From USA Today, 8/21/06:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-08-21-postal-exec_x.htm?csp=34

IG: Former postal exec lived high life on USPS dime

By Stephen Losey, Federal Times


As a top executive at the U.S. Postal Service, Azeezaly Jaffer liked
to live large.

Too large, according to postal investigators.

In one three-night stretch in 2004, he ran up $8,252 staying at a
Washington hotel suite -- less than nine miles from his home.

He blew $3,486.33 in one evening for steak dinners and a bar-hopping
binge for himself and other postal employees after the unveiling of
the new Ronald Reagan commemorative stamp in 2005.

He tipped two lucky waiters $1,511.66 following a seafood dinner for
20 employees and business partners in 2003.

All on the Postal Service's dime.

An inspector general report into the conduct of the Postal Service's
former vice president for public affairs and communications details
more than $46,000 in questionable spending, along with numerous
accusations of sexual harassment, intimidation and improper conduct.

The report, based on Jaffer's travel records, expense reports,
receipts, financial statements, and internal e-mails, as well as
numerous interviews with Jaffer, other Postal Service employees and
private-sector officials, concludes he frequently spent the agency's
money on extravagant meals, drinks and bottle after bottle of wine for
himself, friends and family, and left gargantuan tips at restaurants
and bars.

Jaffer also allegedly propositioned at least two female employees for
sex, made lewd comments about several female employees, and offended
and embarrassed others with obscene language.

Jaffer abruptly resigned June 30 -- 11 days after the inspector
general's report was complete.

Postmaster General John Potter announced the 51-year-old Jaffer was
leaving to pursue other career opportunities.

The Postal Service is not saying whether it will pursue criminal
charges against Jaffer or order him to repay any of the expenses.

Spokesmen for the agency declined to comment on the report.

Jaffer did not return several calls made to his home and cellphone.

The report said he retained two attorneys to represent him during the
investigation, but they could not be located.

Federal Times first reported July 17 that Jaffer was under fire for
alleged sexual harassment, misuse of funds, and abuse of power before
his resignation.

Business Mailers Review published the first detailed account of the IG
report July 31.

The report -- which has been redacted in places and was obtained by
Federal Times through a Freedom of Information Act request -- said
Jaffer went on drinking binges at official functions and failed to
keep track of how he used his official credit card.

Jaffer "displayed a consistent lack of candor" when IG officials
interviewed him May 19, the report said.

Many of his statements were contradicted by documents and statements
by at least 12 other people investigators interviewed, the report
said.

In his interview with IG officials, Jaffer consistently denied the
accusations, pleaded ignorance, or -- in the cases of the expensive
meals -- claimed that they were either for official postal business or
that he reimbursed the agency for the costs.

Jaffer, a 30-year veteran of the Postal Service, had been vice
president for public affairs and communications since October 1999.

He became known for his frequent "Setting the Record Straight" letters
to media outlets that reported on the agency.

Newspapers, including Federal Times, were chided by Jaffer for
inaccuracies and what he saw as unfair criticism of the Postal
Service.

And he lambasted producers of television programs such as CSI: Miami
and MADtv whenever a character used the phrase "going postal."

Sexual harassment claims

A female postal employee told IG investigators that top postal
officials turned a blind eye to Jaffer's behavior for years.

That unidentified employee told investigators that Jaffer followed her
into her hotel room during the 2000 National Postal Forum in Nashville
one night when he was drunk, tried to touch her, and tried to get her
to have sex with him.

"She recalled that she felt momentarily physically threatened because
Jaffer is so large and could have overpowered her," the report said.

"Although she managed to talk him out of doing anything, she could not
convince him to leave her room and Jaffer finally fell asleep on the
floor."

The employee said during subsequent business trips, Jaffer made
"annoying and graphic suggestions" to her, such as saying she should
join him in his room for a drink or that he would see her in her room
later.

When investigators asked Jaffer about the incident, he denied
propositioning her, accosting her and passing out on the floor.

He said he fell asleep on the sofa after talking with her.

Jaffer also publicly remarked on the bodies of female employees, the
report said. Jaffer denied these accusations, the report said.

113% tip

The report details $46,256.68 in questionable spending by Jaffer,
including his stay in a luxurious Washington hotel suite and several
bar-hopping binges in which he racked up thousands of dollars in a
matter of hours.

Jaffer also was an extravagant tipper:

The IG said that during a Sept. 29, 2003, dinner for 20 at the
Oceanaire Seafood Room in Washington, Jaffer topped the automatic 20%
tip by adding another $824.54.

The entire $1,511.66 tip brought the dinner bill to $4,947.26.

The IG questioned Jaffer's practices when keeping expense records.

"Jaffer was exact in ensuring that the Postal Service reimbursed his
personal expenses to the dollar while failing to conserve Postal
Service funds by using the required accounting and reporting
procedures to document [public affairs and communications]
expenditures," the report said.

Eleven of Jaffer's expense forms reviewed by the IG were "meticulous"
-- down to the penny.

But Jaffer could not account for other expenses worth hundreds or
thousands of dollars.

For example, he frequently dined at the Peking Gourmet Inn in Falls
Church, Va., and allowed the restaurant to charge the Postal Service
for all his meals.

However, a review of receipts showed no line items spelling out which
meals were business and which were personal.

When questioned by the IG, Jaffer could not tell them the difference.

As a vice president, Jaffer was allowed to approve his own
reimbursement claims under Postal Service rules.

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Quite a guy, eh? Fits the Republican Culture of Corruption profile.

Harry