Every year senator Tom Coburn publishes a Wastebook, detailing dozens of cases of mis-spent funds, over-expenditure and general waste in the US government. The 2013 edition includes a fascinating entry on the FBI’s Investigative Publicity and Public Affairs Unit. With an annual budget of $1.5 million and the ability to assist with hundreds of projects a year, including ‘the motion pictures “The Kingdom,” “Shooter,” and “Breach” as well as television shows including “Without A Trace,” “CSI,” “Numb3rs,” “Criminal Minds,” and “The Closer” .’
The FBI refused my request for a list of projects they have provided assistance to, but given that according to the Wastebook it runs to several hundred a year they may not keep overall records, so I will be filing new FOIA requests to see if they have annual lists. You can download the Wastebook entry on the FBI’s Investigative Publicity and Public Affairs Unit here.