Posted on 05/02/2005 10:14:27 AM PDT by ArmyBratproud
Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) Had Lobbyists pay for Trip Mon May 02 2005 09:40:10 ET
The controversy over lobbyist-funded Congressional travel has brushed yet another Member. Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) took a five-day jaunt to Miami in February. The original travel disclosure Dicks’ office filed with the House Clerk listed the sponsor as the Spectrum Group, a defense lobbying firm in Alexandria, Va.
That would be a violation of House Rules, ROLL CALL reports on Monday.
And in recent days, Dicks’ office has appended two “corrections” to its initial filing.
The upshot is that Dicks, who sits on the House Appropriations subcommittee on Defense and the Homeland Security panel, has decided to pick up the tab.
That response is not satisfactory to one leading ethics watchdog.
“Reimbursing a lobbyist is not an acceptable option,” said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “It’s the concept that everybody does it — but that isn’t an excuse.”
Lobbyists and lobbying firms are prohibited from funding Congressional travel for Members or staff, even if they later get reimbursed by an entity that is allowed to pay, such as lobbyists’ clients, including corporations and trade associations.
On April 27, Dicks’ press secretary, George Behan, said that Dicks had filed an amended travel report that changed the name of the trip’s sponsor from Spectrum to Raydon Corp., a Dayton Beach, Fla.-based client of Spectrum that makes military training simulators.
Gregory Sharp, president of the Spectrum Group, did not return multiple phone calls last week. A Raydon spokesman said he would look into the trip but did not follow up.
On April 27, Behan also said that one of Dicks’ staffers made the change “when she saw the reimbursement come in from Raydon.”
But he later contradicted that.
Developing...
So the dude changes the reports.....would that not be a cover up?????
Nothing to do with the story, but if I had his last name, I'd change it.
PING!
Whoops - just a little mistake. And the efforts to amend had nothing to do with GOP investigators poking around DEM travel records...
Those Demorat rascals never seem to think the blamethrowers they weild will ever be turned back upon them.
Well well well. I wonder if this will be in WORLD NEWS TONIGHT? I'm not holding my breath!
In a related story, it's reported that Ted Kennedy has amended certain travel reports dating back to the early 70's which were paid junketts courtesy of General Motors Oldsmobile boat division. He originally claimed he was using the company's prototype amphibious Oldsmobiles, only to later discover they were just ordinary land use restricted Oldsmobiles and were not considered of value in the offshore communities of Mass.
For a Republican, yes. For Democrat Dicks, it is a bookkeeping entry of exquisite honesty that goes beyond mere compliance with the law; a charitable donation; an act of kindness and compassion; and last but not least, the basis for a future Hollywood epic film about a Democrat citizen-hero in Congress.
I learned this from a Press Release from Dicks's office.
Is this is the Dicks of Dicks and Cox report fame?
Well .. evidently there was a slew of people - especially democrats - who rushed to file paperwork to amend their previous statements.
This isn't about Tom Delay! Why would anyone in the media be interested if it's not Tom?
No .. because Democrats are allowed to do what ever the hell the want
Just ask Botox Nancy & Searchlight Harry
House banking scandal all over again!!!
yeah....its odd that they can do that.
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