" keys, a concentration of keyboards with missing "W" keys 
in certain offices, and some keyboards with glued-down space bars, and 
that she was very upset at the condition in which some of the 
keyboards were left. In addition, the White House said that during our 
second interview with the OA associate director for information 
systems and technology, we had asked this official to estimate the 
number of keyboards with missing "W" keys without reminding her that 
we had asked her the same question during our first interview with her. 

To address the White House's comments, we added to the report 
statements contained in our interview record with the OA associate 
director for information systems and technology indicating that she 
said that she was not focused on the keyboards during the transition, 
but that she saw about 10 keyboards with missing "W" keys, some with 
glued-down space bars, and a lot of keyboards that were "filthy." We 
also added, on the basis of our interview record, that she believed 
that more of the keyboards with problems were found in the offices of 
the first lady and vice president than in other offices. However, 
contrary to the White House's assertion, our record regarding the 
follow-up interview with this official indicated that we did remind 
her about her earlier statement about the number of keyboards with 
missing "W" keys when we asked her that question again. As indicated 
in the report, we asked to conduct a follow-up interview with this 
official after obtaining an estimate from the branch chief for program 
management and strategic planning in the information and technology 
section that about 150 keyboards had to be replaced because of missing 
or damaged "W" keys. 

Also in comment 56, the White House said that we did not report what 
the OA associate director for information systems and technology said 
the contract employee who packed the keyboards told her regarding the 
number of damaged keyboards. However, we did not include observations 
people relayed to us from third parties. Further, the contract 
employee's statements that she provided to us during an interview were 
provided in the report. The White House also noted that we did not 
meet with the branch chief, but interviewed her by telephone; we made 
the appropriate change. Finally, the White House said that we had 
misquoted the OA associate director for information systems and 
technology when we indicated that she said that of the 100 keyboards 
that had to be replaced, about one-third to one-half would have been 
replaced anyway because of their age. The White House said that this 
official told us that one-third to one-half of the keyboards would 
have been replaced if they had not been changed out in 4 to 8 years. 
Although our interview records indicated that this official said that 
one-third to one-half of the keyboards would have been replaced 
anyway, they did not indicate that she also said "if they had not been 
changed out in 4 to 8 years" as the White House indicated, so we did 
not change the report. 

In comment 57, the White House said that, regarding the 12 boxes of 
computer equipment that were discarded, we should have explained that 
the contract employee personally packed some of the boxes; and that 
for those, she filled the boxes with keyboards and then used excessed 
speakers, cords, and soundcards to fill in gaps and ensure that the 
keyboards would not shift in the box. We did not believe these details 
to be relevant. 

Missing Items: 

The White House said in comments 19 and 44 that 11 to 13 doorknobs 
were observed missing, compared to the 10 to 11 contained in the 
report. Our total differed from the White House's because (1) the 
White House counted 0 to 2 missing doorknobs in its range when an 
Executive Office of the President (EOP) employee said a doorknob was 
missing in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (EEOB) but did not 
specify any location (room, office, or floor); however, we did not 
include it to prevent possible double counting of missing doorknobs 
where specific locations were identified; and (2) the White House 
counted two missing doorknobs when an EOP employee said that a 
doorknob was missing on a certain floor of the EEOB, but did not 
identify the room. However, because we did not know whether a doorknob 
was missing on both sides of the door in that case, we used a range of 
one to two. (Although this employee did not specify the room or office 
where the doorknob was observed missing, we counted this because it 
was on a floor of the EEOB where no other doorknobs were observed 
missing.) 

In comment 41, the White House noted that four of the six EOP staff 
who told us that they observed a total of 5 to 11 missing office signs 
were OA employees and worked in the White House complex during the 
Clinton administration, and that the fifth employee who worked for the 
White House Office also served during the Clinton administration. We 
did not believe these details were needed and did not revise the 
report in response to this comment because we generally did not 
differentiate among staff who had worked in the White House complex 
before or after January 20, 2001, in reporting the observations. Also 
in comment 41, the White House said that one of the employees told us 
that a former Clinton administration employee told her that he also 
observed two missing brackets on the morning of January 20. However, 
we did not report this statement because we did not include 
observations people relayed to us from a third party. Nonetheless, we 
also interviewed that former Clinton administration employee, who said 
that he noticed that some office name signs were missing, but could 
not recall how many. He also said that he did not see any metal frames 
for the signs that were missing. 

In comment 22, the White House asked that we quote from a facility 
request form that asked GSA to "put doorknob on" an interoffice door. 
In addition, in comment 45, the White House said that we should state 
that the recollection of a General Services Administration (GSA) 
planner/estimator regarding this repair is inconsistent with the 
request form and the recollections of at least three current staff 
members. The statement contained in the letter portion of the report 
summarized information provided in more detail in appendix I, where 
the facility request form was quoted directly. However, we revised the 
statement contained in the letter portion of the report to quote from 
the form. Regarding the White House's request that we state that a GSA 
employee's recollection is inconsistent with the facility request form 
and the recollections of at least three current staff members, the 
report indicated an EOP employee told us that he had observed two 
pairs of missing doorknobs in this office. Because no other EOP staff 
told us that they observed missing doorknobs in this office, including 
the employee who prepared the request, (who did not request to be 
interviewed by us) we did not include the statements contained in the 
White House's comments. Further, in the White House's table of missing 
doorknobs provided in comment 19, the White House only provided the 
account of one person who observed missing doorknobs in that office. 

The White House also said in comments 22 and 45 that, if we include a 
statement by a GSA planner/estimator that he received no written 
facility requests made to GSA for replacing office signs, medallions, 
or doorknobs during the transition, we should cite facility requests 
to "put...on" a doorknob and for "replacement of frames & medallions," 
dated February 7 and April 19, 2001. The February 7 request was 
contained in the report. In response to the White House's comments 22, 
43, and 45, we added the April 19 request, even though it was prepared 
3 months after the transition. The White House also said we should 
report statements made by two OA officials and a White House Office 
employee about missing building fixtures. However, we did not believe 
these additional comments were essential, and one of the statements 
was information that was relayed to us from a third party, so we did 
not include them. 

The White House also said in comments 20 and 46 that the report should 
have included an additional television remote control that was 
observed missing. Our interview notes indicated that one employee 
initially told us that five or six remotes were missing in a certain 
office, but later in the interview said that five were missing, which 
we had used in our draft report in reporting the total number of 
remote controls observed missing by all EOP staff. However, in 
response to the White House's comments, we changed the number that she 
observed to five or six. 

The White House also said in comment 46 that we should note that one 
of the observers had worked in that office during the Clinton 
administration, which we added because we believed it could be 
relevant to the observation. However, we did not discuss the two 
observations of missing television remotes separately, as the White 
House suggested, because we did not believe the additional detail 
would add any essential information. 

Furniture: 

The White House said in comments 14 and 59 that we underreported the 
number of reports of damaged furniture and the number of observers. We 
did not underreport this information. Our lists of furniture-related 
problems that were observed were substantially the same as the list 
that the White House provided in its comments. However, we broke out 
observations of furniture-related problems into various subcategories, 
such as broken furniture, furniture with damaged locks, chairs with 
torn fabric, and desks with burns and scratches.
In comments 16 and 66, the White House said that the report failed to 
include a January 29, 2001, facility request form that documented a 
request to obtain a key to a file cabinet that was locked in an office 
where an EOP employee said he had observed damaged furniture. The 
report had cited a January 25, 2001, facility request made by the same 
employee to gain access to a locked file cabinet in the same room that 
was cited in the January 29 request. However, in response to the White 
House's request, we added the January 29 request to the report, even 
though it did not indicate any additional problems were reported. 

The White House said in comments 17 and 62 that we underreported the 
number of pieces of furniture that were observed overturned. We 
compared our interview records to the information provided by the 
White House and found that our records of the interviews differed from 
the White House's account of the interviews in some cases. In one 
case, when we interviewed an official, he mentioned various pieces of 
furniture that he had observed overturned, but when he provided a tour 
of that office to show what he had seen, he did not mention all of the 
pieces of furniture. We added three additional pieces of furniture to 
reflect the statement he made during the interview. However, we did 
not add, as the White House did, observations of furniture in 
locations that staff could not recall because they could have 
duplicated ones reported observed in specific locations. 

In comment 64, the White House disputed a GSA official's statement 
that furniture could be overturned for a variety of reasons, such as 
to reach electrical or computer connections. We obtained this comment 
directly from GSA on April 30, 2002, and GSA did not raise any 
objection to it in its comments on our draft report. It is important 
to note, however, that this statement was a generic possible 
explanation that did not relate to a specific observation. 

The White House said in comments 18 and 65 that our description of 
observations of a sticky substance that was found on desks was 
inaccurate and incomplete, and it also provided further details. We 
believe that the report generally provided a sufficient level of 
detail regarding these observations. However, to address the White 
House's comments, we added more information about these observations 
in appendix I. 

In comment 29, the White House disagreed that the observations of 
damaged furniture differed from the June 2001 list in terms of total 
numbers and extent of damage. In our discussion of furniture-related 
observations in the letter portion of the report, we summarized the 
extent of damage that staff said they observed regarding broken 
furniture and stated that no information was provided that identified 
which offices some of the broken furniture came from or exactly when 
the damage occurred. Further, no one reported actually observing 
furniture being intentionally damaged, and no definitive evidence was 
provided regarding whether the damage was intentional. Consequently, 
we were unable to conclude whether the furniture in six offices was 
intentionally damaged severely enough to require complete 
refurbishment or destruction, as indicated in the June 2001 list. 

In comment 61, the White House said that we mistakenly reported that 
five staff said they observed writing inside drawers of five desks and 
that we were shown writing in four of those five desks. Instead, the 
White House said, five staff observed writing in or on six desks, that 
not all of the writing was inside drawers, and that we observed 
writing in five of the six desks. However, the White House included a 
sticker on a desk that we had counted in another category of 
observations (signs and written messages). The report indicated that 
we had observed that sticker. 

Finally, the White House said in comment 72 that we were wrong in 
saying that, during the first of two interviews we held with an EOP 
employee, she said that her observations, which included desks with 
burn marks and scratches, pertained to a particular office, rather 
than a suite of offices. The White House also pointed out that we were 
taken into the two offices that she was referring to. However, our 
record of this interview indicated that her observations pertained to 
a particular office and that she repeatedly referred to the previous 
occupant of that specific office. Further, when we toured the office 
suite in question, she did not stop to discuss furniture in an 
adjacent reception area as well. In any event, we reported that in a 
follow-up interview with this employee, she said that her observations 
pertained to two rooms in an office suite. 

Office with Trash: 

In comment 4, the White House said that the statement "multiple people 
said that ...they observed (1) many offices that were messy, 
disheveled, or contained excessive trash or personal items" was an 
understatement and provided other observations that were made in the 
office space, such as "W" keys glued to the walls and overturned 
furniture. This statement was a part of a summary paragraph of certain 
observations regarding trash and personal items that were left behind; 
other types of observations that the White House mentioned are 
contained elsewhere in the report. 

In comment 12, the White House said that the report's description of 
the seven photographs that were taken of offices in the EEOB on 
January 21, 2001, was incomplete. The description of the photographs 
provided in the letter portion of the report summarized a more 
detailed description of the photographs that is provided in appendix I. 

In comments 13 and 92, the White House said that our list of facility 
request forms in appendix II that document the condition of the 
offices was incomplete. It cited two facility request forms dated 
January 30 and others dated January 25, February 17, and February 21. 
One of the January 30 request forms was already cited in the report, 
and we added the other one. We also added the January 25 request form 
to the report, which requested cleaning services in the same room as 
the February 17 request and was in the report. We did not include the 
February 21 facility request form because it was unclear whether the 
request for carpet cleaning necessarily corroborated reports of pencil 
shavings, paper, and files on the floor, which were made during the 
first days of the administration. The request was made a month after 
the observations were made and we did not know whether cleaning was 
needed as a result of the observations that were made during the first 
days of the administration or some other reason. 

In comment 13, the White House said that, in describing one of the 
January 30 facility request forms, our description of the condition of 
the office where work was requested was incomplete. The White House 
noted that staff also told us about significant damage to furniture in 
that office suite, including a desk drawer with its drawer fronts 
removed, chairs without legs, and a chair with its entire back broken 
off. However, we did not mention those additional observations with 
respect to the facility request form because the form did not 
corroborate them. With respect to furniture, the January 30 request 
form that the White House cited in comment 13 only requested furniture 
cleaning. The additional observations that the White House referred to 
actually pertain to a different office for which another January 30 
facility request was made. However, that January 30 request form also 
did not corroborate observations of broken furniture. With respect to 
furniture, that form only indicated that furniture cleaning was 
requested. 

In comment 90, with regard to the section heading "trash," the White 
House said that we apparently equated a statement in the June 2001 
list that offices were left in a state of general trashing, which is 
not the same as saying that they had trash in them. The White House 
said that we should revise our "trash" section heading to "trashing of 
offices." Although some portion of the observations reported in this 
section could have been "trashing," i.e., vandalism, many of them were 
only observations of trash and personal items left behind. Further, 
although the White House included in the June 2001 list "glass top 
smashed and on the floor" under the category of "offices were left in 
a state of general trashing," we reported observations of broken glass 
desk tops in the section of appendix I regarding furniture. Therefore, 
we did not change the section heading to "Trashing of Offices," but to 
"Trash and Related Observations." 

In comment 91, the White House said that we had made a gross 
understatement by indicating staff had observed offices that were 
messy, dirty, and disheveled. The White House asked that we accurately 
report what we were told, rather than recharacterize it, and provided 
a table providing statements that staff had made regarding "trashed" 
offices. We believe that we already reported a sufficient amount of 
information about these types of observations. First, we reported the 
total number of people who observed offices that were messy, 
disheveled, dirty, or containing trash or personal items left behind 
(a broader category that the White House indicated in its comments) in 
specific rooms or offices, on certain floors, or in locations they 
could not recall. Second, we provided several examples of how offices 
were described. Third, we reported related observations in several 
related categories, such as food left in refrigerators; furniture, 
carpet, or drapes that were dirty; contents of desk drawers or filing 
cabinets dumped on floors; pencil sharpener shavings and paper hole 
punches on the floor, as well as several singular observations. 
Fourth, we reported detailed observations about trash made by the OA 
associate director for facilities management and a White House 
management office employee. Fifth, we described photographs of messy 
offices that the White House provided. As in several other comments, 
the counsel to the president asked that we expand our reporting of 
certain problems by providing selected additional details. However, 
our goal was to be objective and not only provide additional details 
that supported a single perspective. 

