Tue 31 Aug 2010
Always Fly First Class
Posted by Sean Higgins under Hammockonomics , Rank hypocrisy , Stupid, stupid people , Swamp cityNo Comments
The Wall Street Journal has an article up today about how the Congressional Ethics Office is investigating six lawmakers for abusing their taxpayer-provided per diems for overseas travel. The funds are meant to cover travel-related expenses such as meals and cab rides, but lawmakers apparently regularly spend them the money on unrelated items, or simply pocket the extra cash, which can easily exceed one grand:
Some lawmakers said it has been a longstanding custom of lawmakers in both parties to keep any extra money. If lawmakers weren’t allowed to keep leftover travel funds, “you could never get many members traveling,” said Mr. Ortiz, the Texas Democrat, in an interview earlier this year.
Well, said, Mr. Ortiz. Well said.
In the grander scheme of how much money Congress regularly pisses away, the amounts were talking about here are not even a rounding error. But it is infuriating nonetheless. It is this kind of petty corruption that makes bigger things possible. I mean, if everyone tossing about money like that, why not spend more and more?
