First, the costs:
For 15 Democratic and 6 Republican Congressmen, food and rooms for two nights cost $4,406 tax dollars each. That's $2,200 a day...I know, I know. Stop the presses; government is wasting money. But look at the reactions to reporters' questions about the excessive expenditures:
Total hotel, meeting rooms and "a couple" of $1,000-a-night hospitality suites topped $400,000.
Flights weren't cheap, either. Fifty-nine House and Senate staff flew commercial during the Copenhagen rush. They paid government rates -- $5-10,000 each -- totaling $408,064. Add three military jets -- $168,351 just for flight time -- and the bill tops $1.1 million dollars -- not including all the Obama administration officials who attended: well over 60.
Last week, we asked [Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif.,] about the $2,200-a-day bill for room and food.Waxman thinks CBS News is making shit up again, I suppose, despite the fact that his name is right there on the report. And how about House Speaker and stalwart swamp-drainer Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.:
"I can't believe that," Rep. Waxman said. "I can't believe it, but I don't know."
The group expense report was filed by [Pelosi]. She wouldn't talk about it when our producer tried to ask.The "Run away!" approach. Nice. I'll try that tack next time Mrs Finch asks me about fishy charges on the MasterCard. But, in fairness, it's not as if our representatives wanted to pay such high prices:
Pelosi's office did offer an explanation for the high room charges. Those who stayed just two nights were charged a six-night minimum at the five-star Marriott. One staffer said they strongly objected to no avail.See? They strongly objected. So, in summation, the folks we sent -- at a cost of more than a million dollars -- to negotiate a global climate treaty between 194 nations was hoodwinked and pig-ironed by the cast of Fawlty Towers.
Well done, America.
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