 |
SwiftVets.com
Service to Country
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
shawa
CNO
Joined: 03 Sep 2004
Posts: 2004
|
 Posted: Tue Apr 26, 2005 11:24 pm Post subject: IT DIDN'T START WITH TOM DELAY |
 |
|
This is a hoot!!
Many House members scurrying like rabbits to see if they refunded
expenses paid for by lobbyists.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/04/26/politics/main690917.shtml
| Quote: | It Didn't Start With Tom DeLay
WASHINGTON, April 26, 2005
(CBS) A new study shows that members of Congress have taken more than $16 million in privately financed trips over the past five years, with many of the trips sponsored by non-profit groups that are not obligated to disclose who paid the bills.
The results of the study by PoliticalMoneyLine, an Internet site that compiles campaign finance information, were first reported by USA Today.
The problems of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, have placed a spotlight on congressional travel. DeLay has been accused of a spate of alleged ethical lapses, including travel that may have been paid for by a lobbyist.
Congressional rules permit privately financed travel, provided the money doesn't come from a lobbyist or the representative of a foreign interest.
But the study shows that more than half the private money spent on congressional travel since 2000 - $8.8 million - came from non-profit organizations who are not obligated to identify who may be actually paying the bills.
Widespread interest in DeLay's woes have spread bipartisan jitters through the halls of Congress. The Washington Post reports that members are racing to put their travel and campaign finance records in order in case their own activities come under scrutiny.
The newspaper also said that some members are restricting privately financed travel or even halting it altogether because of affaire DeLay.
The PoliticalMoneyLine study reviewed 5,410 trips taken by 605 members of the House and Senate. Democratic lawmakers had the edge, taking 3,025 trips, to 2,375 trips for GOP members.
The No. 1 trip-taker in dollar terms was Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Sensenbrenner took 19 trips valued at $168,000.
In contrast, DeLay finished 28th by taking 14 trips valued at $94,568.
Among those higher on the list than DeLay were 2008 presidential wannabes Joseph Biden, D-Del., and Evan Bayh, D-Ind., and two members of the Foreign Relations Committee, Richard Lugar, R-Indiana, and outgoing Marylander Paul Sarbanes (D).
Rep. Harold Ford Jr., D-Tenn., took the most trips - 63. But Ford's less expensive domestic jaunts only totaled $61,000.
Top travel destinations, besides the U.S., were Mexico and Israel. |
_________________
“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” (Thomas Paine, 1776) |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
GM Strong
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Joined: 18 Sep 2004
Posts: 1579
Location: Penna
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 1:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
Remember 1994??  Tom Foley??  The House post office and the bank crap??? Sure. Stretch Pelosi and and the rest should remember why they are in the minority now.  Come to think of it, the Republicans might take a reality check to remember how they go the majority. 
Thank You Mr. Newt
_________________
8th Army Korea 68-69 |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
shawa
CNO
Joined: 03 Sep 2004
Posts: 2004
|
| Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2005 2:35 am Post subject: |
|
|
http://www.politicalmoneyline.com/
Lots of information at this site!!
This is interesting:
| Quote: | Original Sponsors of Trips Not Fully Disclosed
Of the $16 million in privately-funded travel of Members of Congress (2000-Winter 2005) almost $8.8 million (55%) was from tax-exempt and other organizations who receive funds from others. The original donors to these organizations (and whether or not they earmarked funds for any of these trips) are not disclosed in the travel reports.
Many of these organizations are incorporated as non-profit 501c3 and 501c4 entities, which are not required to disclose their donors to the public in their IRS Form 990 reports. For example, the Aspen Institute is a 501c3 entity, and funded 344 trips for Democrats and 190 trips for Republicans. The Ripon Educational Fund is a 501(c4) entity, and funded 71 trips for Republicans and 3 trips for Democrats.
There is no legal prohibition to prevent a lobbyist from serving on the board of these organizations, and in some cases lobbyists may encourage a client to contribute to the non-profit. In some cases, serving on a non-profit's board permits the lobbyist to participate in the sponsored event or travel for Members of Congress.
In some cases, these organizations may be paying for travel to "educate" Members of Congress on certain issues or topics. For example, The Nuclear Energy Institute has paid for Members to travel and tour facilities in Paris, France, and Barcelona, Spain, and Rome, Italy, and Las Vegas, Nevada. The Institute files lobbying reports showing they usually spend over one million dollars a year. Even British Nuclear Fuels Ltd has paid for members to travel to its Sellafield nuclear site in England.
Turnberry Isle Resort & Club
To draw Members of Congress and to draw a membership to a meeting often requires a plush setting, nice weather, and of course free travel, meals, and other expenses. Very few reports list the name of the resort or club used for lodging, such as the Turnberry Isle Resort & Club in Aventura, FL., or the Hapuna Beach Hotel in Kona, Hawaii. See Top Destinations on right.
The remaining $7.3 million in privately funded travel comes primarily from corporations ($2 million), and $4 million from 501c6 trade associations, that may accept funds from member companies.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recent Travel Reports Now Available On-Line
The Privately Funded Congressional Travel Database covering 2000 to Winter 2005 is now available on-line and PoliticalMoneyLine will be updating it every two weeks. Members of Congress must file reports on gifts of privately funded travel within thirty days of their trip. Reports for March 2005 travel are still coming in.
Recent trips include a dozen Members traveling to Cancun, Mexico in February for an education conference sponsored by the Aspen Institute. Nine Members went to Paris, France in February for a US-German and US-French roundtable sponsored by the Int'l Management & Development Insistute and the French-American Foundation. Eleven Members went to Orlando, FL, in February for the national meeting of the American Assn of Railroads.
All the privately-fund travel data may be viewed from this page, but it has also been cross-referenced for quick referenced on each candidate's profile page.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Incomplete Reports
Some of the one-page Travel Disclosure reports filed by Members of Congress are not complete. Names of sponsoring organizations, dates of travel, amounts of travel costs, and the purpose of the trips are sometimes not reported. There appears to be no double-checking on the completeness or accuracy of the filings.
However, based on comparisons with other Members' trips on the same dates for the same purposes, does provide some clues to the missing data, especially destinations. Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee's $10,667 trip in April 2002 probably was to Botswana. Rep. Cal Dooley's $6,101 trip in November 2003 probably was to Costa Rica. Rep. Jeff Flake's $1,520 tip in September 2001 was probably to Cuba. Rep. Hilda Solis' $1,489 trip in February 2001 was probably to Mexico City. Rep. Chris John's $2,385 trip in November 2000 was probably to Orlando, FL. Sen. Conrad Burns' $2,396 trip in January 2002 was probably to Las Vegas, NV.
Over 127 reports listed no destinations (See Not Specified). Twenty reports listed no trip sponsor (See Not Specified). One hundred and six reports listed no costs figures. Fifty-one reports showed no purpose of the travel. Four reports did not show any dates of travel.
News reports indicate that several Members have just filed amended travel reports. These will appear in PoliticalMoneyLine's two week update. |
Like I said, they are scrambling to amend their reports before they get
found out!!!
Lots more info at this site.
_________________
“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” (Thomas Paine, 1776) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
