Playing JeoparDoD! In the Pentagon

Congressional hearings on Pentagon spending aren’t always the most scintillating affairs. Talk of procurement policy, readiness, or acquisition reform can only attract the attention and interest of the most dedicated followers of defense policy, be they boosters or critics of the Pentagon.

Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.) changed that earlier this month when she engaged three government experts in a game of JeoparDoD!, a mock game show that asked them questions about various outrageous examples of Pentagon misspending and arms industry lobbying, Jeopardy-style. An article can’t fully do it justice, so make sure to watch the four-minute-plus video here.

As of this writing, Porter’s tweet with the video embedded had received 2.2 million views. It deserves to be seen by millions more.

Among the most amazing aspects of the interchange between Porter and the assembled budget experts was that the witnesses dutifully played along with the game. In the most entertaining moment of the hearing, one of them even corrected himself to phrase his answer as a question. Witnesses at the hearing — and participants in the game — included Brett A. Mansfield, Deputy Inspector General for Audits, Department of Defense; John M. Tenaglia, Principal Director, Defense Pricing and Contracting, Department of Defense; and Asif A. Khan, Director, Financial Management and Assurance, Government Accountability Office.

Read the full piece in Inkstick Media.