In comment 97, the White House said that we improperly redefined the 
observations to simply a discussion of excessive trash, when the 
observations were not limited to such. The White House cited a 
statement contained in the report made by a White House management 
office employee who told us what he observed was probably a 
combination of some trash having been dumped intentionally and an 
accumulation built up over the years. However, the White House said 
that this employee's statement was far more direct and covered more 
than just trash. According to the White House, when we asked this 
employee whether the condition of the offices, which included, among 
other things, filth and trash, was intentional or a result of neglect, 
he responded that it was a combination. 

Our interview record indicated that this employee said that he saw 
trash everywhere, but did not know whether the amount of trash left 
was intentional or was due to a lack of maintenance. He said the 
"filth" that he found was probably an accumulation from over the years 
and that some looked like it had been dumped intentionally. He also 
mentioned that he had found trash in desks and food left behind. We 
believe that these observations were sufficiently reported and that no 
additional information needed to be added. 

In comment 100, the White House said that we failed to report a 
statement made by an employee who also served during the Clinton 
administration who told us that what she observed was way beyond what 
you would expect to see in a large move, that she was surprised and 
embarrassed by the condition of the offices during the inaugural 
weekend, and that she knew that the same offices were in pretty good 
shape during the weeks and month before the transition. We did not add 
the statement that the White House suggested because the report 
already included in appendix II the views of several staff who said 
that more cleaning was required during the 2001 transition than during 
previous ones. 

Telephones: 

The White House said in comments 24, 75, and 79 that we underreported 
the number of telephones observed with missing labels and the number 
of observers. The report contained a different number of missing 
telephone labels observed than the White House indicated for several 
reasons. First, our records of observations differed from the table 
that the White House provided in its comments in some cases. For 
example, the White House included the observations of 3 to 5 missing 
labels by two employees that we did not have in our interview records. 
One of those two employees did not request to be interviewed by us, 
and we have no record of obtaining comments from that individual. Our 
record of interview with the other employee (the telephone service 
director) did not indicate that he observed any labels missing from 
that room. The interview record also indicated that he said the 
telephones with missing labels that he observed were all on the first 
floor of the EEOB; however, the room that the White House cited was on 
another floor. Because we were informed that this individual had 
retired from the EOP since we interviewed him, we were not in a 
position to resolve this. Second, the White House double counted the 
number of telephones with missing labels in a certain office, which 
increased the high end of its total range of missing labels, which we 
did not do. 

Third, when we interviewed the telephone service director, he provided 
some different information during his interview than he did during a 
tour he provided to show us where he observed telephones with missing 
labels. We used the information that he provided during the tour when 
he provided more specific numbers and locations than he had during the 
interview. By contrast, the White House appeared to have counted the 
information that he provided both during the interview and the tour. 

Fourth, in its tally, the White House counted at least two missing 
labels when an individual did not provide a specific number, but said 
"labels" or "some" were missing, which we did not do in our final 
count. The total number of missing telephone labels contained in our 
draft report had included our assignment of one missing label to 
reflect an instance where the specific number observed was not 
provided. However, for consistency in reporting all observations when 
people did not cite the specific number of incidents, we did not 
estimate the number of telephones with missing labels in this instance 
and revised our total count by reducing it by one. We also added a 
footnote explaining that the total range of missing telephone labels 
does not reflect a number that the telephone service director said he 
observed in a room, but did not specify how many. 

In comment 25, the White House said we did not report how many 
telephones were unplugged or piled up or how many offices were 
affected. According to the White House, telephones were piled up or 
unplugged in 25 or more offices in the EEOB. We do not know how the 
White House determined this number. According to our records, many of 
the observations were not precise regarding the locations. In appendix 
I, we reported that staff observed telephones unplugged or piled up on 
two floors of the EEOB and in four specific rooms on those floors, but 
that was the extent to which we could quantify the number of 
locations. Further, our records indicated that although one official 
said that he observed seven or eight telephones piled outside an 
office, the other six employees who said they observed telephones that 
were unplugged or piled up did not indicate how many they saw. 

The White House said in comment 26 that the report failed to mention 
the telephones that were forwarded and reforwarded throughout the 
complex during the transition. The White House said that, according to 
its records, roughly 100 telephones were forwarded to ring at other 
numbers. These observations were not reported in the letter portion of 
the report, but they are discussed in appendix I. As indicated in the 
results section, the observations contained in the letter portion of 
the report were those made in specific locations in the main 
categories, and the employee who said that about 100 telephones had 
been forwarded to ring at different numbers, with one exception, did 
not cite the specific locations of those telephones. 

The White House said in comments 27 and 74 that the report did not 
adequately and correctly disclose information about telephone lines 
that were observed ripped from walls In comment 27, the White House 
said that, if we had reported that the people who made the 
observations did so early in the morning on January 20, the comments 
made by a former Clinton administration employee who said the cords 
were probably torn by moving staff would be less credible because the 
moving staff did not begin work until later in the day. In response to 
the White House's comments, we added additional information to 
appendix I about when EOP staff observed cords pulled out of walls We 
also revised a statement made by a former Clinton administration 
employee who said that (1) the cords were probably pulled from walls 
by moving staff to clarify that the cords she had seen pulled out of 
walls were not observed around the time of the transition, and (2) she 
intended to provide a possible explanation on the basis of a previous 
observation. In comment 74, the White House said that our data on the 
number of cut and pulled cords is not accurate. Our total number of 
observations and observers in this category were substantially the 
same, but reported differently. We reported observations separately of 
telephone lines ripped or pulled from walls; other types of cords 
pulled from walls; damaged plugs; and a telephone cord that appeared 
to have been cut with scissors. In addition, it appeared that the 
White House counted an observation of a ripped cord that was not made 
in a specific location, which we did not count. 

In comment 75, the White House questioned why a footnote contained in 
the draft report reported a range of telephones in a certain office. 
We could not determine the exact number of telephones in that office 
from the documentation that the White House provided. Accordingly, we 
changed the number to reflect an estimate provided by the White House. 
The White House also said that a total of five, not four, staff 
observed missing labels, which we revised in the report. Also in 
comment 75, the White House said that our report did not include an 
observation that telephone labels in one room were replaced "before 
noon" on January 20 and were missing again later that day. We added 
that to the report. 

The White House also said in comment 75 that, in addition to the 
number of missing labels that were reported in specific rooms and 
offices, we should have reported the observations of missing labels by 
the telephone service director, who said that he personally saw more 
than 20 telephones with missing labels; the OA associate director for 
facilities management, who said that there were many instances of 
missing labels on telephones; and another employee who said she was 
the "middleman" between EOP staff and contractors regarding the 
telephones during the first month of the administration and said that 
the majority of telephones in the EEOB and the White House (roughly 85 
percent) had removed labels or contained incorrect numbers. The 
telephone service director's recollections regarding the number of 
telephones he observed with missing labels in specific rooms or 
offices were included in the total number observed by all staff, and 
we did not believe it was necessary to break out the number he 
personally observed missing. Although the OA associate director for 
facilities management did not indicate how many telephones he observed 
with missing labels, his observations were made in two offices where 
others observed specific numbers of missing labels, and the other 
people's observations are reported in the total. Finally, the 
observation of the employee who was the "middleman" between EOP staff 
and contractors regarding the telephones during the first month of the 
administration was already contained in the report. According to the 
White House, this employee said that a majority of labels on 
telephones, or about 85 percent, had been removed "or contained 
incorrect numbers." Our record of this interview indicated that she 
said that about 85 percent of the telephones were missing labels "or 
did not ring at the correct number," so we did not revise the report. 

In comment 76, the White House said that we underreported the number 
of telephones that were forwarded and reforwarded to ring at different 
numbers throughout and between the EEOB and the West Wing, and 
indicated that seven White House staff reported that roughly 100 
telephones were forwarded to ring at other numbers. Further, the White 
House said that it did not know why we treated the observations of the 
employee who coordinated telephones during the first month of the 
administration differently from the other observers. The White House 
also questioned why we did not report that this employee told us that 
the chief of staff's telephone was forwarded to a closet. 

We did not underreport the number of reports of telephones that were 
forwarded and reforwarded. Our count of the number of forwarded 
telephones was substantially the same as what the White House 
indicated in its comments. However, we reported the observations made 
in specific locations separate from the observation made by the 
employee who coordinated telephones during the first month of the 
administration. As explained in our response to comment 26, that 
employee said that about 100 telephones had been forwarded to ring at 
different numbers, and with one exception, she did not cite the 
specific locations of those telephones. Further, according to its 
comments, the White House counted the observation of an employee who 
said that the telephone number did not ring if the number on the 
telephone was dialed. Our record of interview with that employee was 
different and indicated that his telephone had a number for an 
extension that was different from his actual telephone number. We did 
not count that statement as an instance of a forwarded telephone. In 
addition, as indicated in the report, we had included the observation 
made by the employee who coordinated telephones during the first month 
of the administration of a forwarded telephone in a specific location 
among the 100 telephones that she said were forwarded to other 
numbers. With respect to the one specific telephone that she cited, 
our interview records indicated that she told us that the chief of 
staff's telephone had been forwarded, but did not indicate that it was 
forwarded to a closet. 

The White House said in comment 78 that we had dramatically 
understated the number of telephones that were not working by failing 
to report that one EOP employee said that no telephones were working 
on the south side of the EEOB. Our record of the interview indicated 
that she told us that, because many telephones were not working in a 
section of a floor of the EEOB, the switchboard forwarded calls from 
that area to other offices where telephones were working, and that she 
walked from office to office delivering telephone messages; we added 
that to the report to address the White House's comment. However, we 
did not estimate the number of telephones that were not working in 
that part of the building and did not know whether they were not 
working because of an intentional, malicious act. 

In comment 80, the White House said that we failed to provide 
important information regarding the extent of the problem with voice 
mail messages and the consequences of this problem—that no one had 
voice mail service for the first days and weeks of the administration. 
The White House said those facts concerned the reports of obscene 
voice mail messages that were heard by the telephone service director 
and the OA associate director for facility management. The White House 
also said that we should have reported that when these two officials 
began touring offices and checking telephones in the EEOB at 
approximately 1:00 a.m. on January 20, the telephone service director 
listened to about 30 greetings, approximately 10 of which were 
inappropriate. Further, of those 10 inappropriate messages, the 
telephone service director said 5 or 6 were vulgar. In addition, the 
White House noted that the telephone service director said that White 
House telephone operators notified him that there were obscene 
messages on some of the voice mail greetings. The White House said 
that after encountering the high ratio of inappropriate and vulgar 
messages, and because of these messages, a decision was made around 
1:00 a.m. to take the entire system down. Further, the White House 
said that the telephone service director explained that he erased some 
messages around 1:00 a.m. on January 20, and they were rerecorded 
later that day. 

Our interview records indicated the OA associate director for 
facilities management heard an inappropriate voice mail message, but 
he did not tell us about hearing obscene voice mail messages. The 
report had indicated that two EOP employees who helped establish 
telephone service for new staff, including the telephone service 
director, said they heard a total of six to seven obscene voice mail 
messages that were left on telephones in vacated offices. In addition, 
we had reported that the telephone service director said that 
inappropriate and vulgar voice mail messages were initially erased on 
an individual basis, but it was eventually decided to erase all of 
them. Further, we reported that the OA associate director for 
facilities management said that so many complaints were received about 
voice mail that voice mail service was discontinued for a while to 
clear out the system, and that no one had access to voice mail for at 
least 5 days and possibly up to 2 weeks. To provide additional detail 
about when the inappropriate and vulgar voice mail messages were 
heard, in response to the White House's comments, we added that the 
telephone service director said that he heard inappropriate and vulgar 
voice mail messages during the early morning hours of January 20. 

We did not report what the telephone service director said he was told 
by telephone operators about hearing obscene voice mail messages 
because it was information that was relayed to us from a third party. 
Further, according to our record of interview with the chief telephone 
operator, she told us that operators received some calls from staff 
complaining about not getting their voice mail and that their 
telephones were not working correctly, but she did not mention 
complaints about obscene voice mail messages. Finally, regarding the 
messages that the telephone service director said he erased during the 
early morning hours of January 20 and were rerecorded later that day, 
he said that those messages were not inappropriate in nature. Because 
they were not inappropriate in nature and could have been left for 
business reasons, we did not believe that this additional information 
needed to be reported. 

Writing on Walls: 

In comment 105, the White House said that the report's description of 
two observations of pen and pencil marks on walls, but no words, did 
not adequately describe what we were told. The White House noted that 
these were not observations of a stray pen mark, as it said the report 
suggested. Rather, the White House said, one observation was that an 
entire wall in an office was covered in lines that at a distance 
appeared to be cracks. Further, the White House said this observation 
was confirmed by an OA employee who said that she too had heard that 
someone had etched a wall like marble. However, the report already 
indicated, regarding the observation, that the employee who observed 
it said that there were cracks in the paint, but because the marks 
washed off, he thought it looked like someone had used a pencil on a 
wall. Further, because it was information relayed to us from a third 
party, we did not report what someone had told the OA employee about a 
wall etched like marble. Regarding the other observation, the White 
House noted that an employee said that a wall was covered in pen and 
pencil marks, which she described as slasher marks and beyond normal 
wear and tear. According to our interview record, this employee said 
she requested that the walls be repainted in one room because there 
were pen and pencil marks on them, but no words were written. We did 
not believe that these additional details were essential and needed to 
be added to the report. 

Classified and Sensitive Documents: 

The White House said in comment 108 that we failed to include the 
telephone service director's statement that he found classified 
documents in a safe during the night of January 19. We added that 
observation. The White House also noted that it was not surprising 
that the director of records management did not find sensitive 
documents in the counsel's office because the occupants of those 
offices did not depart their offices until after he had checked for 
documents there. However, his statement related to classified, and not 
sensitive, documents. 

Underreporting of Costs: 

The White House said that we had underreported or failed to report the 
costs of various items, including those associated with cleaning, 
telephones, missing items, keyboards, furniture, and other costs. 

Cleaning: 

In comments 30 and 99, the White House said the report omitted the costs
associated with a January 30, 2001, facility request form asking for 
cleaning services. GSA provided two copies of this form, both with the 
same document number. On one copy, cleaning services were requested. 
No costs were provided on that copy of the form, which indicated that 
the services were completed on January 31, 2001. The second copy said 
"making new drapes," and that the work was completed on March 2, 2001, 
at a cost of $2,906. We attributed the $2,906 cost to the making of 
new drapes and not cleaning. During our interviews with staff working 
in this office, no one mentioned observing problems with the drapes in 
this office. 

