Ethics panel probes possible House travel expense violations

  An independent ethics panel is in the process of investigating at least six House members for possible violations of travel expenses. This is an investigation not into solely Democrats of Republicans; both parties are being investigated for possible violations.

  The point in question here is whether House members have misused their per diems, which are meant to pay for meals and travel expenses while these politicians are carrying out official state duties while traveling.

  The problem here is that many of these expenses are picked up by the head of state of the country in which the House member is visiting, meaning that there is excess money that is supposed to be returned to the federal government. That does not appear to be happening in all cases.

  Once the travel expenses are picked up by a head of state it appears as if certain politicians are keeping the per diem money and spending it for unauthorized purchases–such as gifts for staff members and the travel expenses of their spouses. This is in direct violation of House rules.

  I hope this signals a turning point in regard to the over-spending of the federal government and I hope that this serves as notice to politicians that the people are sick and tired of seeing our tax dollars abused for politicians’ private uses. But I fear that with growing sentiment against the government’s spending that this is nothing more than an election year probe designed to prove to the American people that politicians are finally going to take this issue seriously, only to see this investigation fall by the wayside after the elections are over.

  I apologize for sounding so cynical, but we have read this story before and nothing ever seems to come from it. I hope that it is different this time but why should I expect a different outcome when people like Charlie Rangel and Maxine Waters are not required to step down once it has been revealed that they have abused the positions that they were entrusted with?

  The American people are fed up with this type of abuse by our elected officials and this is not limited to one party or the other–both parties are guilty of this abuse. And if the ethics panel and the politicians are unwilling to do anything about it we will serve notice to them in November that the gravy train has derailed, because in November we begin the long process of taking our country back!