Hill article -- flogged by Drudge -- ignored millions in "taxpayer money" appropriated to House GOP leadership committees
SUMMARY: An article in The Hill -- promoted by the Drudge Report -- reported that "The House Democratic Caucus spent more than $500,000 in taxpayer money over the past five years for its annual retreats at resorts in Pennsylvania and Virginia" but failed to note that House Republican leadership committees are appropriated amounts of "taxpayer money" for salaries and expenses that are comparable to the amount given to their House Democratic counterparts. Nor did The Hill discuss how the House Republican leadership committees spend their "taxpayer money."
A February 3 article in The Hill, headlined "$500K spent on Dem caucus retreats" and promoted by the Drudge Report the following day, reported that "The House Democratic Caucus spent more than $500,000 in taxpayer money over the past five years for its annual retreats at resorts in Pennsylvania and Virginia." The article reported that "[t]he Congressional Institute, a nonprofit that pays for activities at least in part through dues from lobbyists, subsidizes the GOP retreat," but failed to note that House Republican leadership committees, including the Republican Steering Committee, the Republican Conference, and the Republican Policy Committee, are appropriated amounts of "taxpayer money" for salaries and expenses that are comparable to the amount given to their House Democratic counterparts. Further, The Hill article did not discuss how the House Republican leadership committees spend their "taxpayer money."
Pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008, the Republican Steering Committee received $943,000, the Republican Conference, $1,631,000, and the Republican Policy Committee, $325,000 -- for a total of $2,899,000 for fiscal year 2008. The Democratic Steering and Policy Committee and the Democratic Caucus also received a total of $2,899,000, with $1,295,000 going to the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee and $1,604,000 going to the Democratic Caucus. (No appropriations bill for legislative branch operations has been passed for fiscal year 2009; the legislative branch is being funded pursuant to a continuing resolution until March 3, 2009.)
From the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008:
HOUSE LEADERSHIP OFFICES
For salaries and expenses, as authorized by law, $24,048,000, including: Office of the Speaker, $4,761,000, including $25,000 for official expenses of the Speaker; Office of the Majority Floor Leader, $2,388,000, including $10,000 for official expenses of the Majority Leader; Office of the Minority Floor Leader, $4,290,000, including $10,000 for official expenses of the Minority Leader; Office of the Majority Whip, including the Chief Deputy Majority Whip, $1,894,000, including $5,000 for official expenses of the Majority Whip; Office of the Minority Whip, including the Chief Deputy Minority Whip, $1,420,000, including $5,000 for official expenses of the Minority Whip; Speaker's Office for Legislative Floor Activities, $499,000; Republican Steering Committee, $943,000; Republican Conference, $1,631,000; Republican Policy Committee, $325,000; Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, $1,295,000; Democratic Caucus, $1,604,000; nine minority employees, $1,498,000; training and program development--majority, $290,000; training and program development--minority, $290,000; Cloakroom Personnel--majority, $460,000; and Cloakroom Personnel--minority, $460,000.
The older I become, the more I'm convinced that the right wing has ADD. Its the only explanation that makes sense. Othetr than they are just evil.
Power, pure excessive corrupt power, is what they want. And are practically gleeful in their lies to perpetuate it. Pathetic.
You give them more credit than I do. I think they're greedy sociopaths.
Drudge, naturally, trumped it up by headlining that the Dems spent $500k in taxpayer $$. I think the article has hid at the end that the GOP retreat was also partially funded by lobbyists who also were given 1:1 access to the politicians. Much better than using taxpayer $$, right? Good grief.
this feigned outrage is refreshing to hear. Be careful of what storm is brewing on this one for i am sure republicans are like choir boys.
They would be really dumb to do so, they are so out on a limb themselves about this kind of stuff.
NO! There is a book called "Slavery by Another Name" by Douglas A. Blackmon! This white man explains why WHITE,RICH, GREEDY, MEN think that they are entitled to everything without qualification(I.E. putting a radio commentator in charge of their party--he has no formal training..not even a degree, and they pay him millions of dollars to spew his lies and racist venom!
Hey, they fear him...one politician groveled before him after speaking ill of this corpulent idiot! This Drudge Report is just following in a line of RWG Men, tell the populace what the other guy is doing wrong but they never mention their own indescetions. Limbaugh, on a daily basis, speaks to poor peoples needs, he is a millionaire, and he he tricks people of low information to listen to his vile thoughts !
and he could die any moment for for not taking care of his health. I could never figure out who gave him real power . that is usually reserved for those that actually do something, like run for office and win. Or pay a lot of money. Ouyr Constitution states all men are created equal. A sixty something rotund person telling 25 year olds how to think.Amazing.
Scary fact-- every mailman in my neighborhood walks around and does their route with Limbaugh blaring on a transistor radio. These are union guys.
must be the entertainment value.
Ouyr Constitution states all men are created equal
And us broads are even equaler....;-)
The headline is a pretty transparent republican hit piece...and the article is mostly slanted that way.
However, there is also a message concerning govt. largesse during a troubled economy.
-- both Republicans and Democrats would have been better served by having their retreat locally...It would have been really good PR for both sides to stay home and bring a box lunch -- Common Cause’s Sarah Dufendach in The Hill article