Also in comment 99, the White House said that we could have, but did 
not, determine how much time and money was spent paying the cleaning 
staff and how much should have reasonably been spent on the basis of 
the amounts spent during past transitions or estimates provided by 
administrative staff. Further, the White House said that we already 
knew that the costs exceeded what was expected because the OA 
associate director for facilities management told us there was "lots 
of money that was spent that shouldn't have to be spent." Our record 
of the interview with the OA associate director for facilities 
management did not indicate that he told us this. He did say that 
during the last couple of years, Clinton administration staff kept 
some rooms in a "much less desirable fashion," and the space did not 
look much different during the transition. He also said more people 
were working the EEOB during the Clinton administration than during 
previous administrations. The director of GSA's White House service 
center similarly said that he did not see any difference in the 
condition of the rooms during the transition than when he saw them 2 
to 3 years before. He said that he did not think the departing Clinton 
administration staff were being intentionally messy on January 20 and 
that they had been like that all of the time. He also said that he 
observed more personal belongings left behind during the 2001 
transition than during the 1989 transition, but that the condition of 
the offices during the 2001 transition was the same as that during the 
1989 transition. Accordingly, we did not estimate or include 
incremental cleaning costs, as the White House suggested. 

Telephones: 

In comments 30 and 81, the White House said that our report was 
inaccurate and incomplete with regard to the cost of replacing removed 
labels and rerouting forwarded telephones. It is unclear why the White 
House said that our report was inaccurate regarding these costs. We 
did not report any aggregate costs for replacing labels or rerouting 
forwarded telephones, but cited hourly rates for telephone service 
work that are the same as those contained in the White House's 
comments. We also cited the cost of removing a telephone from an 
office, which the White House did not dispute. 

With respect to the completeness of cost data, we did not report a 
total cost figure for replacing missing labels or correcting forwarded 
telephones because we did not believe the documentation provided by 
the White House was clear and descriptive enough for us to do so. For 
correcting forwarded telephones, the White House provided one 
telephone service request that said a telephone line did not ring on a 
particular set. However, it did not state the cause of the problem, so 
we did not know whether the cause was forwarding or something else. 

Most of the White House's points in comments 30, 79, and 81 addressed 
the costs associated with replacing missing labels. It said that (1) 
we should estimate how much it would cost to replace the number of 
missing labels reported to us as missing, (2) our statement that 
orders included other services is incorrect and that placing button 
labels on telephones means replacing missing labels beyond a doubt, 
(3) we never discussed the closed orders log with OA's telephone 
services coordinator, and (4) the closed orders log does more than 
mention labels. 

The White House estimated that $6,020 was incurred to replace missing 
labels and correct forwarded telephones, and said that we had ignored 
the information it had provided on this issue. As its basis for the 
$6,020 estimate, the White House cited two blanket work orders and 
related bills for work that included relabeling telephones on January 
20 and 21, 2001. The costs attributed by the White House to replacing 
labels and correcting forwarded telephones for both of these orders 
was $2,490. The White House arrived at its $2,490 estimate for 
relabeling telephones and correcting forwarded numbers, which it 
considered conservative given the number of missing labels and 
forwarded telephones, by assuming that technicians spent 10 percent of 
their time on these two days fixing these two problems. While we do 
not question that labels were missing or that telephones were 
forwarded and that the government incurred costs for replacing missing 
labels or correcting forwarded telephone calls, we have no information 
on the extent to which technicians spent their time fixing these 
problems on January 20 or 21, 2001, nor any basis to develop an 
estimate for this. Furthermore, if technicians replaced the labels 
reported missing under the blanket work orders as the White House 
suggests, then it is unclear why there would also be individual work 
orders to replace those same missing labels. 

The White House's support for the remaining $3,530 (of the $6,020 
estimate) consisted of items shown on the closed orders log for the 
period January 20, 2001, through February 20, 2001; individual service 
requests provided that cite placing labels on telephones; and AT&T 
invoices. We reviewed this information. In fact, we reviewed it 
carefully, and our record of interview indicated that we did discuss 
the closed orders log with the OA telephone services coordinator. We 
did not believe the closed orders log, the individual service 
requests, or invoices that the White House provided had enough 
information for us to definitively conclude that the costs shown were 
solely for replacing missing labels or provided a sufficient basis to 
compute an estimate of those costs. 

With one exception, neither the closed orders log nor the individual 
service requests the White House provided specifically cited replacing 
missing labels that had been removed, and in every case for which we 
have a telephone repair document, another service was cited along with 
placing labels on telephones, including the service requests for the 
one exception referred to above. For example: 

* For one service request cited in the White House's comment letter as 
needing a label placed on a telephone by a technician, the actual 
service request said: "need line 65240 to ring on my phone 66522. On 
66522 add 65240 on button 7 and 8. Need label placed on set by a 
technician." According to the White House, the charge for this service 
was $75.92. 

* Another service request the White House included in its $6,020 
estimate was for, it says, placing labels on sets. The White House 
said the estimated cost of this work order was $151.84 based on being 
billed for 2 hours of work. The corresponding entry for this service 
request on the closed orders log says, "INSTALL (2) 8520 SETS IN RM-
200, NEED LABELS PLACED ON SETS." The White House did not provide the 
individual service order for this repair. 

The one service request cited above as an exception, which was dated 
January 29, 2001, read: "Replace labels on all phones that [sic] 
removed" along with other services in a room for which the White House 
said the bill was $75.92. The corresponding entry in the closed orders 
log for this order was "INSTL NEW# 62926, 65961/REPLACE LABEL." We do 
not have any additional information to explain the difference between 
the individual service request and the log. 

A number of service requests that involved placement of labels also 
involved programming or reprogramming of telephones. For example, the 
White House cited a work order indicating that labels were needed, 
among other things, in several rooms at a cost of $341.64, which read: 
"Disconnect 6-9008 in Room 271 OEOB. Reprogram sets in Rooms 263, 265, 
266, 267, 268, 269 and 271. Need labels placed on each set." The 
requirements portion of the work order indicated "change" and 
"disconnect." Thus, it is unclear from the information provided, 
whether labels were needed because (1) they were missing, (2) there 
was a change in telephone service or functions as a result of the 
reprogramming that could have affected the labels, or (3) both 
conditions existed. It is also unclear to us from the information 
provided by the White House why telephones had to be programmed or 
reprogrammed if the only problem was a missing label and why 4 hours 
of work were required solely to place labels on telephones for each of 
four service requests. In cases where labels were missing, it appears 
that a new label could have been needed in some cases due to changes 
in telephone service or functions desired by new occupants, such as 
adding a new number to a telephone. 

Regarding the White House's statement that placing button labels on a 
set means replacing missing labels, in addition to the above examples, 
we note our discussion with the OA telephone services coordinator 
during which she said that service orders mentioning labels listed on 
the closed orders log do not necessarily mean that telephones were 
missing labels. We did not discuss each entry with her on the closed 
orders log that cited labels because it did not appear necessary at 
the time of our interviews with her, and it was clear that we were 
discussing the closed orders log. An associate counsel to the 
president attended our meetings and raised no objection or concern 
about this issue at the time of the meetings. 

Further, although the OA telephone services coordinator told us that 
she had records from which she could estimate the total number of 
telephones with missing labels and the associated costs to replace 
them, we did not receive this information. While there could have been 
a misunderstanding between us and the telephone services coordinator 
on the meaning of the terms on the closed orders log, we believe she 
clearly understood that we were seeking information about the number 
of missing labels and the associated costs, and because she said she 
would provide this information to us, we saw no need to request 
additional documentation on this issue at that time. 

As a related issue, the White House said in comment 81 that it 
explained to us that there is no separate charge when a system analyst 
performs work, such as reprogramming a telephone, that does not 
require a technician to be dispatched to an office. According to the 
White House, if a technician must go to the office to replace a label, 
there is a minimum charge for each hour or portion of an hour even if 
it is only a few minutes to perform the work. The White House did not 
document this until after we had sent our draft report. While we do 
not question that situations may have existed in which the only 
service provided for which a cost was incurred was to replace a 
missing label, we cannot determine to our satisfaction the extent to 
which these situations occurred from the documentation provided to us. 
Given the examples we cited above in which other services besides 
placing labels on telephones were provided, the extent to which costs 
were incurred just for replacing missing labels is unclear. The extent 
to which new labels would have been needed anyway due to changes 
desired by new office occupants is also unclear. 

Further, given the OA telephone services coordinator's statement about 
the little time needed to replace telephone labels, it is unclear why 
technicians would have spent 4 hours just placing labels on telephones 
in some cases where the service order shows the only other service 
besides placing labels on sets as programming telephones. It is also 
unclear why a generic or blanket service request to replace missing 
labels was not prepared if this was the only service needed. It would 
appear that such an order would have been less costly to the 
government than preparing individual service orders for individual 
telephones or offices given that it only takes a short time to place a 
label on a telephone. 

Given all of the questions we have related to the information the 
White House provided on costs associated with replacing labels, we are 
not making any estimates of such costs. To do so would require 
additional details on the work that was done in response to requests 
for telephone service involving placing labels on telephones. 
Obtaining this information could have required discussions with the 
technicians who performed the work, which could have involved 
additional costs to the government. Given this and the time and effort 
that would be required by us and White House staff, we did not believe 
further exploration by us of the costs involved with replacing labels 
would have been cost beneficial to the taxpayers. 

Finally, we modified our report to reflect the White House's comments 
79 and 81 that the closed orders log does more than mention labels, as 
well as to address comment 30 regarding replacing labels, as we deemed 
appropriate. 

Missing Items: 

In comment 31, the White House objected to our deducting the value of 
one doorknob to reflect the statement of a GSA employee who said that 
a facility request form regarding work in an office where two pairs of 
doorknobs were observed missing was not done to replace a missing 
doorknob, but to perform maintenance on a worn-out part. The White 
House pointed out that the GSA employee's statement is inconsistent 
with the facility request form and the recollections of at least three 
current staff members. We discussed the observations regarding these 
doorknobs in our response to comment 22. Regarding the related cost 
issue, we recognized the GSA employee's statement in this case because 
he said that he was responsible for repairing and replacing building 
fixtures in the EEOB, including doorknobs. The report still included 
the cost of replacing three of the four doorknobs that were observed 
missing in this office, totaling $700. The difference in deducting the 
cost of one doorknob in this case was $100. 

In comment 47, the White House said it was untrue when we reported 
that we did not obtain any information about the possible historic 
value of the seal that was stolen. The White House pointed out that we 
were told in writing that the $350 purchase price would not purchase 
an exact replica of the brass seal that was stolen; that the seal was 
purchased in the mid-1970s, and is no longer available; and that the 
$350 would purchase a plastic-type casting. The statement that was 
included in the report about this historic value was intended to 
convey that we did not obtain a dollar value associated with the 
historic value of the seal; we clarified that statement accordingly. 
In addition, to address the White House's comment, we added the 
additional details provided. 

Keyboards: 

In comment 58, the White House disagreed with our reporting of costs 
associated with replacing damaged keyboards for three reasons. First, 
it said that our estimate of 30 to 64 keyboards that were observed 
missing was incorrect and should be 58 to 70, using a different 
counting methodology. It also said that the numbers only represented 
observations made in specific rooms or offices and do not account for 
the observations of other EOP staff who told us about additional 
damaged keyboards, such as the branch chief for program management and 
strategic planning in the information systems and technology division, 
who said that 150 keyboards had to be replaced. We addressed this 
point in our response to the White House's general comment about the 
number of observations reported and in our response to comments 10 and 
51. We also revised the table in the report to clarify that the range 
of keyboards pertained to observations made in specific rooms or 
offices. The statement by the branch chief for program management and 
strategic planning in the information systems and technology division, 
who said that 150 keyboards had to be replaced, was already included 
in the table and apparently overlooked by the White House. 

Second, the White House noted that we included an estimate that the OA 
associate director for information systems and technology provided in 
February 2002, even though she said that her memory regarding that 
matter was not as good as when we interviewed her in June 2001. 
However, this official's statement in June 2001 that 64 damaged 
keyboards had to be replaced was also included in the table. Because 
we did not know which figure was correct, we included both statements 
made during the two interviews. 

Third, the White House said that it was not accurate to represent that 
the OA associate director for information systems and technology said 
that one-third to one-half of the keyboards may have been replaced 
every 3 or 4 years because of their age. We addressed this point in 
comment 56. 

In comment 69, the White House said that we failed to mention costs 
attributable to damaged furniture and did not attempt to estimate the 
costs of replacing furniture that was discarded because it was beyond 
repair. However, as indicated in the letter portion of the report and 
appendix I, the OA director told us that no record existed indicating 
that furniture was deliberately damaged and that no inventory of 
furniture of the EEOB exists. Further, although in April 2002, an 
associate counsel to the president provided us with photographs of 
four pieces of furniture that she indicated were moved to an EOP 
remote storage facility, no information was provided regarding from 
which offices these pieces had been taken or when or how the damage 
occurred. 

In comment 69, the White House also said that we had failed to 
quantify very real costs incurred, such as in having movers remove 
damaged furniture and return with replacement furniture, having movers 
make overturned furniture upright, and removing the glue-like 
substance from desks. We did not believe it would have been cost-
effective for us to attempt to estimate these costs, and our report 
clearly indicated that we did not attempt to obtain cost information 
related to all observations reported to us. 

Other Costs: 

In comment 32, the White House said that we failed to quantify certain 
additional costs that were incurred as a result of damage, such as the 
time expended by computer staff and contractors to replace damaged 
keyboards; the time spent on removing "W" keys and prank signs affixed 
to the walls; and the time spent to clean up trash and dirt that 
exceeded reasonable amounts or amounts seen in prior transitions. The 
White House said that it would have been possible for us to have 
generated a range of estimates, but that we chose not to, resulting in 
a substantial underreporting of the very real costs associated with 
the damage, vandalism, and pranks that occurred during the transition. 

Although it is possible that we could have estimated some additional 
costs potentially attributable to intentional acts, we did not believe 
it would have been cost-effective for us to have done so. For example, 
we did not believe that our time and resources should have been 
expended on estimating any possible incremental costs to remove "W" 
keys and prank signs that were placed on walls, or that any such 
estimates would likely have been material. Further, we did not have a 
sufficient basis to conclude that all of the damage that the White 
House cited, such as broken furniture and copy machines, was caused by 
intentional acts. Accordingly, we did not provide such costs in our 
report. 

Additional Details and Intentional Acts: 

The White House said additional details should have been reported 
about certain observations, such as those relating to telephones, 
furniture, keyboards, a missing office sign, a copy machine, and 
writing on walls that would have allowed readers to determine whether 
incidents were done intentionally and, in some cases, that they were 
likely done by former Clinton administration staff. 

