Posted on 05/13/2006 3:14:52 AM PDT by ProCivitas
Mass. pols get a free ride: Firms foot bill for exotic trips By Dave Wedge Saturday, May 13, 2006 - Updated: 12:06 AM EST
Congress’ crackdown on lobbyist gifts and junkets hasn’t clipped the wings of several members of the Bay State delegation and their staffs, who flew free of charge this year on several purported business trips paid for by special-interest groups, a Herald review found.
These groups have shelled out nearly $17,000 this year to shuttle Bay State lawmakers, their wives and aides to meetings in vacation hot spots such as Fort Lauderdale, San Diego and a beachfront resort in Mexico, according to congressional travel documents.
News of the lawmakers’ junkets comes as Congress scrutinizes special interest and lobbyist gifts in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal. Abramoff, a Brandeis graduate, has pleaded guilty to fraud and bribery after showering Washington lawmakers with gifts including trips and meals. All of the trips taken by the Bay State lawmakers were reported in gift and travel filings required under Congress’ ethics rules.
Rep. Edward Markey (D-Malden) landed the sweetest deal, escaping the January cold with his wife, Dr. Susan Blumenthal, to a resort in Punta Mita, Mexico. The nonprofit Aspen Institute footed the $7,800 ...
Several other members of Congress and their spouses made ...
... Rep. Barney Frank (D-Newton) has taken three special-interest-funded junkets this year, including a four-day trip in February to Los Angeles paid for by the Retirement Housing Foundation and a two-day jaunt to Philadelphia funded by the National Constitutional Center. Frank also traveled to Fort Lauderdale for two days last month, courtesy of the Family Pride Coalition. The group is a nonprofit group of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender parents and families....
(Excerpt) Read more at news.BostonHerald.com ...
Howie better have this on Monday afternoon's show.
Maybe Howie needs to make up a new set of magnets for the Mass pols on the take.
Washington politics or an episode of the Sopranos..
They should probably pass a rule requiring politicians to wear a sash with badges for every special interest group that they let pay for some kind of perk.
This sash would be required for wearing, and any politician who fails to display all of their badges three times must resign and give up their pension.
It would be a hoot to see which legislators have the most badges. If they can't be proud enough to wear badges proclaiming who they accept perks from, then they shouldn't accept them.
The problem with most of the current rules regulating political donations and campaign fund raising is that the rules only allow politicians to disguise who and where they get their support from. Making them wear the support they accept on a sash, and make them wear the sash might help clean up politics a little bit.
Something like the 'corrupt pol' magnets would be a good idea. Let's call in and suggest it to Howie.
"Something like the 'corrupt pol' magnets would be a good idea. Let's call in and suggest it to Howie."
Absolutely! I'll try to give a call on Monday on the way home from work. Why he could have a series of them ... "collect them all kids!".
I'm gonna send in a self addressed stamped envolope to him for the "Bum Magnet" with Fat Boy and his runt Patches. Maybe some Whitey magnets also.
Howie is great for the ride home.
"Washington politics or an episode of the Sopranos.."
No, this is Boston politics and the radio guy Howie Carr I'm talking about ... good stuff.
Rather than sashes make them wear clown suits including those big floppy shoes.
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