McCollum Urges USDA, GAO to Investigate Government Contracts with Planet Aid, Affiliated Organizations
Press Release
Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) called Wednesday for the Government Accountability Office and the United States Department of Agriculture's Inspector General to investigate the prominent non-governmental organization Planet Aid and affiliated groups following media reports that allege the groups' may have misused taxpayer dollars.
"I urge you to begin a comprehensive inquiry immediately," Congresswoman McCollum wrote in a pair of letters to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro and USDA Inspector General Phyllis K. Fong. "I hope that such an investigation will be thorough and draw upon whatever resources are necessary to ensure that the issues surrounding this global organization are fully examined."
Recent media reports from the Center for Investigative Reporting and the British Broadcasting Corporation have suggested that Planet Aid and its affiliates may have played a "shell game" with funds received from the United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service. In light of these and other reports, the United Kingdom's Department for International Development and UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, both suspended funding to a Planet Aid affiliate.
Additionally, these media reports indicate that Planet Aid is connected to a global organization, the Teachers Group, which has been described as a "cult" and has been investigated by both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and foreign law enforcement. In a 2001 document obtained by journalists, an FBI investigator noted that the Teachers Group diverted funds "for personal use. Little, to no money goes to the charities."
"Every person or entity performing work for the U.S. government has the moral and legal responsibility to fulfill their obligations in an open and transparent manner," Congresswoman McCollum wrote. "This responsibility is even more critical when the contracts being performed are intended to meet the food security needs of some of the poorest people on Earth."
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