Grapevine: Another government spending scandal?

Reported investigation of costly Veterans Affairs Department conference

And now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine...

For the Troops?

Another huge spending scandal is brewing.

The Marine Corps Times reports the Veterans Affairs Department held two employee conferences in Orlando last year that cost taxpayers a combined $5 million.

Initial findings presented to the House Veterans Affairs Committee by the Inspector General's Office show employees may have received improper gratuities including alcohol, concert tickets and stretch limos; $52,000 spent to produce an 18-minute video that was viewed only twice; $3,000 for two photographers; and $84,000 for promotional items including pens and Post-its.

The inspector general's office says it received a tip in the wake of the General Services Administration's Las Vegas scandal report in April.

The V.A. has said the alleged misconduct is unacceptable.

Shooting Strategy

Joe the Plumber a.k.a. Samuel Wurzelbacher says the solution to securing the border is putting up a fence and shooting illegal immigrants crossing into America.

The Republican congressional candidate from Ohio told a crowd in Arizona -- quote -- "For years I've said put a damn fence on the border going to Mexico and start shooting."

He repeated his comments the next day. We reached out to his campaign for clarification but did not hear back.

Swing and a Miss

And finally, Vice President Biden was firing up supporters in the swing state of Virginia today when it seemed he may have forgotten where he was.

Here are his closing remarks:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: With you! And I mean this -- with you, we can win North Carolina again! And if we do, we win the election, if we win you!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

To be fair, the vice president was in Danville which is right on the border with North Carolina but it is still Danville, Virginia.