In comment 28, the White House said that, in many cases, the 
undisputed facts indicated when incidents occurred and who the likely 
perpetrators were and cited several examples. In particular, the White 
House took issue with a statement in the report that we were generally 
unable to determine who was responsible for the incidents that were 
observed, and said we simply failed to determine who was responsible. 
For example, the White House said we did not try to contact the former 
occupants of offices where messages other than those of "goodwill" 
were left. Examples that the White House cited regarding telephone 
labels and furniture are discussed in comments 6 and 15 below. The 
White House also cited examples regarding the placing of glue on 
desks; the leaving of prank, inappropriate, and obscene voice mail 
messages; and the removal of keys from keyboards, which are discussed 
below. 

We agree that the likely perpetrators could be identified from the 
observations and available information with regard to a few of the 
observations that were made. For example, because the telephone 
service director said that a passcode was needed to record voice mail 
greetings, it was fair to conclude that the previous occupants left 
the voice mail greetings that were heard. Moreover, we had concluded 
in the report that the leaving of certain voice mail messages, the 
placing glue on desks, and the removal of keys from keyboards were 
done intentionally. However, the White House is incorrect in asserting 
that we did not try to contact the former occupants of offices where 
messages other than those of goodwill were left. As explained in our 
scope and methodology section, we contacted 72 former Clinton 
administration staff, most of whom had worked in offices where 
observations were made, including numerous staff who worked in offices 
where signs and messages were observed and heard, and not only those 
that were of goodwill. When we contacted them, we described or showed 
lists of the observations that were made in their former offices and 
asked for any comments or explanations. However, former Clinton 
administration staff we contacted did not provide explanations 
regarding every observation, and we did not contact all former Clinton 
administration staff because we did not know where they were and 
because of the level of resources that would have been required. In 
addition, regarding the reports of obscene or vulgar voice mail 
messages that were left, specific information was not provided about 
which telephones those messages were left on, so we could not ask any 
particular former staff about them. Moreover, it is speculative to 
suggest that, had we contacted additional former Clinton 
administration staff, we would have obtained undisputed facts 
regarding when the incidents occurred and the likely perpetrators. 

The White House also said in comment 28 that our report suggested that 
contract movers and cleaners were responsible for vandalism, damage, 
and pranks, which it believed to be an insult to the contract 
personnel. Our report did not state that these contract personnel 
intentionally caused any damage. However, they were among other 
individuals in the complex during the transition besides former 
Clinton administration staff, which made it more difficult to narrow 
down people who were possibly responsible, either intentionally or 
unintentionally, for the problems reported observed. We made a written 
request to the White House for a list of the number of visitors 
cleared into the EEOB during the weekend of January 20 and 21, 2001, 
and their respective organizational affiliations. However, the White 
House declined to provide that information, indicating that it was 
available from the individuals responsible for hiring and supervising 
contractors who may have already provided us with estimates regarding 
the number of contractors. We were provided with information regarding 
a certain number of GSA contractors who were in the complex that 
weekend, but not about other contractor staff, such as those working 
with computers, or any other visitors to the complex. 

In comment 28, the White House cited observations made in the vice 
president's West Wing office, including an oily glue-like substance 
smeared on desks; prank signs that were on walls and interspersed in 
reams of paper in printer trays and copy machines, and vulgar words 
that were on a white board that were all discovered between midnight 
on January 19 and noon on January 20. The White House said that it 
could be reasonably concluded from these observations that the damage 
occurred shortly before the inauguration and that former Clinton 
administration staff were the likely perpetrators because it can be 
presumed that the former office staff did not work under those 
conditions. However, in certain respects, our interview records 
differed from what the White House indicated in its comments regarding 
these observations. Although all three staff told us they observed the 
glue-like substance and prank signs, none of them said they saw vulgar 
words written on a white board. One of the employees said that her 
staff told her that they had seen vulgar words written on a white 
board there, but we did not interview anyone who personally saw that, 
and we did not include information people relayed to us from third 
parties. We would agree that, on the basis of the timing of these 
observations, they were likely carried out shortly before the 
inauguration, but in the absence of witnesses or other evidence we are 
not in a position to conclude who was responsible. 

In comment 35, the White House said that our list of incidents that 
were done intentionally was incomplete and provided several additional 
cases that it said appeared to have been done deliberately by former 
Clinton administration staff. Our conclusion that the leaving of signs 
and written messages was intentional was meant to encompass certain 
observations that the White House cited in comment 38, including a 
Gore bumper sticker stuck to the inside of a copy machine, writing on 
and in desks, and a sticker in a filing cabinet. Further, our 
conclusions were not meant to be comprehensive in the same level of 
detail that the White House indicated, but did include damage to "W" 
keys, in addition to "W" keys removed from keyboards; "W" keys glued 
to walls and placed in drawers; the removal of an office sign that was 
witnessed by an EOP employee; and desk drawers turned over. Finally, 
we could not conclude, as the White House did, that certain incidents, 
such as a lamp placed on a chair and pictures and other objects placed 
in front of doors, were done deliberately by former Clinton 
administration staff. It seemed equally as likely that they could have 
been done as part of the moving out process. Further, the White 
House's statement that most, if not all, printers and fax machines 
were emptied of paper in vacated offices was not contained in our 
interview records, and it was not clear whether that would have been 
done intentionally. Other incidents that the White House listed 
relating to telephone and furniture are discussed below. 

In comments 38 and 68, the White House said that we should report the 
views of many staff who said that, on the basis of their first-hand 
observations, damage appeared to have been done intentionally. In our 
report, we included examples of statements made by some individuals 
who told us they believed the incidents they observed were done 
intentionally and some individuals who told us they did not believe 
what they observed was done intentionally. However, we did not include 
all statements made by all individuals about views on whether 
incidents were done intentionally. In any event, without having 
observed the incidents being carried out, people's views on whether 
incidents were intentional were speculative in many cases. 

Telephones: 

In comment 6, the White House said that it did not understand why the 
report indicated that the documentation provided indicated that much 
telephone service work was done during the transition, but did not 
directly corroborate allegations of vandalism and pranks regarding the 
telephones when several staff members reported observing telephones 
with missing labels. 

However, the documentation provided did not show what caused the 
needed work or that the labels were intentionally removed from offices 
as acts of vandalism. Further, our conclusion is consistent with the 
OA director's April 18, 2001, statement that "...repair records do not 
contain information that would allow someone to determine the cause of 
damage that is being repaired." As noted in the report, some former 
Clinton administration staff said that telephones were missing labels 
during the Clinton administration, primarily because those telephones 
were only used for outgoing calls Although the OA telephone services 
coordinator said she believed that telephone labels were removed 
intentionally, she said the documentation regarding telephone service 
requests that mentioned labels did not necessarily mean that the 
telephones had been missing labels and that new labels might have been 
needed for variety of reasons. In comment 28 and 36, the White House 
noted that, according to the telephone service director, some of the 
missing telephone labels that were replaced before noon on January 20 
were found missing again later that day, which indicated that the 
removal of at least some of the labels was an intentional act, 
occurred before January 20, and that outgoing staff were almost 
certainly responsible. We would agree that, on the basis of the 
telephone service director's observation on January 20, some telephone 
labels were intentionally removed. Although these circumstances may 
suggest that some telephone labels were removed by departing Clinton 
administration staff, in the absence of any witnesses we were not in a 
position to conclude who was responsible. No documentation was 
provided relating specifically to these observations. 

The White House also said in comment 6 that staff noted that 
telephones were left on the floor and that the documentation showed a 
request for a technician to retrieve a telephone found on the floor of 
an office. Although this telephone service request corroborated a 
request to retrieve a telephone in an office where an EOP official 
observed telephones piled on a floor, we did not conclude that this 
corroborated an act of vandalism because the request did not indicate 
why the telephone was left on the floor. 

In comment 36, the White House said that we should report the views of 
many staff who said that, on the basis of their first-hand 
observations, damage appeared to have been done intentionally, 
including the OA telephone services coordinator, who said that missing 
telephone labels must have been intentional. The OA telephone service 
coordinator's comment was included in the report. 

In comment 82, the White House objected to a statement attributed to 
the director of GSA's White House service center, who said that there 
were any number of reasons why problems could have been observed with 
telephone and computer wires besides people having cut them 
deliberately because, for example, the cleaning staff could have hit 
the wires with the vacuum cleaners or computer staff could have been 
working with the wires. According to the White House, this statement 
would be relevant only if the cut and pulled wires were observed after 
the cleaning and computer staff had entered the offices. The White 
House noted that the two employees who reported the cords pulled from 
the walls observed the damage in the early morning hours of January 20 
before any cleaning staff had entered the rooms and before the 
computer staff entered the rooms to archive computer data. However, 
although the cleaning crew for the transition began on January 20 and 
the archiving of data from computers was taking place in the morning 
of January 20, other cleaning and computer work undoubtedly was done 
in offices at some point before January 20. Further, even though the 
staff made these observations on January 20, we did not know when and 
how the wires became separated from the walls. In addition, the 
employee who observed at least 25 cords pulled out of walls, who the 
White House did not mention in this comment, said that she made her 
observation on January 22. In addition, the January 24, 2001, GSA 
facility request that this employee requested did not state that cords 
were separated from the walls; the request was to "organize all loose 
wires and make them not so visible." 

Furniture: 

In comments 15 and 36, the White House objected to a statement 
attributed to former Clinton administration staff who said that some 
furniture was broken before the transition and could have been the 
result of wear and tear, and little money was spent on repairs and 
upkeep during the administration. According to the White House, the 
statement could not be squared with the circumstances surrounding the 
reported damage. It also noted in comment 36 that it would be odd 
behavior for office occupants to have broken chairs through normal 
wear and tear and leave them unrepaired for some time. Further, the 
White House provided examples of additional details regarding 
observations made by EOP staff regarding furniture problems, which it 
said suggested that the damage was intentionally done by former 
Clinton administration staff or was done shortly before the 
inauguration. 

As previously explained, we did not obtain comments from former 
Clinton administration regarding every observation, including all 
furniture-related problems. Therefore, we agree that the above 
statement made by former Clinton administration staff does not 
necessarily apply to all observations of furniture-related problems. 
With respect to the White House's assertion that it is difficult to 
believe that office occupants would not remove certain broken 
furniture, as indicated in the report, the former director of one 
office where EOP staff told us they observed pieces of broken 
furniture said that the office furniture had been in poor shape for 
some time, but the staff tolerated it. The former director added that 
they did not want to send the furniture away to be repaired because it 
was uncertain how long it would take or whether the furniture would be 
returned. We also note that, in August 2001, we observed a desk in the 
EEOB with detached drawer fronts that had not been repaired, and the 
staff in that office said the desk had been in that condition since 
they arrived in January 2001. Further, although the White House said 
in comment 15 that the details regarding certain observations 
suggested that furniture was intentionally damaged by former Clinton 
administration staff or occurred shortly before the inauguration, we 
could not make any definitive conclusions about how the damage 
occurred and who may have been responsible for it on the basis of 
those details or the statements of some EOP staff who said that it 
appeared that certain damage had been caused intentionally. 

In comments 28 and 36, the White House cited several cases in which it 
said the undisputed facts indicated when furniture was damaged and the 
likely perpetrators. Also, in comment 67, the White House said that 
the overwhelming circumstantial evidence indicates when the damage 
occurred, whether it was intentional, and who the likely perpetrators 
were. In comments 15, 28, 36, 60, and 67, the White House described a 
case involving a key that was observed broken off in a file cabinet, 
still hanging in the lock by a metal thread, and when the locksmith 
opened it, a Gore bumper sticker with an anti-Bush statement was 
prominently displayed inside. According to the White House, the 
circumstances in this case suggested that the damage occurred not long 
before the inauguration, was intentional, and was done by a former 
Clinton administration employee. 

Our interview records regarding this incident differed in certain 
respects from what the White House indicated in its comments. Although 
the staff said they saw a broken key in the cabinet and one employee 
said that he found two Gore stickers inside, none of them said they 
observed an anti-Bush statement prominently displayed inside. One of 
the employees said that another person told him he saw a Gore sticker 
with a message that was derogatory about the president written on it. 
We did not report what the other person had told him because it was 
information relayed to us from a third party. Further, when we 
interviewed the person who reportedly observed the anti-Bush statement 
written on a sticker, he told us about seeing two Gore-Lieberman 
stickers inside the cabinet, but he did not mention any writing on 
them. Although we believe that it is likely that political stickers 
were left in a cabinet around the time of the election, it is 
speculative to conclude that the individual who left the sticker 
inside the cabinet was the same person who broke the key off in the 
lock, and that the key was intentionally broken off in the lock. Also 
in comments 28, 36, 60, and 67, the White House cited a similar case 
about locked desk drawers that, when pried open, contained two pieces 
of paper with anti-Bush statements. We had already concluded in the 
report that these written messages were done intentionally. 

The White House also cited cases in comments 28 and 67 that it said 
suggested the damage occurred shortly before the inauguration. In one 
case, the White House cited the statement of an employee who said that 
she saw damaged furniture in offices where things looked pretty good 
weeks or months earlier, which the White House said suggested that 
damage was done shortly before the inauguration weekend. According to 
our interview record with this individual, the only observations that 
she made regarding furniture were of doors on a wall cabinet hanging 
on only one hinge and upholstered furniture that was filthy, which she 
attributed to dirt that had built up over time. Although the cabinet 
doors could have been damaged around the time of the transition, the 
upholstered furniture probably did not become dirty then. In the other 
case, the White House said the nature of damage suggests that it 
occurred shortly before the inauguration because the offices' prior 
occupants and cleaning staff would not have let the damage remain in 
the office for long. For example, the White House said that it would 
be hard to believe that occupants would not fix or remove a bookcase 
with shards of broken glass inside. While we would agree that we would 
not expect shards of glass inside a bookcase to remain for long, we 
did not have any information indicating when the damage occurred, or 
whether it was done accidentally or intentionally. 

In comment 36, the White House said that, with respect to our 
statement that we did not know whether furniture was broken 
intentionally, and when and how it occurred, it was not plausible to 
think the cleaning staff completely broke off the backs and legs of 
multiple chairs within the same office and then left that furniture in 
the offices for the new occupants. We did not suggest that the 
cleaning staff broke furniture. However, we note, as discussed above, 
that some former Clinton administration staff said that certain pieces 
of furniture were already broken prior to the inauguration and had not 
been repaired. 

The White House also said in comments 38 and 67 that the nature of 
some of the damage and the surrounding conditions suggested that it 
was done intentionally and/or was done shortly before the transition 
weekend. For example, the White House cited the observation of an EOP 
employee who said that her desk drawers clearly had been kicked in and 
this damage was not just wear and tear. Our interview record with this 
individual indicated that she observed a desk where the locks on a 
drawer had been damaged and the drawers could not be opened, but did 
not indicate that she said the drawers had been kicked in. 

