Congressmen took 50 MILLION in FREE TRIPS

[earth mom]

So is this why Congress has let Bush Co go berserk and trash everything the good people of this country hold dear, waste taxpayer money, kill innocent people and destroy the constitution?! All for God Damn Luxury Vacations?! :grr:

:wtf:


NOT worth it! :grr:

_________________________________

Congressmen took free trips worth $50m

Thomas Ferraro, Reuters
Tuesday June 6, 2006
The Guardian

Members of the US Congress and their aides took free trips worth nearly $50m paid for by corporations, trade associations and other private groups between January 2000 and June 2005, according to a study published yesterday.

Some of the 23,000 trips featured hotel rooms costing $500 a night, $25,000 corporate jet rides and visits to popular spots such as Paris, Hawaii and Colorado ski resorts, said the research, conducted by the Centre for Public Integrity, American Public Media and Northwestern University's Medill News Service.

"In many instances, trip sponsors appeared to be buying access to elected officials or their advisers," the study said. While some excursions were legitimate fact-finding missions, others appeared to have been little more than "pricey vacations" wrapped around speeches or seminars in which the member of Congress was joined by family members.

<snip>

Congressional trip sponsors, the study said, included Microsoft, Time Warner, the Walt Disney Company and the Association of American Railroads.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,,1791140,00.html#article_continue

[SeattleVet]

1. Check the list of the biggest users of this 'perk':

http://www.publicintegrity.org/powertrips/report.aspx?aid=799

The freepazoids are going nuts over an article in the local paper (Seattle P-I) about how Jim McDermott is the top traveler from WA, but somehow the paper missed out on the full list of the top travelers. Here it is, just to keep the record straight:

--------------------------
Offices Taking More Than $350,000 in Travel
Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas)
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)
Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio)
Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas)
Rep. J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.)
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.)
Rep. Michael Oxley (R-Ohio)
Rep. W.J. Tauzin (R-La.)*
Rep. William Thomas (R-Calif.)
Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.)
Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska)

Offices Taking More Than 200 Trips
Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas)
Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio)
Rep. Larry Combest (R-Texas)*
Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas)
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.)
Rep. J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.)
Rep. Michael Oxley (R-Ohio)
Rep. W.J. Tauzin (R-La.)*
Rep. William Thomas (R-Calif.)
Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska)

* No longer in Congress

-------------------------

McDermott isn't anywhere NEAR the top, overall, but the local rag buried that little factoid in in the middle of the story. Hmmmm....looks to me like 9 of the 11 that took more than $350,000 in travel have an "R" by their name, and 9 of the 10 who took more than 200 trips have that same little "R". Also, 7 of the 10 most expensive private trips wind up in the "R" column. I have to wonder why they aren't touting THOSE numbers.

[earth mom]

2. Not surprised reTHUGlicans are at the top of the list-Thanks for posting.

The THUGS have proven once again they'll do anything for a buck. :mad:

[Jeffersons Ghost]

3. Kicked and Recommended