Planner of lavish Las Vegas conference is out at GSA

Jeffrey Neely, the controversial regional commissioner for the General Services Administration’s Public Buildings Service who was the force behind the $820,000 training conference held in Las Vegas in 2010, has left government service.

“GSA is in the process of completing its review of activities associated with the Western Regions Conference and pursuing all available avenues for appropriate disciplinary action against those responsible,” GSA Deputy Press Secretary Adam Elkington told Government Executive on Thursday. “Jeff Neely was placed on administrative leave based on his involvement in the WRC. As of today, he’s no longer employed with GSA.”

Neely has not spoken publicly about his role in the now-infamous conference that cost the jobs of GSA Administrator Martha Johnson, PBS Commissioner Robert Peck and others. Neely invoked his Fifth Amendment rights at an April congressional hearing on the scandal.

He is said to have retired, but he reportedly still faces possible criminal charges, which the GSA inspector general has referred to the Justice Department.