Ortiz's travel costs probed
By Rick Spruill
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
CORPUS CHRISTI — U.S. Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz, D-Corpus Christi, is among six congressmen under investigation for their use of daily stipend cash received while on taxpayer-funded trips overseas, according to a Wall Street Journal article published Tuesday.
Citing unnamed sources, the article said the investigation, a probe into whether certain House members have used per diem travel cash for personal expenses in violation of House rules, has been referred to the House Ethics Committee.
Jon Steinman, communications director for the Office of Congressional Ethics, would not comment on whether an investigation has officially been opened.
Investigators have questioned Ortiz, along with fellow Democrats Alcee Hastings of Florida and G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina and Republican Reps. Joe Wilson of South Carolina, Robert Aderholt of Alabama and Mark Souder of Indiana, according to the article.
When traveling overseas on approved business, House members are given cash to spend on meals, cab fare and other travel-related expenses. However, congressional rules governing whether travelers can spend the money for other purposes and whether they must return unspent money are unclear.
In March, Ortiz told the Journal he had never repaid per diem cash received while on overseas trips and was unaware of any rule requiring House members to do so.
“If that was the policy,” Ortiz said in the article, “you could never get many members traveling.”
Jose Borjon, communications director for Ortiz, responded to questions Tuesday regarding the investigation.
“Congressman Ortiz, like many members of Congress, has used a combination of personal and per diem funds to pay for appropriate travel-related expenses such as meals and local transportation,” Borjon said in a statement.
New House rules issued in May require members to spend all per diem on official expenses or return the unused portion. Borjon said the congressman intended to follow the new instructions.
In 2008, Ortiz reported $5,886 in per diem expenses for trips to Colombia, Greece, Singapore, Vietnam, Taiwan, France, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan and Germany.
In 2009, he reported $3,911.89 in per diem expenses for trips to Brazil, Argentina, Panama, Jordan, Algeria, Tunisia, Romania, Italy, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom, according to records filed with the clerk of the House of Representatives.
How much Ortiz spent and what he bought while on the trips was not reported.
Blake Farenthold, Ortiz’s Republican opponent in November’s congressional election, had a news conference Tuesday afternoon in response to the Journal report.
He called on Ortiz to publicly disclose the amount of money he has received for overseas travel and to return to the taxpayers what he has not spent.
