Justice Dept. Bought $16 Muffins

Are $16 muffins the new $400 hammers? A report Tuesday from the Justice Department's inspector general revealed overspending at conferences, including servings of $16 muffins and Swedish meatballs at $5 apiece. The report covered 10 Justice Department conferences during both the Bush and Obama presidencies, from October 2007 until September 2009, which cost a total of $4.4 million. Other extravagances include a $32-per-person serving of Cracker Jack, popcorn, and candy bars. The report said the Justice Department “did not adequately attempt to minimize conference costs as required by federal and DOJ guidelines.”