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10 members of Congress took trip secretly funded by foreign government

JANFU

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10 members of Congress took trip secretly funded by foreign government - The Washington Post

The state-owned oil company of Azerbaijan secretly funded an all-expenses-paid trip to a conference at Baku on the Caspian Sea in 2013 for 10 members of Congress and 32 staff members, according to a confidential ethics report obtained by The Washington Post. Three former top aides to President Obama appeared as speakers at the conference.

Lawmakers and their staff members received hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of travel expenses, silk scarves, crystal tea sets and Azerbaijani rugs valued at $2,500 to $10,000, according to the ethics report. Airfare for the lawmakers and some of their spouses cost $112,899, travel invoices show.

From my perspective political corruption in the US is rampant.
Your thoughts are?
 
We really do have the best government money can buy...

"The lawmakers who took the trip were Reps. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.), Yvette D. Clarke (D-N.Y.), Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.), Rubén Hinojosa (D-Tex.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tex.), Leonard Lance (R-N.J.), Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), Gregory W. Meeks (D-N.Y.), Ted Poe (R-Tex.) and then-Rep. Steve Stockman (R-Tex.).

Clarke is a member of the Ethics Committee."
 
10 members of Congress took trip secretly funded by foreign government - The Washington Post



From my perspective political corruption in the US is rampant.
Your thoughts are?

Did they invite Sheila Jackson-Lee so they could laugh at her? I really hope she didn't try to convince them that the United States was over 400 years old.

The State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic, known as SOCAR, allegedly funneled $750,000 through nonprofit corporations based in the United States to conceal the source of the funding for the conference in the former Soviet nation, according to the 70-page report by the Office of Congressional Ethics, an independent investigative arm of the House

Neat.
 
So our government is once again being bribed. This really isnt anything new.
 
10 members of Congress took trip secretly funded by foreign government - The Washington Post



From my perspective political corruption in the US is rampant.
Your thoughts are?

Not only is political corruption rampant but half the damned country wants MORE government.

I am TOTALLY convinced that the majority of elected officials on both sides of the aisle make their decisions based on:

1) What is most likely to preserve their position in government
2) What is most likely to benefit them personally
3) Who will be impressed with them if they make a given decision

Doing what is ethical and/or best for the preservation of liberty is a distant 45th or so on the list.
 
10 members of Congress took trip secretly funded by foreign government - The Washington Post

a lot more. The ruling class does what it damn well pleases.



From my perspective political corruption in the US is rampant.
Your thoughts are?

This is a not a partisan issue. However, I predict partisans of both parties will try to make it one. Beyond that, sadly, it doesn't really matter because partisans voted these sumbitches into office and partisans will keep them there. The worst part is Congress knows all too bloody well that they can get away with it and can and will get away with a lot more. The ruling class does what it damn well pleases.
 
This is a not a partisan issue. However, I predict partisans of both parties will try to make it one. Beyond that, sadly, it doesn't really matter because partisans voted these sumbitches into office and partisans will keep them there. The worst part is Congress knows all too bloody well that they can get away with it and can and will get away with a lot more. The ruling class does what it damn well pleases.

No, it's not a partisan issue. The purchase of US Congresscritters appears to have been bi partisan.

Hey! It's something that the parties seem to agree on! They both agree that bribery by foreign special interests is A- OK!
 
This is a not a partisan issue. However, I predict partisans of both parties will try to make it one. Beyond that, sadly, it doesn't really matter because partisans voted these sumbitches into office and partisans will keep them there. The worst part is Congress knows all too bloody well that they can get away with it and can and will get away with a lot more. The ruling class does what it damn well pleases.

It looks like it was bi-partisan corruption. Can we actually bust some chops this time.
 
It looks like it was bi-partisan corruption. Can we actually bust some chops this time.

Never happen. The people would have to demand it - and they never do. Congress knows this and acts accordingly.
 
It looks like it was bi-partisan corruption. Can we actually bust some chops this time.

We could, if only the voters in their districts would sit up and take notice. Unfortunately, Risky Thicket is most likely right.
 
It looks like it was bi-partisan corruption. Can we actually bust some chops this time.



Maybe so, but those "chops" better not be Kosher:

“Israel #1 Free Congressional Destination”
Israel #1 Free Congressional Destination | The Jewish Week

EXCERPT “In all, the Members of Congress and their staffers took 1,887 free trips last year for a total cost of nearly $6 million, more than in any year since reforms took effect in 2008 following the Jack Abramoff influence peddling scandal.*

The pre-Abramoff record was reached in 2003-2005 when there were more than 4,000 annual trips at an average annual cost of about $10 million, according to LegiStorm and National Journal.”CONTINUED


Bi-Partinship is indeed, alive & well on one issue only......the "Elephant in the Room"



Thanks
 
Never happen. The people would have to demand it - and they never do. Congress knows this and acts accordingly.

I know man, This is to my constant complaint of patronizing voters. It's beyond me the power of party loyalty that trumps everything.
 
Join the Navy and see the world.
Get elected to Congress, and see the world in style!
 
Maybe so, but those "chops" better not be Kosher:

“Israel #1 Free Congressional Destination”
Israel #1 Free Congressional Destination | The Jewish Week

EXCERPT “In all, the Members of Congress and their staffers took 1,887 free trips last year for a total cost of nearly $6 million, more than in any year since reforms took effect in 2008 following the Jack Abramoff influence peddling scandal.*

The pre-Abramoff record was reached in 2003-2005 when there were more than 4,000 annual trips at an average annual cost of about $10 million, according to LegiStorm and National Journal.”CONTINUED


Bi-Partinship is indeed, alive & well on one issue only......the "Elephant in the Room"



Thanks

Wow! New York Jews bringing this to our attention! Thanks for that link B'Smith
 
Honestly...pretty much nothing surprises me at this point when it comes to money and politics.

I thought that I might get some blow back on what my perspective is from up here in Canada.
AKA know as the greatest country in the world.
But back on topic.
We have lots of corruption here.
But it appears to be a regular in US news with politicians charged down south.
 
We could, if only the voters in their districts would sit up and take notice. Unfortunately, Risky Thicket is most likely right.


I frankly believe that most people do not care about the corruption in politics. As long as they believe the government official in question has the most to offer them personally they could care less about anything else. I guess this really shouldn't surprise anyone since most people in general are corrupt and are only honest to a point. Once personal gain becomes lucrative enough almost all will throw honesty and integrity to the wind.
 
I frankly believe that most people do not care about the corruption in politics. As long as they believe the government official in question has the most to offer them personally they could care less about anything else. I guess this really shouldn't surprise anyone since most people in general are corrupt and are only honest to a point. Once personal gain becomes lucrative enough almost all will throw honesty and integrity to the wind.

Your point certainly has merit but we can't concede that with the government, the stakes are too high.
 
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