Looks like Wexler was taking trips sponsored by Center for Middle East Peace & Economic Cooperation and Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association about the same time period as when Rahm was hauling in the big bucks.
//
(no link)
WEXLER LEADS PEERS IN GLOBAL TRAVEL
Palm Beach Post, The (FL) - Friday, June 18, 2004
Author: VANESSA MALTIN, Palm Beach Post Washington Bureau
Rep. Robert Wexler, a Democrat from Delray Beach, led local lawmakers in international travel paid for by outside groups last year, according to their annual financial disclosures.
Wexler, a senior member of the House International Relations Committee, reported taking two trips to Germany and one to Taiwan. They were paid for by the International Management and Development Institute, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung - a nonprofit institution that promotes the values of social democracy - and the Chinese International Economic Cooperation Association .
In addition to his congressional salary, Wexler reported assets of between $1,000 and $15,000 and no liabilities. The assets and liabilities do not include properties that are not income-generating.
(snip)
FWIW:
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2009/10/wexler_obama_israel_policy.php
But for someone who went so far out on a limb to vouch for Obama, maybe Wexler felt betrayed.
Back in June I wrote about how Wexler was trying to broker a better relationship between Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But in order to do so, Wexler needed to demonstrate to his friends in Israel that he could get Obama to soften his stance on freezing settlements. Maybe his efforts had some effect on convincing the administration to move in that direction, but friction remains between Obama and Netanyahu. The Noble Prize hasn’t changed much.
It may be telling, too, that the Obama administration did not move to appoint Wexler as the U.S. ambassador to Israel, despite that position being manned by a holdover from the Bush administration.
//
http://washingtonindependent.com/63700/what-is-wexler-thinking
The move perplexes Mideast-peace watchers. Wexler is young — he was born in 1961 — a favorite of progressives, and not in any electoral danger. Laura Rozen reports that he has children he needs to put through school, and the Center was founded by a Slim-Fast tycoon. But it still seems like a strange choice: it’s described as a shell of its former self, and doesn’t have much policy influence.
Still, some peace-process observers are theorizing that Wexler, with his strong ties to both the Jewish community, the Israelis and the Obama administration, might be part of an inside-outside game by the administration. Wexler, who earlier this month implored the Obama administration to spend more time reaching out to an Israeli public that is quickly souring on him for demanding a settlement freeze in the West Bank, might be able to vouch for Obama to the Israelis and pass messages as a back channel. The Center’s strategic adviser is Avi Gil, a longtime adviser to Israeli President Shimon Peres. And with Wexler’s ability to raise money and solid connections to Israel, the theory goes, he’s well-positioned to help Obama with a constituency the president will need for his peacemaking efforts that’s slipping away. “Wexler’s a great guy to make the case to the Israelis about why an Obama led peace effort is good for them,” said one Israel lobbyist who preferred not to speak on the record ahead of Wexler’s 10 a.m. Florida press conference. Could the Center be a platform for that effort? “I’m sure they could,” as its remaining staffers are “very well-connected.”
Still, that’s just a theory. There hasn’t been a hint of a scandal so far, but the day’s very young.
//
Check out the comments:
Trips Approved 105 $424,700
Trips Taken 20 $174,004
Top Staff Traveler 14 $50,741 - Jonathan D Katz
Interesting that Wexler himself has not taken any tris since 2005 (But his staff has made up for it)
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
07/03/05-07/08/05 CASI Foundation for Children Beijing, China - Nanjing, China - ... more
Educational; fact-finding $5,914.06
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
03/21/05-03/24/05 Museum of the History of Polish Jews Krakow, Poland - Warsaw, Poland
Fact-finding $7,250.85
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
11/06/04-11/12/04 American Jewish Committee Amman, Jordan - Tel Aviv, Israel
Educational seminar in Jordan and Israel $6,461.75
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
04/13/04-04/19/04 International Management and Development Institute Budapest, Hungary - Vienna, Austria - ... more
Meetings with government officials $3,787.72
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
11/08/03-11/11/03 Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Berlin, Germany
Fact-finding, educational $4,571.55
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
02/18/03-02/21/03 International Management and Development Institute Cologne, Germany
U.S.-Germany roundtable $7,362.39
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
01/15/03-01/17/03 Chinese International Economic Cooperative Association Taiwan
Fact-finding $6,539.00
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
06/28/02-07/03/02 Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation Cairo, Egypt - Tel Aviv, Israel - ... more
Fact-finding; meeting with officials $11,991.33
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
05/26/02-05/31/02 Jewish Congress of Kazakhstan Kazakhstan
Meeting with government officials; fact-finding $29,950.72
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
03/03/02-03/08/02 Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation Saudi Arabia - Jordan - ... more
Fact-finding-meetings with government officials $7,772.79
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
02/14/02-02/22/02 ITKIB Association USA Ankara, Turkey - Istanbul, Turkey
Fact-finding trip - Caucus on U.S.-Turkish Relations $13,616.66
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
01/05/02-01/09/02 Confederation of Indian Industry New Delhi, India
Fact-finding $6,221.68
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
12/17/01-12/21/01 Chinese National Association of Industry and Commerce Taiwan
Fact-finding and educational visit $4,786.00
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
11/25/01-11/29/01 Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation Tel Aviv, Israel
Fact-finding $8,419.05
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
10/04/01-10/07/01 Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation Saudi Arabia - Bahrain
Fact-finding $10,517.17
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
05/30/01-06/05/01 Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEIK) - U.S.-Turkish Business Council Turkey
Fact-finding $11,915.00
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
03/09/01-03/11/01 Aspen Institute White Sulphur Springs, WV
Educational and fact-finding $950.00
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
02/17/01-02/22/01 Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation Tel Aviv, Israel - Amman, Jordan - ... more
Fact-finding $8,408.27
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
06/01/00-06/05/00 International Coalition for Missing Israeli Soldiers Israel
Fact-finding and speaking engagement $3,160.00
Wexler, Rep. Robert (-FL)
01/10/00-01/17/00 Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation Morocco - United Arab Emirates - ... more
Education/meeting with government officials $14,408