April 03, 2007 @ 12:56 pm

Feds Audit Jersey for Hip-Hop Summit Funds

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The US Government wants $61,514 back from the state for "unallowable" expenses.

The Federal Government has demanded the state of New Jersey pay them $61,514 in food and transportation costs related to Hip Hop voting summits in 2004 and '05. The summits were spearheaded by then-Attorney General Peter C. Harvey and received funds from the Help America Vote Act, which have been deemed unallowable under an audit by the US Election Assistance Commission. The audit states, "EAC considers food provided to students at the summits and transportation provided to students to and from the summit as entertainment costs and not an allowable use of HAVA funds. In addition to being unallowable, EAC does not consider the costs reasonable since the summits were broadcast via the internet to other schools that did not incur food and travel expenses to obtain the same information." In '04 and '05, Harvey spent $131,924 to host summits to get out the vote. While the summit panels were attended by the likes of Russell Simmons, Wyclef Jean and Joe Budden, the hip-hop figures did not receive compensation, nor did they entertain at any point in time. Assistant Attorney General, Donna Kelly, informed auditors last November that during the 2004 presidential election, New Jersey registered 460,000 new voters and received a 50 percent turnout among voters 18-25.

Article tags: FedsAuditJerseyHip-HopSummitFunds 

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