While the news media focus on the Obama-led assault on Wall Street and big business, as well as the continued controversy over health care, a legal watchdog group has exposed another example of government mismanagement – even out-and-out fraud.

In the latest of many scandals involving President Barack Obama’s, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s monstrous economic stimulus, a fraud-infested welfare program to make low-income houses energy efficient is cheating taxpayers out of billions with a recent example documented in Wisconsin, according to public-interest group Judicial Watch.

According to a report by JW, at least $5 billion in stimulus funds were allocated to “weatherization” programs nationwide with virtually no oversight and plenty of corruption. The U.S. Department of Energy distributes the cash to local “community groups” that usually subcontract companies to do the actual work. Low-income homeowners get free insulation, sealing and even new central heating and cooling systems compliments of Uncle Sam. Some people even get new refrigerators, water heaters and furnaces.

In  Wisconsin, a nonprofit called La Casa de Esperanza (The House of Hope) got nearly $20 million to weatherize homes in three counties, but instead has spent some of the money on gift cards for its employees, Christmas decorations, Halloween candy and to pay parking tickets, according to a Milwaukee newspaper — the Journal-Sentinel – report.

Additionally, the husband of a charity employee illegally got $10,000 worth of U.S. taxpayer-financed work on his home and much of the weatherization done on houses that actually qualified was faulty or didn’t meet the federal standards. In all, the state of Wisconsin is getting $141.5 million in stimulus funds for its weatherization projects.

La Casa’s finance director defended his community group’s weatherization program, saying that “if you looked at every single operator you would find similar problems everywhere” because “that’s the nature of the business.”

Perhaps that’s why funding for the decades-old federal weatherization program got nixed in 2008. Even when it was fully operational it only received about $220 million annually, not the huge infusion that President Obama has given it. The stimulus also gave other states big chunks of cash for weatherization, including $327 million to Texas and $132 to North Carolina.

The allocations are simply a speck on the never ending list of examples of fraud and abuse in the $787 billion stimulus that Obama promised would jumpstart the economy and put Americans back to work, according to Judicial Watch. 

“Instead, tens of millions of dollars have gone to companies under criminal investigation for defrauding the government and tens of millions more have funded wasteful projects including multi million-dollar turtle crossings, abandoned train stations and Social Security stimulus checks for 10,000 dead people,” JW officials said in a statement.

According to a report from the DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office, sexual assault in the military rose 11 percent in 2009.

The 135th Joint Sustainment Command is preparing for an influx of troops in Afghanistan by opening a trans shipment yard near Kandahar Airfield.

The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is calling for a better balance between offensive and defensive capabilities in America’s missile defense program.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is in Mexico to discuss escalating violence along the border between the U.S. and Mexico.

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell says the votes from the Iraqi election should be tallied by the end of the week.

A Wisconsin woman received the Congressional Gold Medal over the weekend to honor her service to the country as a WASP during World War II.

Soldiers, donors and families of the fallen gathered at the Survivor Outreach Services Center to open a Hall of Remembrance.

After a year in Iraq, 300 soldiers from the 128th Infantry are back home in Wisconsin.

A top U.S. commander in southern Afghanistan says recruiting locals into the Afghan security forces is a top priority.

U.S. servicemembers at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan recently took part in a five-day training course on the new Mine-Resistant All-Terrain vehicle.

President Barack Obama is in Tokyo this morning. He told reporters at a press conference Monday, he’s still weighing the options concerning a troop increase in Afghanistan.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates spoke out against leaks to the media on both Afghanistan and the shootings at Fort Hood.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates got a behind the scenes look at the newest all-terrain vehicles when he toured a production plant Thursday in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

CENTCOM Commander, General David Petraeus, speaks at the Marine Corps University on “Counterinsurgency Leadership in Afghanistan and Iraq.”

An update from SECDEF Gates.

The importance of avoiding the flu virus is being strongly emphasized this season to U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan.

It would be premature to consider additional resources in Afghanistan until General Stanley McChrystal’s assessment has been reviewed and discussed by President Obama and his team.

In a matter of weeks, many service members will be immunized against the H1N1 virus.

Coalition forces have closed more than 200 bases and facilities in Iraq over the last several months.

The state of Minnesota is honoring families of fallen servicemembers with a special license plate.

A Marine stationed at Quantico, Virginia has been charged under the UCMJ for making false statements.

Members of the Wisconsin-based 115th Fighter Wing deploy on their mission for Iraq.

More than 140 Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers are preparing for missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fire engines roared through the town of Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania, escorting troops returning from Iraq.

Vaccinations against the H1N1 flu virus will be mandatory for all uniformed personnel.

A Wisconsin veteran is being recognized for his service after more than 60 years.

National Guard troops and equipment were positioned along highways in central Texas this weekend after more than 10 inches of rain caused flooding and prompted evacuations.

The NATO headquarters in Baghdad now has a new home.

Servicemembers participate in a job fair that will help them transition from the battlefield to the workplace.

A Miami-based Coast Guard law enforcement team confiscated $55 million worth of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea July 23.

Nearly half of Wisconsin’s 3,300 National Guardsmen deployed to Iraq are working in that country’s detention centers.

Air Force planners are working on a long range approach for further development and use of unmanned aircraft systems.