It's a now bit clearer why Congress was so pissed at corporate executives at bailed out institutions who used private jets to travel to their respective roasts. It wasn't because it was a misuse of taxpayer funds; it's because it was such a JV effort. During last year's financial meltdown, hundreds of lawmakers raided taxpayer coffers to the tune of $13 million for overseas travel. Among the critical issues that needed to be addressed in the midst of the crisis were:
-Senator Daniel Inouye's 4-day trip to the Paris airshow last June. He and 6 other senators hitched a ride on the Air Force's version of a Boeing 737- which runs about $5700/hour to operate.
-Rep. Brian Baird's 4-day trip last summer to the Galapagos Islands with his wife, four other lawmakers and their families. As everybody recalls, global warming was the real hot topic after Bear collapsed.
-And then there was Nancy Pelosi this year. Before spending 1 day in Afghanistan visiting US troops, the Pelosi entourage spent 8 days preparing for the journey to Kabul by touring Italy racking up $58k on hotels and meals alone.
Vik and Kenny take notice- the next time you have to appear in front of the taxpayer spending all-star team, at least do something like head to Washington via a 2-week stint in St. Barths under the guise of getting a feel for the Caribbean banking environment.
Congress's Travel Tab Swells [WSJ]
Posted by rollformer , Jul 02, 2009 10:34AM
Some animals are more equal than others.
Nothing to see here.
Posted by guest , Jul 02, 2009 10:37AM
ANUS
Posted by guest , Jul 02, 2009 10:37AM
$13mn? I literally p*$$ on that.
-J Thain
Posted by guest , Jul 02, 2009 10:39AM
Pelosi is a menace to society and should be locked up in Alcatraz.
She used a 1-day trip to "visit" troops in Afghanistan to take a 7-day trip to Italy with her staffers and their spouses.
Posted by guest , Jul 02, 2009 10:42AM
¡Greg el ano! Su madre es una puta. Ella tiene sexo con el burro.
Posted by guest , Jul 02, 2009 10:48AM
Fucking scumbags.
Posted by guest , Jul 02, 2009 10:49AM
If you read the article, it wasn't just Pelosi and her aides and family, it was seven other Democrats and all of their aides/families. Blanus can't even summarize an article without fucking it up.
Posted by guest , Jul 02, 2009 11:06AM
Politicians are the most two-faced pieces of crap.
Posted by guest , Jul 02, 2009 11:13AM
In case some of you missed it, here's a picture of Pelosi laying poolside in Italy.
http://www.elpais.com/fotogaleria/imagenes/censuradas/Berlusconi/6527-5/elpgal/
Posted by guest , Jul 02, 2009 11:23AM
Greg, you can't bleach half your anus. Its all or nothing, pal.
Posted by guest , Jul 02, 2009 12:08PM
So this is like all those senators that slammed clinton for wetting his cigars with that intern. Then later we find out all those senators had affairs themselves.
SOS, same old shit
Posted by guest , Jul 02, 2009 12:45PM
Too Greg, didn't read.
Posted by guest , Jul 02, 2009 12:54PM
that was kind of entertaining to read but im still gonna give you shit.
you suck, greg.
Posted by guest , Jul 02, 2009 1:17PM
!Numero Cinco por la victoria!