Ron Paul Flies First Class on Taxpayer's Dime

[Veritas]

Ron Paul wants big spending cuts as president, spends big on first-class travel in Congress

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has been spending large amounts on airfare as a congressman, flying first class on dozens of taxpayer-funded flights to his home state. The practice conflicts with the image that Paul portrays as the only presidential candidate serious about cutting federal spending.

Paul flew first class on at least 31 round-trip flights and 12 one-way flights since May 2009 when he was traveling between Washington and his district in Texas, according to a review by The Associated Press of his congressional office expenses. Four other round-trip tickets and two other one-way tickets purchased during the period were eligible for upgrades to first-class after they were bought, but those upgrades would not be documented in the expense records.

<snip>

Paul charged taxpayers nearly $52,000 on the more expensive tickets, or $27,621 more than the average Continental airfare for the flights between Washington and Houston, according to the AP’s review of his congressional expenses and average airfares compiled by the Department of Transportation.

 

[delldude]

Maybe he should have borrowed Pelosi's G4?

 

[tech2101]

Maybe he should have borrowed Pelosi's G4?

Really?

You know the deal with that. The Speaker of The House must travel per the Sercret Service direction.

You really want to drag that up? We covered that in depth back then.

I have no problem with Congressman Paul's travel. That article is a red herring. However, he of all people needs to be very careful when taking the high and mighty road. He simply did what all other government elite do when they travel...GSA city pair flights, fully refundable...= expensive.

 

[SparrowHawk]

Really?

You know the deal with that. The Speaker of The House must travel per the Sercret Service direction.

You really want to drag that up? We covered that in depth back then.

I have no problem with Congressman Paul's travel. That article is a red herring. However, he of all people needs to be very careful when taking the high and mighty road. He simply did what all other government elite do when they travel...GSA city pair flights, fully refundable...= expensive.

He is the ONLY US Congress Member who returns around 100K of his office allotment to the Treasury annually. He will NOT be taking his Congressional Pension.

The bad thing here IMO is that this story creates the Impression of Impropriety which as you've pointed out is a very sharp sword. You can also make the argument that a member of Congress needs the flexibility of a fully refundable fare.

Did Pelosi abuse her position as Speaker regarding air fares and Junkets? Yeah she probably did! More or less than Dr Paul who has NEVER gone on a political junket in his time in Congress? Yeah she did!

I'm OK with Pelosi flying as she did/does, same with Dr Paul. What concerns me is what's on the other end of these trips? More Crony Capitalism/Influence pedaling? A spouse & family? Intent makes a difference in my book.

 

[delldude]

Really?

You know the deal with that. The Speaker of The House must travel per the Sercret Service direction.

You really want to drag that up? We covered that in depth back then.

I have no problem with Congressman Paul's travel. That article is a red herring. However, he of all people needs to be very careful when taking the high and mighty road. He simply did what all other government elite do when they travel...GSA city pair flights, fully refundable...= expensive.

And Boehner flies commercial......Secret Service direct that?

 

[tech2101]

And Boehner flies commercial......Secret Service direct that?

Revive the thread and then you can go back and read ad nauseam the articles covering it.

Your memory is not that bad old dude. <_<

 

[delldude]

Revive the thread and then you can go back and read ad nauseam the articles covering it.

Your memory is not that bad old dude. <_<

Explain Boehner then......

 

[tom barry]

Explain Boehner then......

Sure !
All he does is CRY !