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Phillip Swarts

pswarts@washingtontimes.com

Phillip Swarts was an investigative reporter for The Washington Times.

Articles by Phillip Swarts

"The American sugar market can only be described as a government-mandated cartel, which would likely be deemed illegal if it had arisen without government assistance," wrote Luke Gelber, a manager at Citizens Against Government Waste. (Associated Press)

Golden Hammer: Easter candy bitter taste for taxpayers?

This Easter season, Americans will buy an estimated $2.26 billion worth of such candies as chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, and marshmallow Peeps, the National Confectioners Association estimates. But a key ingredient of candy makers' sweet success comes courtesy of U.S. taxpayers.

April 17, 2014
FILE - In this April 3, 2014 file photo giant machines dig for brown coal at the open-cast mining Garzweiler in front of a smoking power plant near the city of Grevenbroich in western Germany. The U.N.’s expert panel on climate change is preparing a new report this weekend outlining the cuts in greenhouse gases, mainly CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels, required in coming decades to keep global warming in check. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner, File)

EPA didn’t track own air pollution program — report

The Environmental Protection Agency hasn't bothered to track whether one of its key pollution reduction programs is actually having an effect, according to a new review by the agency's internal watchdog.

April 16, 2014
The most egregious examples of government waste, fraud or abuse from TWT staff. (Golden Hammer cropped logo)

Golden Hammer: Pentagon paid too much for Humvee repairs

Like any frustrated motorist gouged on repair bills, taxpayers have had to shell out $26.3 million too much to fix the Pentagon's fleet of Humvees, the military's watchdog said. That's because Pentagon officials never checked price or sales data for replacement parts designed to keep the vehicles running.

April 10, 2014
House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa said Tuesday that little seems to be getting done to save taxpayers money and avoid wasting billions of dollars through duplication and redundant programs. (Associated Press)

Watchdog finds more federal waste

Like a shopper buying everything on a grocery list twice, the federal government is wasting billions of dollars through duplication and redundant programs, Congress' chief watchdog warned, releasing its fourth annual list of recommendations on ways to cut down on wasteful spending.

April 8, 2014