In another case cited in comments 36 and 67, the White House cited an 
observation of two seat cushions slit in an identical manner on 
apparently new upholstery, indicating that this was not done 
accidentally. Although it is possible that this observation was of 
vandalism, it was unknown when and how it occurred and who may have 
been responsible. No information was available about from which 
offices these chairs were taken (they were observed in a hallway on 
January 21), and we did not observe these chairs ourselves to inspect 
the damage. 

Also in comment 36, the White House said that it was not reasonable to 
conclude that furniture was not overturned unintentionally because 
most of the witnesses observed overturned furniture before the 
cleaning staff or new occupants entered the rooms, and it was not 
plausible to think that cleaning staff would have upended extremely 
heavy furniture in the manner described. Further, the White House 
pointed out that two GSA officials said that cleaning staff would not 
move large pieces of furniture, and none of these things would happen 
in the normal course of moving out of an office. According to our 
interview records with these individuals, one GSA official said that 
while cleaning staff do not normally move furniture to clean offices, 
furniture could be overturned for a variety of reasons, such as to 
reach electrical outlets or computer connections. The other GSA 
official said that he did not see any damage or pranks during the 
transition and did not mention overturned furniture, according to our 
interview record. Although we would agree that furniture would be 
overturned intentionally and that it was unlikely that cleaning staff 
would have upended extremely heavy furniture in the manner described, 
some former Clinton administration staff who occupied the former 
offices where overturned furniture was observed said that it would 
have been difficult or impossible for them to move certain pieces of 
furniture. Moreover, the cleaning staff did not enter these offices 
for the first time on January 20; according to GSA, cleaning is done 
continuously. 

Although we would agree with the White House that it is reasonable to 
conclude that furniture was overturned intentionally, we do not 
believe that a sufficient basis existed to conclude, as the White 
House did in comment 36, that most of the people who observed 
overturned furniture made their observations before the cleaning staff 
or new occupants entered the rooms. According to our interview records 
with the seven staff who observed overturned furniture, none of whom 
were new occupants of those rooms, two said that they made these 
observations in the early morning hours of January 20 before the 
transition cleaning crews arrived; three said that they made those 
observations during the afternoon of January 20; and the other two did 
not tell us the time they observed the overturned furniture. Although 
the descriptions provided by the observers suggested that the offices 
where overturned furniture was observed had not yet been cleaned, we 
do not know when particular offices were cleaned on January 20; the 
time that new occupants entered these offices, or who else may have 
been in these offices on January 19 and 20. The cleaning crew leader 
for the EEOB floor where overturned furniture was observed said that 
the cleaning began at 6:45 a.m. on January 20. 

In comment 60, the White House said that it did not recall anyone 
complaining about missing keys, which would not be considered damage, 
vandalism, or pranks. Rather, the White House said, the observations 
pertained to keys that may have been purposefully broken off in the 
locks or drawers locked intentionally and keys taken or discarded. 
However, an employee told us that, when he started working in the EEOB 
on January 20, his desk drawers were locked with no keys available to 
unlock them and that the movers helped him open the drawers. Other EOP 
staff told us about broken off or damaged keys in cabinets. 

In comment 68, the White House took issue with how we had 
characterized two employees' statements about whether they believed 
the damaged furniture they observed was intentionally damaged. In the 
first instance, the White House said that an employee said that while 
it was possible that legs on a chair were broken through wear and 
tear, she thought it was unlikely that a broken chair would be kept in 
an office in that condition. Our interview record regarding this 
employee indicated she said that the chair legs could have been broken 
because of wear and tear and were not necessarily done intentionally 
in January 2001. In addition, the White House said that we had not 
included additional statements made by EOP staff who said that the 
damage, previously discussed in this section, appeared intentional. 
The White House said an employee told us that her desk drawers were 
clearly damaged intentionally, and not just by wear and tear, and 
another employee said that the a broken key in the file cabinet looked 
deliberate. In the first example, according to our interview record, 
this employee did not say how the desk drawers were damaged. In the 
second example, the employee said the key looked like it had been 
broken intentionally, but he did not know if it was. 

We also note that other people, whom the White House did not cite, 
said they did not believe that broken furniture was intentionally 
damaged. For example, the management office director told us that 
during the first 2 weeks of the Bush administration, she saw a 
building (the EEOB) filled with furniture that had exceeded its useful 
life and that a lot of furniture had to be taken out of offices. She 
said the problems with furniture that she saw, such as broken pieces, 
were the result of wear and tear and neglect, and not the result of 
something that she thought was intentional. 

Keyboards: 

In comment 28, the White House said that it is unlikely that Clinton 
administration staff worked for long without having "W" keys on their 
keyboards, which suggested that the vandalism occurred shortly before 
the inauguration. We agree. 

Missing Office Sign: 

In comments 42 and 48, the White House said that we failed to report 
sufficient detail about an EOP employee who observed a volunteer 
remove an office sign from a wall in the EEOB. According to the White 
House, when we reported that an employee said she saw a volunteer 
remove an office sign outside an office, that the person who removed 
the sign said that he planned to take a photograph with it, and that 
the volunteer tried to put the sign back on the wall, it implied that 
the person intended all along to put the sign back. The White House 
believes that only when the volunteer was confronted by the EOP 
employee, did he claim that he planned to take a photograph with it, 
that he tried to put the sign back, and ultimately did not take it. 
Further, the White House said that the employee did not believe that 
the volunteer intended all along to return the sign as our statement 
suggested. 

However, our record of interview did not indicate that this employee 
told us what she believed the volunteer intended to do with the sign. 
We also did not know whether this individual planned to take the 
office sign. We were not provided with the volunteer's name and thus 
were unable to contact him. Further, we did not speculate, as the 
White House did, about whether it was only after having been 
confronted by an employee that he claimed that he wanted to take a 
photograph with the sign and tried to put it back on the wall. 

In comment 48, the White House also said that we failed to mention 
that an EOP employee said that a former Clinton administration 
employee told her that he saw that the office sign was missing at some 
point during the night of January 19. We did not report this statement 
because it was information relayed to us from a third party. Further, 
when we interviewed this former Clinton administration employee, he 
did not say that he observed a sign missing from outside this office. 

Copy Machine: 

In comments 68 and 87, the White House said that we had failed to 
report a statement made by an employee who said that the repairman who 
fixed the copy machine found a pornographic or inappropriate message 
when he pulled out the copier's paper drawer, and that the repairman 
thought the paper drawers had been intentionally realigned so that the 
paper supply would jam. We did not include the repairman's statement 
because it was information relayed to us from a third party. 

Writing on Walls: 

The White House said in comment 105 that graffiti observed in a men's 
restroom was vulgar, in addition to being derogatory to the president, 
which was plainly intentional. Given its content, the White House said 
that we could conclude that it was written shortly before the 
transition. We agree. Similarly, the White House said that writing 
observed on an office wall that said something like "Republicans, 
don't get comfortable, we'll be back," while not profane in nature, 
also would indicate that it was written shortly before the transition 
and by a former Clinton administration employee. We agree. As 
previously mentioned, the report already concluded that written 
messages were done intentionally. 

Statements Made by Former Clinton Administration Staff: 

In comments 4 and 11, the White House also said that if the report 
included a statement by former Clinton administration staff that the 
amount of trash was "what could be expected," it should also include 
the statements of longtime staff members who said the opposite. This 
statement was also part of a summary paragraph, and additional 
comments regarding trash that was observed and comments made by other 
staff with different views were provided in appendix I. 

In comment 5, the White House said that, when we reported that some 
former Clinton administration staff said that some of the observations 
were false, it was disappointed that they would make such a reckless 
statement. 

According to the White House, the statement is neither based on nor 
supported by a single shred of evidence. Further, the White House said 
that such self-serving accusations like this illustrate why it was 
important for us to provide the reader with many of the details that 
we had omitted. For example, the White House said, if the reader is 
told that a particular observation was made by a staff member who 
worked in the complex for many years, including the Clinton 
administration, or that the damage was found in a location where 
others observed a lot of other damage, then the reader can determine 
for himself the credibility of the observation. 

The statement referenced above was included in part of a summary 
paragraph, and many additional details regarding the observations are 
provided throughout the report. Further, we did not make judgments 
about the credibility of the observations when current and former EOP 
staff had different explanations and recollections. Regarding the 
White House's request that we indicate when observations were made by 
EOP staff who had worked in the White House complex for many years 
because it would help the reader determine the credibility of the 
observation, we did not do this because we generally did not have a 
basis to conclude that EOP staff we interviewed who had worked in the 
White House complex for many years were more credible than staff who 
arrived with the Bush administration. On the one hand, one would not 
necessarily expect Bush administration staff to have positive views of 
the Clinton administration. On the other hand, EOP staff could have 
strong views on various administrations. Many of them work at the 
pleasure of the president, and the associate counsel to the president 
participated in all of the interviews with EOP staff. We did not 
speculate about what influence these factors may have had on the 
people we interviewed. For example, one individual we interviewed who 
had worked for the EOP under several administrations expressed 
considerable disagreement during our interview with the Clinton 
administration's handling of a matter related to his area of 
responsibility. Although we do not know the extent to which, if any, 
the individual's views regarding the Clinton administration influenced 
his conveyance of observations to us, we reported his observations in 
the same manner as those of incoming Bush administration staff we 
interviewed. 

In comment 49, the White House questioned a comment made by the former 
director of an office where two pairs of doorknobs were observed 
missing, that the office had several doors to the hallway that at some 
time had been made inoperable, and he was not sure whether the 
interior sides of those doors had doorknobs. According to the White 
House, even if it were true that the doorknob in the interior side of 
the door was missing, that fact would not explain the observation that 
the door was missing both an interior and exterior doorknob. We only 
reported what the former director told us and were not suggesting that 
his comment fully explained the observation. 

In comment 70, the White House noted that, regarding the statement by 
the former manager of an office where at least six pieces of furniture 
were observed, he provided comments on only two broken chairs (that 
the arms had become detached a year or two before the transition, that 
carpenters tried to glue them back, but the glue did not hold). 
According to the White House, the additional reports of damaged 
furniture as well as other damage found in the office suite undermine 
the former manager's innocent explanation for the two chairs. In 
addition, the White House said that because we were unwilling to 
specify the locations where damage was found and have not reported 
more details, readers are unable to assess for themselves the 
credibility of the former manager's explanation. 

The former manager's explanation regarding these two chairs appeared 
to be plausible because, as we reported, we found two GSA facility 
requests made by him in 1999 requesting that chairs in that office be 
repaired. We only reported the comments and explanations that former 
Clinton administration staff provided on observations made in their 
respective offices, and did not note, for example, that this former 
office manager did not comment on the other pieces of broken 
furniture. Similarly, throughout the report, when we cited an 
observation made by an EOP employee, we did not point out what that 
person did not see, even in cases where other people made additional 
observations in that same location. Further, our record of this 
interview indicates that the employee who observed the other pieces of 
broken furniture told us she saw four chairs that had been placed in 
the hall and that she believed the damage could have occurred due to 
normal wear and tear and that the chairs were not necessarily broken 
in January 2001. 

In comment 71, the White House questioned the comments of three former 
staff who had worked in an office where staff told us they found glue 
or a sticky substance on desks that they were not aware of glue being 
left on desks. One of those former employees also said that her desk 
was missing handles when she started working at that desk in 1998, and 
it was still missing them at them at the end of the administration. 
The White House said that these statements are inconsistent with the 
statement of an employee who said that a handle was found inside the 
desk with more of the oily-glue-like substance on top of it. The White 
House also said that the reader is unable to evaluate the credibility 
of the comments made by the former staff because the report does not 
say where these desks were located and that various other damage and 
pranks were found in the same location. 

We do not believe the additional details that the White House cited 
about these observations, which we did not report, would have allowed 
readers to more fully evaluate the credibility of the statements made 
by the former Clinton administration staff. For one reason, incidents 
could have taken place in this location after the former Clinton 
administration staff we interviewed had left, which they said was 
between midnight on January 19 and 4:30 a.m. on January 20. Our record 
of the interview with the employee whom the White House indicated 
observed a desk handle inside a desk with more of the glue-like 
substance on top of it did not contain the level of detail that the 
White House provided in its comments. Our interview record indicated 
that she observed a desk drawer that had a handle removed and glue 
that was placed on the bottom of a drawer. Further, as indicated in 
our discussion regarding comment 28, although all three staff told us 
they observed the glue-like substance and prank signs in this area, 
none of them said they saw vulgar words written on a white board. One 
of the employees said that her staff told her that they had seen 
vulgar words written on a white board there, but we did not interview 
anyone who personally saw that, and we did not report information 
relayed to us from a third party. 

In comment 73, the White House said that if we included detailed 
comments made by former Clinton administration staff about overturned 
furniture, we should explain that two of the individuals who observed 
the overturned furniture have worked in the White House complex for 30 
and 32 years, respectively, and that they both observed overturned 
furniture between approximately 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on January 20. 
Likewise, the White House noted, the director of GSA's White House 
service center, who served during the Clinton administration, reported 
seeing overturned furniture. In addition, the White House said that we 
should report that two other staff said they observed overturned 
furniture at approximately 12:15 p.m. on January 20. 

To address the White House's comment 73 and 36, we added a range of 
time during which these officials said they observed overturned 
furniture. However, we did not add, as the White House suggested, that 
two of the people who observed overturned furniture had worked in the 
White House for more than 30 years because, except in appendix II, 
when we discussed observations regarding past transitions, we did not 
report how long other people who made observations had worked in the 
White House complex. 

In comment 77, the White House said that we did not report the number 
of offices in which telephones were observed unplugged or piled up. In 
addition, the White House said we did not report that the telephone 
service director was one of the staff who observed telephones that 
were unplugged or piled up. According to the White House, his 
observation is particularly noteworthy because he had more than 30 
years of experience managing telephone services in the White House 
complex. Further, the White House said that because the telephone 
service director observed the unplugged telephones on January 19 and 
during the early morning of January 20, it is clear that the 
telephones were not unplugged by the telephone service personnel or by 
the cleaning staff, who had not yet entered these rooms. Moreover, the 
White House said that this information is particularly important 
because of comments provided by former Clinton administration staff 
who worked in offices where telephones were observed unplugged or 
piled up. (One of those former staff said that no one in that office 
unplugged them, and another employee said that there were extra 
telephones in that office that did not work and had never been 
discarded.) The White House said that because we had not mentioned 
that there were observations of unplugged and piled telephones in 25 
or more offices, the reader does not know that the comments of the 
former Clinton administration staff, even if true, explain what 
happened in only 2 of 25 or more offices. Thus, according to the White 
House, the reader has no basis for placing the comments of the former 
staff in context, nor for understanding that the former staff 
apparently have no explanation for the remaining observations. 

