- Three military jets at $9,900 per hour - $168,000 just in flight time.
- Dozens flew commercial at up to $2,000 each.
(CBS) - 321 hotel nights booked - the bulk at Copenhagen's five-star Marriott.
- Meals add tens of thousands more.
The Place Where Ludington Talks
Our Tax Dollars At Work... Or Not
It would be safe to say that seeing this sort of stuff just makes me sick. They want us to take the jobs they are doing seriously in Washington but they end up doing this sort of stuff on our dime. You'd like to think that they would figure out that they need to stop going on these sort of things... but I got a feeling they just don't have a clue.
Copenhagen Summit Turned Junket
(CBS) Few would argue with the U.S. having a presence at the Copenhagen Climate Summit. But wait until you hear what we found about how many in Congress got all-expense paid trips to Denmark on your dime.
CBS investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports that cameras spotted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the summit. She called the shots on who got to go. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and embattled Chairman of the Tax Committee Charles Rangel were also there.
They were joined by 18 colleagues: Democrats: Waxman, Miller, Markey, Gordon, Levin, Blumenauer, DeGette, Inslee, Ryan, Butterfield,
Cleaver, Giffords, and Republicans: Barton, Upton, Moore Capito,
Sullivan, Blackburn and Sensenbrenner.
That's not the half of it. But finding out more was a bit like trying to get the keys to Ft. Knox. Many referred us to Speaker
Pelosi who wouldn't agree to an interview. Her office said it "will
comply with disclosure requirements" but wouldn't give us cost
estimates or even tell us where they all stayed.
Senator Inhofe (R-OK) is one of the few who provided us any detail. He attended the summit on
his own for just a few hours, to give an "opposing view."
"They're going because it's the biggest party of the year," Sen. Inhofe said. "The worst thing that happened there is they ran out of
caviar."
Our investigation found that the congressional delegation was so large, it needed three military jets: two 737's and a Gulfstream Five
-- up to 64 passengers -- traveling in luxurious comfort.
Along with those who flew commercial, we counted at least 101 Congress-related attendees. All for a summit that failed to deliver a
global climate deal.
As a perk, some took spouses, since they could snag an open seat on a military jet or share a room at no extra cost to taxpayers. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) was there with her husband. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) was also there with her husband. Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) took his wife, as did Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI). Congressman Barton -- a climate change skeptic -- even brought along his daughter.
Until required filings are made in the coming weeks, we can only figure bits and pieces of the cost to you.
Steve Ellis of Taxpayers for Common Sense, wasn't against a U.S. presence. But he said, "Every penny counts. Congress should be shaking the couch cushions looking for change, rather than spending cash for
everybody to go to Copenhagen."
Nobody we asked would defend the super-sized Congressional presence on camera. One Democrat said it showed the world the U.S. is serious
about climate change.
And all those attendees who went to the summit rather than hooking up by teleconference? They produced enough climate-stunting carbon
dioxide to fill 10,000 Olympic swimming pools.
Which means even if Congress didn't get a global agreement - they left an indelible footprint all the same.
Copenhagen Summit Turned Junket
(CBS) Few would argue with the U.S. having a presence at the Copenhagen Climate Summit. But wait until you hear what we found about how many in Congress got all-expense paid trips to Denmark on your dime.
CBS investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports that cameras spotted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the summit. She called the shots on who got to go. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and embattled Chairman of the Tax Committee Charles Rangel were also there.
They were joined by 18 colleagues: Democrats: Waxman, Miller, Markey, Gordon, Levin, Blumenauer, DeGette, Inslee, Ryan, Butterfield,
Cleaver, Giffords, and Republicans: Barton, Upton, Moore Capito,
Sullivan, Blackburn and Sensenbrenner.
That's not the half of it. But finding out more was a bit like trying to get the keys to Ft. Knox. Many referred us to Speaker
Pelosi who wouldn't agree to an interview. Her office said it "will
comply with disclosure requirements" but wouldn't give us cost
estimates or even tell us where they all stayed.
Senator Inhofe (R-OK) is one of the few who provided us any detail. He attended the summit on
his own for just a few hours, to give an "opposing view."
"They're going because it's the biggest party of the year," Sen. Inhofe said. "The worst thing that happened there is they ran out of
caviar."
Our investigation found that the congressional delegation was so large, it needed three military jets: two 737's and a Gulfstream Five
-- up to 64 passengers -- traveling in luxurious comfort.
Along with those who flew commercial, we counted at least 101 Congress-related attendees. All for a summit that failed to deliver a
global climate deal.
As a perk, some took spouses, since they could snag an open seat on a military jet or share a room at no extra cost to taxpayers. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) was there with her husband. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) was also there with her husband. Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) took his wife, as did Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI). Congressman Barton -- a climate change skeptic -- even brought along his daughter.
Until required filings are made in the coming weeks, we can only figure bits and pieces of the cost to you.
Steve Ellis of Taxpayers for Common Sense, wasn't against a U.S. presence. But he said, "Every penny counts. Congress should be shaking the couch cushions looking for change, rather than spending cash for
everybody to go to Copenhagen."
Nobody we asked would defend the super-sized Congressional presence on camera. One Democrat said it showed the world the U.S. is serious
about climate change.
And all those attendees who went to the summit rather than hooking up by teleconference? They produced enough climate-stunting carbon
dioxide to fill 10,000 Olympic swimming pools.
Which means even if Congress didn't get a global agreement - they left an indelible footprint all the same.
Views: 139
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Edie Lindsey on
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Good to see CBS still is doing investigative reports, and better yet to see them investigating leftward hijinx.
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Permalink Reply by AQUAMAN on
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When you actually listen to some up there talk in millions and billions of $$$, nowadays it's Trillions $$$ for small programs/expenditures, you'd think they were talking about pocket change of nickels and dimes to a common citizen. Even the City of Lud. acts like a million$ for a few transient new docks and $400K for a fishing pier off Loomis St. are just a pittance, so what? Most is grant money, so what? Mindsets that don't come close to matching public ethics of financial prudence and integrity. JMO
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Permalink Reply by Max on
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What a colossal waste of money! Personally I am glad they didn't reach an agreement.
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Permalink Reply by Dave on
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To make it an even bigger waste is when Obama showed up and was led to believe that some of the other big leaders had already headed to the airport, only to discover that they were actually in a meeting that Obama barged in on. Of course it was Obama's 2nd visit within a week (1st visit was to pick up the Nobel) to the same part of Europe, you would of thought that they could of planned that out a little bit better. If we are suppose to be cutting back then everyone in congress, president included needs to as well.... specially when its all on our dime.
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Permalink Reply by Mary A. on
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I certainly can't argue with that, Dave. Problem is, nothing ever comes of these revelations. They keep spending our money like water, even in hard times.
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True True.... doesn't matter if they are republican or democrats or a 3rd party, they think the money is theirs to spend and spend it they do.
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