A company I worked for hired an ex-Navy Commander to speak. He spoke a lot about how he would occasionally bend the rules to reward his men, as he found that by listening to them and rewarding them for good behavior, he got better results. His ship ended up becoming much more efficient, and saved a ton of money by making simple changes (like buying slightly more expensive bolts that didn't rust so sailors didn't have to paint the ship as often).

Anyway, as ways to reward his men he did things that were not necessarily in accordance with regulations, like he bought a stereo for a couple hundred bucks, and bought Cuban cigars for the men. Nickle and dime stuff that brought camaraderie to the group. Anyway, I could see a hit piece on this guy stating that he used tax-payer money to buy stereo equipment and Cuban cigars (which weren't legal). Understanding the whole picture/context is very key to understanding stories. Which is why hit pieces from the left or the right should always be viewed with a skeptical eye. Not saying they are wrong, but there's always two sides to a story.