We addressed the issue regarding the number of offices in which 
telephones were observed unplugged or piled up in our response to 
comment 25 in the section of this appendix pertaining to reporting the 
number of observations. Regarding the White House's comment about the 
noteworthiness of the telephone service director's observations, we 
added to the report that he was one of the staff who made these 
observations. However, we do not agree that because he made these 
observations on January 19 and the early morning of January 20, it is 
clear that the telephones were not unplugged by telephone services 
personnel or by cleaning staff who had not yet entered these rooms. 
Although the cleaning crew for the transition started on January 20, 
according to GSA, cleaning in these offices is continuous. Further, we 
did not have information regarding when telephone service or other 
personnel had been in these offices before the transition. Regarding 
the White House's assertion that we had deprived readers of 
information that would place the comments of former Clinton 
administration staff in context, or help readers understand that the 
former staff apparently had no explanation for the remaining 
observations, as previously noted, we did not obtain comments from 
former Clinton administration staff regarding every observation. 
Moreover, the fact that certain former Clinton administration staff 
had no explanations for certain observations does not necessarily mean 
that they were responsible. 

In comment 83, the White House said that we should have reported 
additional statements made by EOP staff that would counter a statement 
made by the former senior advisor for presidential transition who said 
that it would have been technically possible to erase voice mail 
greetings for most departing staff without also deleting greetings for 
staff who did not leave at the end of the administration. The White 
House said that, to present a fair and balanced report, we should have 
explained that two OA staff, who served during the Clinton 
administration, disagree with the former senior advisor's statement. 
According to the White House, they included the OA associate director 
for facilities management, who worked closely with the former senior 
advisor and told us that a proposal to delete all voice mail greetings 
at the end of the Clinton administration was discussed, but they 
decided not to do it because it would have erased the greetings of all 
staff, including the 1,700 staff who were not vacating the building. 
In addition, the White House noted that the OA associate director for 
facilities management said that it was his decision not to proceed 
with the proposal, although the former Office of Management and 
Administration staff, including the former senior advisor, were aware 
of the decision. Further, the White House said, the OA telephone 
services coordinator told us that, until November 2001, the EOP's 
telephone system did not have the capability to erase voice mails all 
at once. According to the White House, she explained that it was not 
until November 2001 that the EOP had purchased the software and had 
performed upgrades to the switch that were necessary to allow voice 
mails to be deleted on other than a manual basis. 

We believe that we provided a sufficient amount of information to 
reflect the views on this issue that differed with the former senior 
advisor's statement. Indeed, many of the details that the White House 
provided in its comments were already reported. In addition to 
reporting statements made by the telephone service director about 
erasing voice mail, we reported that the OA associate director for 
facilities management said that he made the decision not to erase all 
voice mail messages and greetings at the end of the administration 
because doing so would have deleted voice mail for all EOP staff, 
including staff who did not leave at the end of the administration, 
and not just for the departing staff. We also reported that the OA 
telephone services coordinator said that voice mail greetings and 
messages were not removed on a systemwide basis at the end of the 
Clinton administration because the EOP had not yet done an equipment 
upgrade, which was done later. Further, we footnoted the senior 
advisor's statement to indicate that contrary views on this matter 
were provided earlier in the report. 

In comment 84, the White House questioned a comment made by the former 
senior advisor for presidential transition who said that regarding 
reports of telephones that had been forwarded, some telephones were 
forwarded to other numbers for business purposes at the end of the 
Clinton administration. He said that some of the remaining staff 
forwarded their calls to locations where they could be reached when no 
one was available to handle their calls at their former offices. The 
White House said that this explanation may sound plausible until one 
learns how and where the telephones were forwarded and cited, for 
example, that the chief of staff's telephone was forwarded to a 
closet. Further, the White House said that, because we have not 
provided details such as this, the reader does not have the facts to 
judge the credibility of the statements made by former Clinton 
administration staff. As noted in our discussion regarding comments 26 
and 76, our interview record with the employee who told us that the 
chief of staff's telephone had been forwarded did not indicate that we 
were told the telephone was forwarded to a closet. Even if our 
interview did indicate this, because we did not obtain a comment from 
former Clinton administration staff on every observation, the former 
senior advisor's statement did not necessarily address all instances 
of forwarded calls. 

In comment 93, the White House said that, although we reported that 
the OA director said that the offices were in pretty good shape by the 
evening of January 22, we had failed to include other people's 
observations on how long it took to get the offices in shape and 
provided five examples. However, two of the five additional statements 
related to telephone service, not trash, and the report had included a 
statement by the OA associate director for facilities management 
regarding how long it took to complete the cleaning. We believed that 
reporting his statement was sufficient. 

In comment 98, the White House said that we should have included more 
statements by EOP staff who said they believed that offices were 
intentionally or deliberately trashed because we had reported that 
none of the 67 former Clinton administration staff we interviewed who 
worked in the White House complex at the end of the administration 
said that trash was left intentionally as a prank or act of vandalism. 
The White House said, for example, that we should have reported an 
observation by a National Security Council (NSC) employee who said the 
NSC office was deliberately made to look like someone was 
communicating a message; the OA director, who said that it looked like 
there were a large number of people who deliberately trashed the 
place; and the chief of staff to the president, who said the 
conditions he observed were more than wear and tear. The White House 
said that if we had included these statements, it is more likely that 
the conclusion that these people reached--that what they observed was 
intentional—is correct. We had already reported the views of the OA 
associate director for facilities management and a management office 
employee who said they observed some trash that appeared to have been 
left intentionally, as well as the observations of other EOP staff who 
used words such as "extremely filthy" or "trashed out" to describe the 
conditions they had observed, and that office space contained a 
"malodorous stench" or looked liked there had been a party. We had 
also reported observations such as the contents of desk drawers or 
filing cabinets having been dumped on floors, which were likely to 
have been done intentionally, but we did not know by whom. However, to 
address the White House's comments, we added the statements of two 
other staff cited in its comments. 

In comments 101 and 103, the White House said that we should have 
reported how many cleaning staff were on duty and the number of hours 
they worked. According to the White House, without that information, 
the reader has no basis for evaluating (1) comments made by a former 
Clinton administration employee who worked in an administrative office 
who said that she did not observe much cleaning of offices before 
January 20, and that she believed GSA did not have enough supervisors 
and decision makers to oversee the cleaning; and (2) a statement 
contained in a letter to us from the former senior advisor for 
presidential transition and the former deputy assistant to the 
president for management and administration who said they did not 
observe any cleaning crews during the evening of January 19 or the 
morning of January 20. However, we did report the number of GSA and 
contract staff who cleaned the EEOB during the weekend of January 20 
and 21, 2001; when the cleaning began on January 20; the observations 
of the crew leaders; and the number of hours that the cleaning crew 
leaders worked on January 20. We believe that this was a sufficient 
amount of information to report about the cleaning effort. We also 
reported that, according to the OA associate director for facilities 
management, maybe 20 offices were vacant before January 20, and that 
it took 3 or 4 days after January 20 to complete the cleaning. We 
attempted to evaluate how many former Clinton administration staff 
left on January 19 and 20, 2001, which would have helped to determine 
when the cleaning could have begun. We were provided data indicating 
when building passes were terminated for EOP staff at the end of the 
administration, but the White House also informed us that the data 
were unreliable. We asked the White House to arrange a meeting with an 
appropriate official to discuss the pass data, but this was not done. 

In comment 102, the White House questioned why we included a comment 
made by the former administrative head of an office who said that he 
asked 25 professional staff to help clean the office before he left. 
The White House said this comment was irrelevant because no one 
alleged that this particular office was left dirty, and that we had 
misled the reader by including it in the report because we did not 
explain that it does not rebut or relate to any observation. In 
contacting former Clinton administration staff, we not only sought any 
explanations they had regarding the observations, but also asked for 
their observations regarding the condition of the White House complex 
during the transition. In this case, although it did not rebut a 
specific observation about his former office, the former official 
explained the condition of his office at the end of the 
administration. (He also said that the EEOB and the West Wing were 
"filthy" at the end of the administration, but that he did not believe 
that trash was left as an act of vandalism.) However, for the purposes 
of clarification, we added to the report that no one told us that this 
office was dirty. 

In comment 104, the White House said that a statement by a former 
office manager in which an EOP employee said it appeared that a pencil 
sharpener was thrown against the wall and that pencil shavings were on 
the floor did not rebut this observation. The former office manager 
said that a pencil sharpener in that office did not work and may have 
been placed on the floor with other items to be removed. The White 
House noted that an employee told us that two pencil sharpeners were 
found broken and on the floor with shavings. In addition, the White 
House noted, with respect to one of the two pencil sharpeners, there 
was a distinct mark on the wall where the pencil sharpener had struck. 
We recognize that the former manager's comments did not address both 
pencil sharpeners and the mark on the wall, but they could explain why 
a pencil sharpener was found on the floor. We only reported what he 
told us in response to the observation. 

In comment 109, the White House noted that the content of the message 
written inside a desk that was dated January 1993 was neither profane 
nor disparaging of the incoming president or his administration. The 
report did not indicate that it was, and we did not describe the 
specific content of similar messages that were found during the 2001 
transition, so we did not revise the report. 

In comment 117, the White House said that the descriptions provided by 
former Clinton administration staff regarding the condition of the 
White House office space during the 1993 transition in the report 
contain more detail than the descriptions provided regarding the 2001 
transition. We do not believe that the descriptions provided regarding 
the 1993 transition are more detailed than were provided regarding the 
2001 transition. Further, in addressing comment 98, we added the 
statements of two additional staff who had provided detailed 
descriptions of the condition of the office space during the 2001 
transition. 

Past Transitions: 

In comments 33 and 110, the White House said we failed to report the 
statements of several staff members who said that the damage was worse 
in 2001 than during previous transitions. Comment 33 pertained to the 
letter portion of the report, where we summarized the information 
provided in appendix H. To address the White House's comments, we 
added in appendix II the statement of another official who said that 
the condition of the White House complex was worse in 2001 than 
previous transitions. We also note that our records of many of those 
interviews, as well as the quotes the White House provided in its 
comments, do not necessarily indicate that they were referring to 
damage observed, but to trash. 

The White House also said in comment 118 that, while pranks and damage 
may have been observed in prior administrations, the reported 
observations are not the same in number or kind as those observed 
during the 2001 transition, and we failed to mention this in the 
report, which hampers the reader from drawing his or her own 
conclusion. In addition, the White House also said that we seem to 
overstate the extent of damage reported during previous transitions 
and did not quantify the number of incidents observed. However, we 
clearly indicated that only a limited number of people were available 
to comment on previous transitions. Further, we lacked definitive data 
that would allow us to compare the extent of damage, vandalism, and 
pranks during the 2001 transition to past ones, such as records of 
office inspections. Moreover, although fewer in number, many of the 
observations that were made regarding previous transitions were of the 
same kind that were observed during the 2001 transition, such as 
missing office signs and doorknobs, a message written inside a desk, 
prank signs and messages, piles of furniture and equipment, and 
excessive trash. In addition, observations regarding the 1993 
transition included messages carved into desks, which were not 
observed during the 2001 transition. One significant difference 
between the 2001 and earlier transitions is that no one reported 
observing keyboards with missing or damaged keys during previous 
transitions. 

In comment 33, the White House said that, when we reported that piles 
of equipment were observed (by only one person), we failed to explain 
that the telephone service director said that he never encountered any 
problems with the telephones during the 1993 transition, that perhaps 
some telephones were unplugged, but "that would be it." According to 
our interview record, this official also said that every transition 
has some pranks and said that unplugging telephones is a "standard 
prank." Further, in comment 115, the White House attributed 
observations of piles of telephones during the 1993 transition to a 
statement made by the telephone service director who said that he was 
instructed to get rid of the "Republican phone system," which the 
White House said apparently resulted in the replacement of all 
telephones. However, our scope of work did not include reviewing the 
installation of a new telephone system in the White House complex 
around the time of the 1993 transition to determine if it could relate 
to the piles of telephones that were observed at that time. 

Also in comment 33, the White House said, with respect to a statement 
in the draft report that observations regarding previous transitions 
included missing building fixtures such as office signs and doorknobs, 
that no other building fixtures besides office signs and doorknobs 
were observed. Accordingly, we revised the report to indicate that 
office signs and doorknobs were the only building fixtures reported 
being observed missing during previous transitions. 

The White House also said, regarding a statement that messages were 
carved into desks, that it is aware of only one observation of a 
message written inside a desk, which the White House noted, for some 
reason, we repeated in the sentence in the report that followed. 
Further, the White House said, there were only three observations of 
carvings in desks used by staff who served only during the Clinton 
administration. The observations of three messages carved into desks 
were made by former Clinton administration staff, as reported in 
appendix II. The discussion regarding previous transitions contained 
in the letter portion of the report combined the observations by 
current EOP staff and former Clinton administration staff. We 
mentioned the writing that was seen inside of a desk because we 
observed it, and it contained a date indicating when it was written. 
Further, we do not understand why the White House noted that there 
were only three observations of carvings in desks by people who served 
"only" during the Clinton administration. Many of the observations 
that were reported regarding the 2001 transition were by staff who 
served only during the Bush administration. 

In comment 111, the White House said that we failed to mention that 
the director of GSA's White House service center had observed only two 
transitions (1989 and 2001), and that he only heard that doorknobs 
were missing during the 1989 transition, but did not observe them 
himself. Accordingly, we deleted his statement that doorknobs are 
favorite souvenirs of departing staff. 

Also in comment 111, the White House said that the telephone service 
director did not say that office signs were missing in previous 
transitions, but only during one prior transition. According to the 
White House, he said that when the Carter administration left office, 
door signs were missing and cords were unplugged. According to our 
interview record, this official told us that, during previous 
transitions, telephone cords were unplugged and some door signs were 
missing. He told us that some problems were found when Carter 
administration staff left, although he could not recall any specific 
examples. 

In comment 112, the White House noted that the director of GSA's White 
House service center said that he observed little in the way of 
damage, vandalism, or pranks during the 2001 transition, so when he 
said the condition of the office space during the 2001 transition was 
the same as what he observed during the 1989 transition, this means 
that he claims not to have observed much in either transition. For the 
purposes of clarification, we added that he said that he observed 
little during the 2001 transition in terms of damage, vandalism, or 
pranks. 

