U.S. House of Representatives, Pennsylvania District 17

George W. Gekas

News Release

September 29, 1999

WASHINGTON, D.C.--Congressman George W. Gekas (R-Pa.) questioned representatives from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) today about the massive overstatement of case data in fact books and in annual budget requests to Congress. LSC inflated its caseload by at least 90,000 in 1997, after reporting it served 1.93 million clients. The significant discrepancy has not been officially corrected by LSC to date, and there is evidence by LSC’s own audits that overcounting continues.

The hearing took place before the Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law, which is chaired by Gekas. Among the witnesses were Edouard R. Quatrevaux, Inspector General of the Legal Services Corporation, and John McKay, President of LSC. Both aknowledged that erroneous numbers had been reported to Congress by LSC.

"This hearing was mischaracterized by some as a debate on the need for legal services for the poor," said Gekas. "I am now and have always been a strong advocate of legal services for the poor. LSC however, must be held accountable for their misrepresentations to congress, and their failure to correct these misrepresentations. Today’s hearing was not about legal services for the poor, but about poor legal services."

Gekas plans another oversight hearing on the LSC that has yet to be scheduled.

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