Former Rethug Congresswoman Abandons Car in Congressional Garage

[babylonsister]

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/congresswoman-melissa-hart-confirms-filthy-jetta-illegally-parked/story?id=11091577


Former Congresswoman Abandons Car in Congressional Garage
Melissa Hart, Now With Lobbying Firm, Confirms Filthy Jetta Belongs to Her

By JONATHAN KARL, ROBIN GRADISON, and GREGORY SIMMONS
July 5, 2010


The Washington connection between Congress and lobbying just got a little dirtier.
Former Congresswoman Melissa Hart left car parked in Congressional lot since 06'

How dirty? ABC News spoke with former Congresswoman Melissa Hart , a Pennsylvania Republican, and confirmed that a Volkswagen Jetta with a George W. Bush bumper sticker, coverd in dirt and cobwebs and parked in the Congressional Longworth House Office building parking garage, does in fact belong to her. Hart was voted out in 2006, but her car remains parked in the choice spot more than four years later.

The issue is not the clunker's obvious need for a tune-up and a carwash but, rather, the owner's particular profession. According to the website of the Committee on House Administration, former members of Conress are allowed to park or store their cars in House parking garages free of charge indefinitely, as long as they are not registered lobbyists. Hart now chairs Pittsburgh-based law firm Keevican Weiss Bauerle & Hirsch's Government Relations practice, which is registered in the Senate lobbyist database.

ABC News asked Hart, who represented Pennsylvania's 4th district through 2006 but lost her reelection bid to Democrat Jason Altmire, if she was aware of the House rules concerning parking perks. She said she was not.

Hart admitted the car was a piece of junk that she used for short trips around Washington. When ABC News asked Hart if she felt any need to reimburse taxpayers for the spot, valued at around $200 a month, that has been illegally occupied by her Jetta since March of 2009 when she became a registered lobbyist, she said no. Hart protested she had planned to allow other people to use the car (and presumably the sweet parking place) but it never happened.

Hart says her new plan is to donate the car to charity. If she can get it started.

[ORDagnabbit]

1. I planned on giving the money to charity so you cant punish me for robbing that bank....

wish I was lobbyist or member of congress.... nice to be a crook and get away with most things.

[ck4829]

2. Come on, people. Let's get some more Republicans forgetting about their cars in the garage this Nov!

[CTyankee]

3. Typical insensitive, arrogant Republican asshole....

No sense of anything but self...