By: Barbara Hollingsworth
The phony zip codes are a new wrinkle in Recovery.gov’s increasingly tattered credibility. In November, Ed Pound, director of communications for the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board, said a rash of phantom congressional districts found on the website were the result of confusion by fund recipients, who apparently didn’t know who their congressman was.
But who would give millions of dollars to somebody who doesn’t even know their own zip code?
Update Even with a real zip code, it takes seven hours for one firm to report back to Recovery.gov on its $2,000 stimulus contract.
Update West Virginia Watchdog’s Steve Allen Adams reports $28 million in stimulus funds going to what he has discovered are nonexistent zip codes.
Update Nebraska Watchdog’s Joe Jordan has found millions going to nonexistent zip codes.
Update Scott St. Clair, the watchdog at the Evergreen Freedom Foundation in Washington state finds stimulus funds reported as going to nonexistent zip codes.
Update Paige Winfield at Old Dominion Watchdog finds millions–$9.5 million–going to nonexistent zip codes and other significant errors.
UpdateTom Steward at Freedome Foundation of Minnesota finds hundreds of thousands of stimulus bucks reported going to nonexistent zip codes.
Update Todd Shepherd of the Independence Institute finds millions reported going to nonexistent Colorado zip codes.
Update Andrew Griffin at Oklahoma Watchdog finds $11.5 million reported by recovery.gov going to nonexistent zip codes.