In comment 113, the White House said that what the GSA acting 
administrator said in his March 2, 2001, letter may be misleading 
because he referred only to real property and not to the telephones, 
computers, furniture, office signs, etc., that were the focus of the 
damage, vandalism, and pranks that occurred during the 2001 
transition. Some of the observations made by EOP staff, such as holes 
in walls and missing paint on walls, did relate to real property. To 
address the White House's comment, we added a definition of real 
property. 

In comment 116, the White House noted that we included a statement by 
a former Clinton administration employee who said that the damage that 
was observed in the 1993 transition was intentional, but did not 
include similar statements made by EOP staff about the 2001 
transition. As noted in our discussion regarding comment 68, we 
included the statements of some individuals who told us they believed 
the incidents they observed were done intentionally and some 
individuals who told us they did not believe what they observed was 
done intentionally. However, we did not include all statements made by 
all individuals about views on whether things were done intentionally. 
In any event, without having observed the incidents being carried out, 
people's views on whether incidents were intentional or not were 
speculative. 

In comment 118, the White House objected to a statement in the report 
that, according to the March 1981 issue of the Washingtonian magazine, 
incoming Reagan administration staff had some complaints about the 
condition of the EEOB that were similar to observations made by EOP 
staff in 2001. The White House said that the allegations are "hardly" 
similar to what was found in the 2001 transition and, by analogizing 
the circumstances, we trivialized what was observed in 2001. Although 
the Washingtonian certainly did not cite as many observations 
regarding the 1981 transition, the types of observations were indeed 
similar, such as memoranda taped to walls, pieces of damaged and dirty 
furniture, and a dirty refrigerator. Further, according to the 
Washingtonian, a visitor to the EEOB in 1981 described the building as 
being "trashed," which is the same word used by some EOP staff to 
describe its condition during the 2001 transition. 

Other: 

In comment 2, the White House said that we misidentified the units 
that comprise the EOP and incorrectly referred to EOP units as 
agencies. We addressed this comment in the White House's general 
comment regarding use of the term "EOP." 

In comment 21, the White House said that the report should have 
identified the name of the office where the cellular telephones could 
not be located and that the report suggested that we had interviewed 
all of the former employees of the Office of the Vice President, which 
it said was not true. We did not identify the names of offices in the 
report unless they were relevant to the observation or comment. We had 
no reason to identify the name of this office, nor did the White House 
explain why we should have. Also in comment 21, the White House said 
the report suggested that we had interviewed all former employees of 
the office of the vice president, and that all former staff from that 
office said they did not take them, which is not true. Accordingly, we 
clarified the report to indicate that the former occupants of offices 
during the Clinton administration whom "we interviewed" where items 
were observed missing said that they did not take them. 

In comment 34, the White House said that it had repeatedly told us 
that some current EOP staff who also worked during the Clinton 
administration believe that check-out procedures were often not 
followed at the end of the administration, and that building passes in 
particular were not turned in. However, as indicated in appendix DT, 
we did not review whether these check-out procedures were followed 
because it was not within the scope of our review. Further, this 
information was provided to us orally by an associate counsel to the 
president, not directly by any EOP staff with responsibilities in this 
area. Moreover, we referred to a check-out procedure in appendix III 
as a means of indicating that it did not include an office inspection. 

In comment 39, the White House disagreed with the statement that, in 
the overwhelming majority of cases, one person said that he or she 
observed an incident in a particular location. According to the White 
House, in many, if not most, cases, more than one person reported the 
same incident in the same location. We concluded from a careful review 
of all of the observations that, although generally more than one 
person observed the same types of incidents, in the overwhelming 
majority of cases, only one person said that he or she observed an 
incident in a particular location. 

In comment 40, the White House disagreed with a statement in the 
report that, in some cases, people said that they observed damage, 
vandalism, and pranks in the same areas where others said they 
observed none. The White House said that, without a specific 
description of the instances where one current staff member recalled 
seeing something and another expressly disavowed seeing the same 
thing, it was impossible to know whether the apparent conflict in 
testimony could be reconciled or whether our statement is factually 
accurate. The White House also said that the vague statement provided 
no indication of how many conflicts existed or what types of incidents 
were involved. Further, the White House cited two examples that it 
said we had indicated the sentence referred to, and said the 
observations and circumstances indicated in those examples were not 
instances of a direct conflict where one person said he or she 
observed damage in a location where others observed none. 

In the examples the White House said we had referred to, the White 
House excluded the statements made by former Clinton administration 
staff and a National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) 
official who were working in the EEOB in the late morning of January 
20. In those comments, people said they did not observe damage, 
vandalism, and pranks in the late morning of January 20 in the same 
rooms where others said they had observed them later that afternoon. 
For example, two former occupants of an office where furniture was 
observed overturned in the afternoon of January 20 said they left 
between 10:00 a.m. 11:55 a.m. that day and did not observe any 
overturned furniture. In another situation, the former senior advisor 
for presidential transition said that when he was in a certain office 
after 11:00 a.m. on January 20, he did not see a broken glass top 
smashed on a floor or files dumped on a floor, which were observed 
there during the afternoon of January 20. Further, as noted in the 
report, a NARA official said that, although she did not remember the 
specific rooms she went to during the morning of January 20, she went 
to various offices in the EEOB with the former senior advisor for 
presidential transition around 11:00 a.m. that day and did not see any 
evidence of damage, vandalism, or pranks. In reporting the comments of 
former Clinton administration staff regarding these situations, we 
clarified when the EOP staff made the observations. 

In comment 94, the White House said that we did not accurately quote 
what the OA associate director for facilities management told us about 
cleaning. We had reported that he said that "about 20" offices were 
vacant before January 20 and that it took 3 or 4 days after January 20 
to complete the cleaning. However, the White House said that this 
official actually said that there was "some list of offices that could 
have been cleaned before the 20th," and that the list was given to the 
director of GSA's White House service center, and that there were "not 
a lot of offices on the list"—"maybe 20." Although we were not 
directly quoting this official when we reported that he said "about 
20" offices were on the list, our interview record agreed with the 
White House's comments that he said there were "not a lot" of offices 
on the list and that "maybe 20" were on it, and we revised the report 
accordingly. The White House also indicated that this official said 
that it took "3 to 5 days" to complete "just the cleaning." However, 
our record indicated that he said that it took 3 or 4 days after 
January 20 to complete the cleaning, and we did not revise the report 
in that regard. 

In comment 96, the White House said that it believed we had misquoted 
the OA associate director for facilities management when we indicated 
he said that it would have taken an "astronomical" amount of resources 
to have cleaned all of the offices by Monday, January 22. Rather, the 
White House indicated that he said that they could not have had enough 
people to clean it by January 22 because the offices were dirtier than 
in past transitions. The White House also noted that the official said 
that, in response to a question about whether it was legitimate to 
think people could start working in the complex on Sunday, January 21, 
he replied that, yes, in his opinion, people should leave their 
offices in an orderly fashion. We checked our record of interview with 
this official and believe that we accurately reported his comments, 
and we also believe that they are substantially the same as what the 
White House indicated in this comment. For example, we had reported 
that this official said that there was more to clean during the 2001 
transition than during previous ones and provided the reasons why; he 
said that, in his opinion, departing staff should have left their 
offices in a condition so that only vacuuming and dusting would have 
been needed. Thus, we did not believe that any revisions were needed 
to the report regarding this comment. 

In comment 107, the White House said that it was not accurate for us 
to indicate that the statement that trucks were needed to recover new 
and usable supplies generally was not corroborated. According to the 
White House, the associate director for the general services division 
told us that because the excess supplies had been dumped in the 
basement hall and were piling up down there, leaving much of it 
unusable, he instructed his staff to take the supplies to the off-site 
warehouse where the staff could resort the supplies and salvage what 
was reusable. The White House also noted that eight truckloads were 
needed to recover these new and usable supplies from the basement, and 
had these trucks not been dispatched, all of the supplies, instead of 
just a portion, would have been rendered unusable; therefore, the 
statement was corroborated. However, when we interviewed this 
official, he said that the statement contained in the June 2001 list 
that six to eight 14-foot trucks were needed to recover new and usable 
supplies that had been thrown away "bothered" him. He said that 
nothing usable was thrown away intentionally. Further, although trucks 
were reportedly used to transport supplies from the EEOB to the 
warehouse so that they could be sorted and to salvage what could be 
used, as indicated in the report, the former senior advisor for 
presidential transition said that the supplies were brought to the 
basement of the EEOB so that staff could obtain them from there, 
rather than obtaining them from the supply center. Therefore, we could 
not corroborate the portion of the statement in the June 2001 list 
that supplies had been "thrown away." 

In comment 120, the White House said that we failed to report two of 
the factors that OA officials, who have been through many transitions, 
identified as contributing to the problems found in the 2001 
transition. First, the telephone service director said that he felt 
hampered in doing his job because he was not allowed to have any 
contact with the incoming administration. According to the White 
House, he indicated that, in the past, he was allowed to confer with 
incoming staff regarding their telephone needs and expectations; but 
this was not permitted during the 2001 transition. Likewise, the White 
House said, the OA director said that this transition was unusual 
because, for other transitions, there was a transition team from the 
new administration on-site in the complex but, during the 2001 
transition, the incoming administration did not get access to the 
space until 3 days before the inauguration and did not get "legacy 
books," (books that explain how things work within the complex and 
within particular offices) until after the inauguration. 

We did not evaluate the transition coordination issues that the White 
House raised in this comment because they were outside the scope of 
our review. However, former Clinton administration staff did provide 
some related information. The former senior advisor for presidential 
transition said that some Bush administration staff were given walk-
through of offices in the weeks before January 20, that officials from 
the president-elect's staff attended several meetings before January 
20, and that each office was instructed to prepare briefing books for 
the incoming Bush staff. Further, the deputy assistant to the 
president for management and administration said the president-elect's 
staff were involved in planning the transition and had an 
unprecedented level of access. Because we did not evaluate these 
issues, we are not in a position to comment on them. 

Also in comment 120, the White House said that a number of longtime 
employees, such as the OA associate director for facilities 
management, told us that problems could have been averted or remedied 
if former Clinton administration staff had vacated their offices 
earlier. The White House noted that this official said he observed a 
woman watching television in her office on January 20 and turning it 
off and leaving precisely at noon. Further, the White House said that 
325 passes of White House Office employees were terminated on January 
19 and 20, 2001. As indicated in our discussion regarding comments 101 
and 103, we attempted to evaluate how many former Clinton 
administration staff left on January 19 and 20, 2001, which would have 
helped to determine when the cleaning could have begun. As previously 
noted, we were provided data indicating when building passes were 
terminated for EOP staff at the end of the administration, but the 
White House also informed us that the data were unreliable. We had 
asked the White House to arrange a meeting with an appropriate 
official to discuss the pass data, but this was not done. 

Changes made to the Report: 

We revised the report, as appropriate, to address the White House's 
comments 1, 3, 7, 37, 50, 52, 53, 63, 85, 86, 88, 89, 95, 114, and 119. 

[End of Appendix V] 

Appendix VI: Comments from the General Services Administration: 

GSA Public Buildings Service: 
U.S. General Services Administration: 
1800 F Street, NW: 
Washington, DC 20405-0002: 
[hyperlink, http://www.osa.gov] 

May 13, 2002: 

Mr. Bernard L. Ungar: 
Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues: 
General Accounting Office: 
Washington, D.C. 20548: 

Dear Mr. Ungar: 

Thank you for the opportunity to review draft report GAO-02-360, "The 
White House: Allegations of Damage During the 2001 Presidential 
Transition." We have carefully reviewed the draft report. 

The General Services Administration (GSA) agrees with the two 
recommendations the General Accounting Office (GAO) has made with 
respect to the logistics of future transitions. GSA, as you have 
indicated in your report, is responsible for the physical structure of 
the office space in the White House complex, and further, is 
responsible for operations and maintenance in the office space 
including, but not limited to, cleaning. During Presidential 
transitions, we make every effort to meet the very considerable 
demands that are place on us by virtue of several hundred staff moving 
out while several hundred are moving in. For this reason, we believe 
that our ability to carry out our responsibilities in future 
Presidential transitions will be strengthened by working with the 
Office of Management and Administration for the White House office to 
develop procedures for office space inspection and cleaning and office 
space preparations. Improved communication and scheduling strategies 
will be an integral part of these procedures, as reflected in your 
recommendations. 

Thank you again for the opportunity to review the draft report. 

Sincerely, 

Signed by: 

Paul Chistolini: 
Deputy Commissioner: 

[End of Appendix VI] 
	
Footnotes: 

[1] This official's title is also special assistant to the president. 

[2] Other EOP units include the Council of Economic Advisers, Council 
on Environmental Quality, Office of Homeland Security, Office of 
Management and Budget, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), 
Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Office of the United 
States Trade Representative. 

[3] We did not send letters to occupants of other EOP office space, 
such as the East Wing, because our initial interviews of EOP and GSA 
staff did not indicate that any damage, vandalism, or pranks were 
observed there. We also did not send letters to eight EOP staff whom 
we had already interviewed before July 31, 2001, when we prepared the 
letters. 

[4] Most of the EOP staff we interviewed who worked for the EOP before 
January 20, 2001, were OA staff. We did not interview any EOP staff 
who worked for certain EOP units, such as the United States Trade 
Representative, ONDCP, or the Office of Homeland Security. 

[5] The vice president has an office in the West Wing and a ceremonial 
office in the EEOB. Most of the vice president's staff work in the 
EEOB. 

[6] Appendix I contains information regarding additional observations 
that staff identified by floor or building, or about which staff did 
not provide information about where they made their observations. 

[7] In commenting on a draft of this report, the counsel to the 
president cited other documentation that the White House believed was 
indicative of having to replace missing telephone labels. However, we 
were not provided with all of the documentation cited, and we did not 
believe that the documentation that we were provided, other than the 
one cited above, was definitive in that regard. 

[8] The total number of rooms in the East and West Wings included 
reception areas, restrooms, and nonoffice space. 

[9] See appendix I for more information about these incidents. 

[10] GSA indicated that the staff who cleaned the EEOB during the 
weekend of January 20 to 21, 2001, included 55 GSA custodial workers, 
67 contract workers, and additional contract crews for carpet cleaning 
and furniture moving. 

[11] Although the EOP provided documents regarding the purchase of 62 
computer keyboards in late January 2001, EOP staff with 
responsibilities involving computers provided different estimates of 
the number of keyboards that had to be replaced at the beginning of 
the new administration because they were intentionally damaged, 
ranging from 33 to 150. Using the $75 per-unit price that the EOP paid 
in January 2001 for keyboards, 33 keyboards would cost $2,475, and 150 
keyboards would cost $11,250. The $4,850 that the EOP paid for 
keyboards in January 2001 included $200 in expedite fees, which we 
excluded in calculating the per-unit price. 

