U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson – the over-caffeinated RINO who yelled “You Lie” at Barack Obama during a presidential address to the U.S. Congress last year – is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for misappropriating money that was provided to him for travel expenses.
The investigation stems from a report in The Wall Street Journal that we brought to your attention back in March. That report revealed that there is no system in place for tracking the tens of thousands of dollars that U.S. lawmakers receive each year (in cash) for food and lodging costs whenever they travel on one of their many overseas junkets.
This money – which lawmakers are required to return if they don’t spend (something they almost never do) – is chump change compared to the trillion-dollar deficits that these politicians have rung up over the past decade, but it is yet another example of how they treat our tax dollars. Also, the tab is growing as Congressional travel has increased ten-fold over the past fifteen years.
For his part, Wilson admits purchasing six goblets in Afghanistan for less than $2 apiece and giving them to veterans of the Afghan War as tokens of his appreciation. Wilson spokeswoman Pepper Pennington (yes, that’s her real name) said that investigating such a small amount of money “does not reflect the priorities of the American people.”
Wait … “Pepper?”
Seriously? This girl’s name is “Pepper?”
For real?
Anyway, while we agree that investigating someone for $12 seems ridiculous, if Wilson broke the law then he should suffer the consequences.
More importantly, we would humbly assert that given his record of contempt for the American taxpayers over the past decade, he deserves whatever he gets.
By crackahasscrackah September 1, 2010 at 2:55 pm
And of course it only Wilson’s office that says this about $12.00. The House Ethics Committee does not comment on these things so Pepper can characterize it however she wants to without fear of contradiction. But, when reporters asked her to specifically confirm that it is only this purchase and this “fact finding trip” that were being investigated, she wisely provided a non-responsive response.
By fitsnews September 1, 2010 at 3:18 pm
Crackah,
“Pepper” + wisely … we don’t see it but okay.
-FITS
By exyank September 1, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Poor ole Joe . . . If he could only join the CBC, he could give away scholarships to his grandurchins with no investigation or penalty.
By sick of your sikh denial September 1, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Forget that It’s $12.00 Misappropriation is flat wrong. Would Bernie Madoff’s crime be any less if he had only stolen $10,000? Using tax payers money for gifts is an important issue, and most likely the tip of the iceberg.
By eb September 1, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Congress should make Joe Wilson pay back the twelve dollars, slap his hand, and put a letter in his personnel folder.
Then they should call Mr. Clyburn in and make him pay back the 50 million that went unaccounted down at the Transportation Center at SC State.
The problem is both sides are stealing us blind; some more than others.
“…investigating such a small amount of money “does not reflect the priorities of the American people.”
They lose touch quickly, do they not. Get Wilson’s twelve dollars and then go after every one else who owes as much as one dollar.
By jimbo September 1, 2010 at 4:37 pm
I once stole a pack of Post-it notes from my office for personal use.
Not sure why, but something about this story just made me want to confess that.
By Alphonse September 1, 2010 at 5:04 pm
I read this story while walking across the Clyburn bridge on 277.
By eb September 1, 2010 at 6:28 pm
The “Clyburn Bridge” is the “bridge to nowhere,” isn’t it?
By Henry Deas September 1, 2010 at 8:07 pm
Wilson is an embarrassment. What was he doing overseas anyway? I hope the FBI investigates further and goes right up his shirt sleeves.
By eggaday September 1, 2010 at 9:03 pm
somehow, I believe the story is a cover. Joe ain’t clean, he’s tainted.
By Cancerman September 1, 2010 at 9:08 pm
Joe means jobs,, just not for anyone but people he knows.
By south mauldin September 1, 2010 at 9:43 pm
I despise Joe Wilson, his wife and that stupid piece of shit son of his that couldn’t pass the bar but will be elected Atty General by the idiots in this state who are swayed by the likes of Palin.
Having said that, this is a non story. $12?? Give me a break. I would say the same if it was a Democrat as well. $12??? Please.
By Chuck September 2, 2010 at 12:09 am
I just have to ask- how much of the taxpayer money is being put towards this investigation?? My guess is that it’s more than $12… Get real people.
By Susan September 2, 2010 at 12:11 am
This is the biggest example of a witch hunt that I have ever seen. Everyone knows that this allegation is absurd. $12 is hardly worth an investigation IMHO. Keep digging liberals- this just shows SC voters how desperate you are………
By Tyler September 2, 2010 at 12:14 am
Is everyone here aware of the fact that Joe’s opponent, Rob Miller, accepted over $370,000 in campaign funds from moveon.org? This organization is extremely anti-American and blasts our war hero Gen. Petraeus all the time. This is a bigger deal than $12 don’t ya think??
