I’ll say this for Tom DeLay: The man knows how to travel in style.
Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) “filed a report with the Clerk of the House of Representatives indicating he received free travel valued at $13,998.55 from Fox News Sunday for ‘officially connected travel’ on October 1-2, 2005, from Sugarland, TX to Washington, D.C. and back to Sugarland, TX. Rep. DeLay appeared on Fox News Sunday on October 2, 2005, the weekend after his indictment on September 28, 2005.”
Damn. Fourteen grand for an overnight trip to DC. Just for yucks, I searched Continental.com for roundtrip first-class airfares from IAH to any DC airport. Prices topped out at $1128, which (assuming DeLay wasn’t also claiming expenses for an entourage) leaves nearly $13K for hotel, meals, transport to and from the airports, and whatever incidentals one might incur. All I can surmise is that either he had to charter a flight or he’s one hell of a tipper.
I’ve been so busy with the goings on of the trial in Austin that I’ve not paid much attention to the Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearings into DeLay’s buddy Jack Abramoff lately. Fortunately, Jesse Lee is up to the task, as is TAPPED. And for extra added fun, be sure to read what former DeLay staffer and Abramoff co-scandalee Mike Scanlon thinks of the Republican base.