Denver Hotel Is Focus Of 'Muffingate'

DENVER (CBS4) - A Denver hotel is smack in the middle of "Muffingate."

It appears the U.S. Justice Department ponied up serious taxpayer dollars for coffee and soda at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Denver. An audit found the department spent more than $100,000 on a conference at the hotel.

The four day conference was held in 2007.

Among the charges were $5.20 for a cup of coffee and $5.57 for a soda. The final bill was $104,000.

Conservative commentators say they're outraged.

"This is not a Republican thing. This is not a Democrat thing. Both parties spend way too much in Washington, but it shows you how out of touch they are with America," Jon Caldara with the Independence Institute said.

A spokeswoman for the Grand Hyatt said the hotel couldn't comment on a specific conference but says their prices are competitive with the rest of the industry.