By bimbo September 2, 2010 at 12:15 am
southmauldin = gay professor
By Jennifer September 2, 2010 at 12:16 am
First of all, Joe spent his own money on those tiny goblets. Secondly, he gave them to Afghan veterans and their families. Someone PLEASE tell me why he is being investigated here!
By Alfonzo September 2, 2010 at 12:19 am
Why is the author of this article jumping to the conclusion that Joe broke the law here? And why does he assert that Joe has a “record of contempt for the American taxpayers over the past decade”? Can you back this up pls???
By Old Bike Dude September 2, 2010 at 7:33 am
Joe says it about $2 goblets. The ethics committee has made no comment. I heard $2 Goblet was the nickname of his 14th Street male escort.
By Joey September 2, 2010 at 7:49 am
While walking across the Clyburn bridge did you notice all of the people playing Frogger below you? Even in rush hour traffic within 200 feet of the bridge there are those that still refuse to use it. The next solution is electric fences along 277. But likely Clyburn will just set up a shuttle bus service paid for by the taxpayers from one side to the other.
By Joey September 2, 2010 at 7:53 am
This $12 witch hunt is just bogus. It went to our TROOPS! THE END! They make like $20k/year. Let them have a $2 Afghan goblet at my expense.
There are more financially pressing issues at hand. Like why the state department sent the imam in charge of the mosque near Ground Zero on a taxpayer-funded trip to Dubai in order to rally Muslim support in the Middle East.
By fitsnews September 2, 2010 at 7:55 am
Alfonzo,
During the Bush years Joe Wilson was a loyal vote for big government, from prescription drug expansion right up to the TARP vote.
He is opposing bailouts now that a Democrat is in office for partisan – not ideological reasons.
-FITS
By eggaday September 2, 2010 at 8:39 am
i still think Joe got caught doing something else, really really bad. that is why the Ethics Commission acts. most of the time, we the people, do not get the REAL story.
joe is tainted. joe lies.
By Jerry September 2, 2010 at 8:47 am
I do not like the man or his politics so I am not going to comment.
By Jon September 2, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Joe is an ass, a couthless ass who hasn’t the respect nor the right to be in office. BUT, you people put him there and I wish you would get him and the rest of the pundits of malfeasence out so I could rest a little easier with both mine and my wife’s parents living in SC.
By /b/ September 2, 2010 at 9:50 pm
“There are more financially pressing issues at hand. Like why the state department sent the imam in charge of the mosque near Ground Zero on a taxpayer-funded trip to Dubai in order to rally Muslim support in the Middle East.”
Or why the fellow Fox News vilifies for funding the mosque also OWNS 7 PERCENT OF FOX. NAMING Alwaleed bin Talal would be inconvenient, so John Stewart did it for them.
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-august-23-2010/the-parent-company-trap
Who, by the way, do we expect to rally Muslim clients? We can’t send Bible Thumpers for that job, as ragheads are their mortal enemies. We need someone whose superstition is compatible.
By Soft Sigh from Hell September 4, 2010 at 8:28 am
Floyd Spence wasn’t a posturing clown. Wouldn’t you think that even GOPer goobers in Lexington County and the farther hinterlands of the district would like a presentable face to represent them? Aren’t civilized Beaufort and educated Hilton Head Island in that district?
By crackahasscrackah September 4, 2010 at 12:05 pm
@southmauldin: you got played, dude. The investigation or Joe Wilson by the bipartisan Ethics Committee has nothing to do with $12 goblets. The media only reported it that way because Joe Wilson said that was what it was about. BUT, Joe Wilson is a(wait for it) . . . LIAR.
It AMAZES me that Joe thought he could take about $12.00 goblets and snowball the media for more than 48 hours. Where does he think he is . . . the SC Senate? If he were still just an anonymous, ineffective backbencher then maybe he could have kept a low profile throughout this investigation (as the other 4 congressmen – 3 Democrats and another Republican – are more or less doing). BUT – Joe is a WELL-KNOWN, ineffective backbencher who just got caught in a lie. And why is Joe so well-known? Because of his obnoxious truckerspeedfreak rant on national TV. Bottom-line: this Ethics Committee anal probing couldn’t have happened to a more deserving asshole.
By Rent review advisor August 10, 2011 at 3:32 am
I can truly state that I didn’t get it.