MORE “TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY” FROM THE GOP …
“Republicans” in the U.S. House of Representatives have quietly removed a key travel disclosure requirement – making it harder for citizens, reporters and watchdog groups to find out who is subsidizing their free junkets around the globe.
Last year lawmakers received more than $6 million worth of free travel – enough to cover almost 2,000 trips.
Until recently, lawmakers were required to report these trips on annual financial disclosure forms – but a closed-door decision by the U.S. House Ethics Committee has done away with this requirement. So much for transparency and accountability, right?
According to reporter Shane Goldmacher of National Journal , the decision to scrap the reporting requirement “reverses more than three decades of precedent” and comes at a time when lawmakers are receiving “more free trips than in any year since the influence-peddling scandal that sent lobbyist Jack Abramoff to prison.”
“Lawmakers are often invited to bring along their husbands or wives, fly in business class, and stay in plush four-star hotels,” Goldmacher reported this week. “In the wake of the Abramoff scandal, lobbyists were banned from organizing or paying for these travels. But some of the nonprofits underwriting them today have extremely close ties to lobbying groups, including sharing staff, money, and offices.”
How cozy … all of it.
The House Ethics committee is led by Mike Conaway, a fifth-term “Republican” from Texas.
According to the rule change promulgated by his committee, lawmakers will now file travel gifts separately with the clerks of their respective chambers – which removes independent oversight of these filings and unnecessarily limits public access.
Bad, bad move …
22 comments
Just following Ohaley’s lead.
They will not be able to remember how they flew and will probably end up in Argentina.
Like Obama $6 million in travel for 2000 trips! They, just like O are golfing and traveling, more than working. What a bunch of SHEISTERS!!
I guess the members of the house are trying to lower their approval rating to single digit.
They’ve got a double digit approval rating from me, both middle fingers.
TOUCHE!!!!!!!!!!!
Why should we suspect otherwise. Cockroaches fear the light.
True Tom, but infestations occur when cockroaches are not exterminated. If you let the infestation go untreated, eventually the light doesn’t even bother them….they are happy to be seen in broad daylight!
Time to pack the party bus to Argentina!
B-b-b-but Tango said them Democrat liberals FEED THEIR GREED. Lol…
Just saw Haley announcing that a great day isn’t just for South Carolina!
Yet Obama F*#ks you imbeciles in BROAD Daylight, and half you ignorant Motherf*#kers are claiming the economy is booming, and the country is in great shape.
Until FITS and his @$$-Kissers come clean about your lord-god, I don’t really give a $#!* about all the little Boz-FITS conspiracy theories you Nutjobs claim are the end of the world…
Disclose these trips or not. They are not going to stop. And it’s legal. You’re whining about a wart, when there’s a F*#king Tumor growing out of your ugly face. You are Dumb@$$ personified.
ahahahaha!
So something is only wrong or unethical if a Democrat does it. It is always on the up and up if a Republican does it?
Did I miss anything?
I’m paying $1,500 more a year in gasoline and $1,500 more a year for utilities under Obama. My healthcare costs recently skyrocketed (nothing is covered, and the deductible doubled and the premium is up 30%.) And the number of contracts I get are down 33% since Obama got elected.
So F*#k you an this “Drop in the bucket – business as usual” expose for, simple-minded, paranoid Dumb@$$#$. You area F*#king IDIOT to worry about something that will cost not a penny more..while the D*#k you Suck, has @$$-raped every American, except the ones who choose not to participate in work. Did I mention you’re a F*#king imbecile?
You and Grandma still driving that old Benz? I thought that Medicaid was workin’ well fer ya! ;)
Emily if you start working the corners on Two Notch you might be able to pay for your gas and utilities.
What kind of contracts does Emily get?
You’re paying $1,500 more for gas? I’m paying about the same – actually a little less than what I paid the summer before he got elected. Think my electric is about teh same – well actually less with a new AC. Maybe it’s not Obama – maybe it’s your failure to maintain your car and AC. Why do you blame others for your inabilitity to maintain your AC?
Not at all, Vic! GT is a idiot. He had a hissy fit because Graham took big money and won the primary, but he’s stated that the Kochs had every right to give their money when guys like Walker were runnng.
Emily do you kiss your mother with that mouth?
Give us names so we can turn lights on the roaches wan watch them scurry.
And they wonder why Americans hold them in such contempt.
Whores.
Did Fox rport this? How about Hannity or O’Reily?