[12] This total estimated cost assumes that all of the doorknobs that 
were observed missing, except for one, were replaced with historic 
replicas, which was unknown. We deducted the value of replacing one 
historic doorknob from the total number observed missing because as 
noted earlier, a GSA planner/estimator said that a facility request to 
install a doorknob in an office where one was observed missing during 
the transition was to perform maintenance on a doorknob with a worn-
out part, not to replace a missing one. It was also unknown whether 
all of the doorknobs that were observed missing were historic 
originals. 

[13] See Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1977, reprinted in 3 U.S.C., Ch. 
2, note at 431, 434 (1994) (Message of the President) (listing units 
within the EOP). 

[14] See The White House: Status of Review of the Executive Residence, 
pages 6-7, Statement of Robert P. Murphy, General Counsel, U.S. 
General Accounting Office, November 6, 1997, before the Subcommittee 
on Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government, Committee on 
Appropriations, House of Representatives. 

[15] As noted on p. 2 of this report, in transmitting the list of 
damage to us, the counsel to the president indicated that the list was 
not the result of a comprehensive or systematic investigation into the 
issue and should not be considered a complete record of the damage 
that was found. 

[16] This included reception areas, restrooms, and other nonoffice 
space. 

[17] GSA staff generally cited observations made on certain floors, 
rather than in specific rooms or offices. 

[18] Room numbers were identified for most of the observations. Rooms 
in the West Wing do not have room numbers. 

[19] This includes the names of two units that did not exist during 
the Clinton administration. 

[20] The vice president has an office in the West Wing and a 
ceremonial office in the EEOB. Most of the vice president's staff work 
in the EEOB. 

[21] Another EOP employee said she observed that a doorknob was 
missing in the EEOB, but did not specify a location, so it is not 
included in the total above. It is unknown how many of these doorknobs 
were historic originals. The director of GSA's White House service 
center said that historic doorknobs, which are bronze cast and have 
different designs for the former State, War, and Navy Departments' 
sections of the EEOB, are favorite souvenirs of departing staff. (The 
EEOB was built between 1872 and 1888 to house the Departments of 
State, War, and the Navy.) 

[22] One of these two EOP staff worked in the office where the remote 
controls were observed missing during the previous administration. In 
the scope and methodology section of this report, we indicated the 
number of EOP staff we interviewed who worked in the White House 
complex before and after January 20, 2001, but did not break out the 
observations reported in this appendix made by staff who worked for 
the EOP before and after January 20, 2001. 

[23] This total estimated cost assumes that all of the doorknobs that 
were observed missing, except for one, will be replaced with historic 
replicas. We deducted the value of replacing one historic doorknob 
from the total number observed missing because, as noted earlier, the 
GSA official in charge of building fixtures in the EEOB said that a 
facility request to install a doorknob in an office where one was 
observed missing during the transition was to perform maintenance on a 
doorknob with a worn-out part, not to replace a missing one. Another 
EOP employee said that she observed a missing doorknob in the EEOB 
during the transition, but could not recall the location. We did not 
count that doorknob in the total cost because it could have been the 
same one seen by other EOP staff. 

[24] The EOP employee who occupied this office at the beginning of the 
administration said that he put a safe in front of the doors with the 
missing doorknobs to keep them closed. 

[25] One of the EOP staff who told us about the missing cameras noted 
that the office where the cameras belonged was a locked office with an 
alarm. 

[26] This included the observation of the branch chief for program 
management of the OA information systems and technology division, who 
said she saw 6 to 10 keyboards with missing "W" keys in the West Wing. 

[27] This included an observation of a "W' key taped to a wall in 
specific location in the West Wing. Two other EOP staff also said they 
observed "W" keys taped or glued on walls in the EEOB but did not 
specify how many. 

[28] The EOP also paid a $200 expedite fee in January 2001, which we 
excluded in calculating the per-unit cost. 

[29] He said that these were computers from which information had not 
yet been downloaded. 

[30] A GSA cleaning team leader said that the cleaning staff 
accidentally broke a glass top in an office, but that it was on the 
floor for only 10 to 15 minutes before it was cleaned up. 

[31] A GSA facility request indicated that a request was made to fix a 
mirror in a certain office. However, the EOP employee who said that he 
observed a broken mirror could not recall where he saw it. 

[32] The writing in one of the desks was dated January 1993. 

[33] It was not clear whether this desk was one of the desks that 
belonged to the two staff who worked in that area and made the same 
observation. 

[34] 0ne EOP employee (the occupant of that office at the beginning of 
the administration) said that the arms on two chairs in his office 
were loose. Another EOP employee said that the arms were missing from 
a chair in that office. 

[35] Two of the three EOP staff who observed the chairs with broken 
legs and backs said that they placed them in the halls for removal. 

[36] According to a page on the White House Web site, which contains a 
description of the EEOB, vice presidents since the 1940s have signed 
the inside top drawer of the desk in the vice president's ceremonial 
office. 

[37] A National Records and Archives Administration (NARA) official 
said that she went to various offices in the EEOB with the former 
senior advisor for presidential transition around 11:00 am. on January 
20, checking to see whether presidential materials had been obtained 
from computers. This NARA official said that she did not remember the 
specific rooms where she went that morning, but she did not see any 
evidence of damage, vandalism, or pranks. 

[38] The same EOP employee made both observations about the burn marks 
and scratches. During our initial interview with this employee, she 
said that the desks with burn marks and scratches were in a particular 
office. During a follow-up interview 4 months later, she said her 
observations pertained to an office suite, rather than a single office. 

[39] The OA director, who observed overturned furniture in this 
office, said that he began touring the floor of the EEOB containing 
this office starting at 12:02 p.m. on January 20. 

[40] The EOP employee said that furniture was in the hallway so that 
offices could be cleaned. 

[41] This is a secure telephone. 

[42] The OA associate director for facilities management, who was one 
of the two EOP staff who made these observations, told us that 
telephone cords were ripped out of walls in a certain office, but did 
not indicate how many he saw. That office was located on one of two 
floors where he said he observed 3 to 4 telephone cords ripped out of 
walls. 

[43] This EOP employee originally said that 25 telephone and computer 
cords were torn out of office walls. In a follow-up interview, this 
employee said that the cords also could have been electrical and fax 
cords, but did not know for certain. She also could not recall whether 
the cords were torn out of several walls or whether they were 
concentrated in a certain area. 

[44] This range included 82 telephones in a suite of offices in the 
EEOB where an official said that all of the telephones were missing 
identifying templates at the beginning of the administration. The EOP 
estimated that there were 82 telephones in that office in January 
2001. The range does not reflect a number of telephones with missing 
labels in an office where the telephone service director said that he 
saw them missing, but did not specify how many. 

[45] We counted 699 telephone numbers in the EEOB and East and West 
Wings of the White House in the February 2001 EOP telephone book; 85 
percent would have been about 594 telephones that were missing 
identifying labels or did not ring at the correct numbers. 

[46] This observation was included in the total range of missing 
labels provided in this section. 

[47] This included one report of calls being forwarded from the West 
Wing. 

[48] None of the service orders mentioning labels were for work in the 
East or West Wings of the White House. 

[49] This official said that another secure telephone with the key in 
it was found in the West Wing at the end of the administration. He 
said that typically, at the end of an administration, the employee to 
whom the equipment is assigned contacts WHCA to have it picked up. The 
official did not know whether WHCA had been contacted in that case. 

[50] The director of GSA's White House service center said that there 
were "any number" of reasons why problems could have been observed 
with telephone and computer wires besides having people cut them 
deliberately. He said, for example, that the cleaning staff could have 
hit the wires with the vacuum cleaners; computer staff could have been 
working with the wires; movers could have hit them, or wires could 
have been disconnected for a long period and not removed. 

[51] The OA telephone services coordinator said the EOP had no 
documentation regarding the number of telephone and computer lines 
that were in this office at the end of the Clinton administration. In 
February 2002, this official counted 14 telephone, computer, and fax 
lines in the main room of this office suite, which was then occupied 
by several people. At the end of the Clinton administration, two 
people occupied these two rooms. 

[52] This former employee said that a telephone in her office was also 
missing a label when she worked there. No Bush administration staff 
said they observed missing labels in that room during the transition. 

[53] One of the two EOP staff who made this observation said that all 
of the labels were missing from telephones in this office. 

[54] As noted earlier, the OA telephone services coordinator said that 
voice mail messages and greetings were not removed at the end of the 
Clinton administration because the EOP had not yet done an equipment 
upgrade. 

[55] The OA telephone services coordinator said in February 2002 that 
this voice mail greeting was attached to a telephone number, but not 
an actual telephone, and that the greeting recently had been deleted. 

[56] The observations regarding broken glass tops are discussed in the 
furniture section. 

[57] This included one EOP employee who said that in an office in the 
West Wing, she saw a basketball hoop on a wall and champagne bottles 
in a fireplace, and that it looked like there had been a party. 
Another EOP employee told us that she saw empty cans of "Texas Trash," 
a nut mix, in the West Wing. 

[58] These were staff who worked during the first shift starting on 
January 20. 

[59] One of the team leaders observed "W" keys glued to a wall. 

[60] These team leaders' observations are included in the total of 
four GSA staff who observed excessive trash or personal items on 
certain floors of the EEOB. 

[61] A GSA facility request documented a request to clean a 
refrigerator in a certain office. Two of the four EOP staff who said 
they observed food left in refrigerators could not recall where they 
saw the food, so the GSA facility request could corroborate those 
observations. 

[62] All three staff referred to the same door. 

[63] This was an office that had a door to the outside that was no 
longer used. 

[64] The chief of staff to the president said that he toured the first 
floor of the EEOB during the afternoon of January 20, 2001, entered 
several offices, and did not see any cleaning crews. Further, as 
explained later, in January 2002, two former Clinton administration 
officials wrote us a letter indicating that they had not seen any 
cleaning crews during the night of January 19 or the morning of 
January 20. As a result, we asked GSA to contact the four former 
cleaning crew leaders about when they started cleaning offices during 
the transition. Two of the crew leaders said that they began cleaning 
the offices around 8:00 a.m. or 8:30 am. on January 20. Another former 
crew leader said that she began cleaning offices at 6:45 am. on 
January 20. The other former crew leader was no longer employed at GSA 
when we inquired about this in March 2002. The time cards for the four 
crew leaders did not indicate what time they started working on 
January 20, but indicated that one leader worked 8 hours, another 
worked 14 hours, and two worked 16 hours that day. 

[65] As noted previously, the director of GSA's White House service 
center said that the cleaning began at about 7:00 a.m. or 8:00 am. on 
January 20, 2001. In a follow-up interview, the former senior advisor 
for presidential transition said that two OA officials had provided 
the assurance that additional cleaning crews would be detailed to the 
White House during the final week of the administration. 

[66] A NARA official said that she went to various offices in the EEOB 
with the former senior advisor for presidential transition around 
11:00 am. on January 20, checking to see whether presidential 
materials had been obtained from computers. This NARA official said 
that she did not remember the specific rooms where she went that 
morning, but she did not see any evidence of damage, vandalism, or 
pranks. 

[67] This was a room that was part of a suite of offices where an EOP 
employee requested professional cleaning of carpet, furniture, and 
drapes. A February 17, 2001, GSA facility request documented this 
employee's request. This EOP employee originally told us that the 
office smelled like cigars. In a follow-up interview, this employee 
did not say that the office smelled like cigars, but that it "smelled 
bad" perhaps because it was in an old building. 

[68] The two EOP staff recalled the specific room number where they 
saw writing on the wall. The GSA employee did not remember the room 
number, but she said that she saw the writing on the same floor where 
the EOP staff saw the writing. According to these employees, the 
content of the writing was not profane in nature. 

[69] Eight EOP staff observed prank pictures or a sticker in the West 
Wing. One EOP employee said she saw a prank picture in the East Wing. 

[70] One of those employees also said that he found three to four Gore 
campaign signs and took them down. Another former employee said that 
she saw writing on a writing board that could be erased. 

[71] The locations were not identified. The director of records 
management said that he went into every office on two floors of the 
EEOB during the night of January 19 checking for documents and did not 
find any classified documents. 

[72] See appendix I for the reasons that this official believed that 
there was more to clean during the 2001 transition, compared to past 
transitions. 

[73] In Armstrong v. Bush, 807 F. Supp. 816 (D.D.C., 1992), the United 
States District Court for the District of Columbia issued a temporary 
restraining order requiring personnel of the first Bush administration 
to preserve backup tapes generated for certain EOP electronic systems. 

[74] The telephone service director said that the EOP received a new 
telephone system during the Clinton administration. 

[75] We did not review whether this check-out process was followed by 
all departing Clinton administration staff. 

[76] The EOP provided us with records indicating on what day building 
passes were terminated for departing staff in January 2001, but also 
indicated that this information was not reliable, so it was not known 
when former Clinton administration staff left at the end of the 
administration. Forty-three of the 71 check-out forms for former staff 
from one office (which we had obtained to check the return of cellular 
telephones) indicated that their building passes were turned in on 
January 19 or 20, 2001. However, this office's staff may not 
necessarily be representative of when all former Clinton 
administration staff left. 

[77] As used in these comments, and unless otherwise noted, "draft 
report" or "report" refers to both the 27-page letter to Congressman 
Barr summarizing the GAO's findings and the report's three appendices. 

[78 The comments in this table were, collectively, reported by 10 
separate individuals. Unless otherwise indicated, each line reports an 
observation by one person. 

[79] The problem with the GAO's analysis is compounded by the fact 
that it groups offices together (e.g., 192-198) that actually are 
three separate office suites — the Office of Media Affairs, the Office 
of Communications, and the Office of Speechwriting. 

[80] The White House Director of Telephone Services, and the on-site 
manager for AT&T, told the GAO that "the government pays only for the 
techs"chargeable time.'" If there is no work to do, the government 
incurs no cost. The White House Director of Telephone Services 
explained further that therefore costs would have been incurred in 
repairing labels because of incremental increases in the "work time"— 
i.e., chargeable time. The AT&T manager also added that there is a 
minimum of one hour for each call (at a cost of $75.92 during normal 
hours), even if the work takes only 10 minutes to perform. Were there 
any doubt, it would have been eliminated by the documents the GAO 
received on closed telephone service orders and trouble tickets. Both 
documents clearly show that AT&T charges for time and materials (T&M) 
"AT REG. AND OT RATES," and each service order shows the amount of 
"T&M" attributed to that order. 

[End of section] 

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