Legislative auditors slam $24M router deal; millions could have been used to expand network, report says

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The state of West Virginia improperly purchased hundreds of oversized routers, wasting at least $7.9 million in federal stimulus funds that could have been spent to expand high-speed Internet, according to an audit released Sunday.

The West Virginia Legislative Auditor's report found that Cisco sales representatives and engineers who recommended that the state buy the oversized Internet routers showed "wanton indifference to the interests of the public." The audit called on the state Purchasing Division to investigate whether the Cisco sales representatives and engineers should be barred from doing business with state government.