For Paul, travel to home state has been largely first class 2012/01/24 at 5:37 pm
Paul, whose distrust of big government is the centerpiece of his presidential campaign, uses the more expensive government rate for Continental Airlines when buying his tickets. Paul chose not to buy the cheaper economy tickets at a fraction of the price because they aren’t refundable or as flexible for scheduling, his congressional staff said.
“We always get him full refundable tickets since the congressional schedule sometimes changes quickly,” said Jeff Deist, Paul’s chief of staff. Paul might have to pay out of his own pocket for canceled flights in some cases if he didn’t buy refundable tickets, Deist said.
But records show that most of the flights for Paul were purchased well in advance and few schedule changes were necessary. Nearly two-thirds of the 49 tickets were purchased at least two weeks in advance, and 42 percent were bought at least three weeks in advance, according to the AP’s review.
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.
Congressional members do not have to pay the government rate for travel, but most do, including many like Paul who advocate cuts in federal spending.
“You could almost always beat the government rate,” said Steve Ellis, vice president of the Washington-based Taxpayers for Common Sense, a federal budget watchdog group. “They need to be walking the walk.”
Jesse Benton, Paul’s campaign manager, did not respond to a written request to explain how Paul’s use of more expensive airfare corresponds with his commitment to cut federal spending. Instead, he sent a statement that stated, “No one is more committed to cutting spending than Dr. Paul.”
Republicans frustrated as House returns to work
WASHINGTON – The House returns today for a session certain to be driven by election-year politics and fierce fights over the size and scope of government.
The holidays and three weeks away from the Capitol have tempered some of the Republican anger over the showdown over the Social Security payroll tax cut and the year-end political debacle. But emotions are still raw for several GOP lawmakers. Their grievances probably will be aired at a House GOP retreat in Baltimore this week.
Republicans who lifted the GOP to the House majority in the 2010 elections emerged from their first year frustrated by the limitations of divided government.
They remain doubtful about accomplishing anything more in this election year beyond the must-do spending bills and a yearlong extension of the Social Security tax cuts and unemployment benefits.
Associated Press