News
A government watchdog group is asking the House and Senate ethics groups to investigate if members of Congress are improperly spending leftover per diems on souvenirs and other personal expenses.
Judicial Watch filed an official complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee on March 31 in response to a March 2 Wall Street Journal article reporting per diem abuses by "hundreds" of members of Congress. The article said many members don't know the rules for reporting unspent per diems, with some members pocketing the extra cash or spending it on frivolous items. Congressional rules require members to turn over per diems not used for official travel, lodging and dining.
The group is asking the Senate Select Committee on Ethics to investigate and audit what members do with per diems not used for official travel. The group also sent a letter to the House Office of Congressional Ethics requesting an investigation and audit.
"Members of Congress are stealing from taxpayers when they pocket ‘unused' travel per diems from congressional junkets," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton in a news release.
Former Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., told The Wall Street Journal that some members with cash left over at the end of international congressional trips would spend the money on souvenirs or other nongovernment-related expenses.
"In the least, there is evidence of a general misunderstanding among lawmakers that unused per diems may be converted for personal use. At worst, members may be illegally pocketing taxpayer funds," Judicial Watch wrote in its letters.
The Senate Select Committee on Ethics and the House Office of Congressional Ethics do not comment on investigations.
Judicial Watch filed an official complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee on March 31 in response to a March 2 Wall Street Journal article reporting per diem abuses by "hundreds" of members of Congress. The article said many members don't know the rules for reporting unspent per diems, with some members pocketing the extra cash or spending it on frivolous items. Congressional rules require members to turn over per diems not used for official travel, lodging and dining.
The group is asking the Senate Select Committee on Ethics to investigate and audit what members do with per diems not used for official travel. The group also sent a letter to the House Office of Congressional Ethics requesting an investigation and audit.
"Members of Congress are stealing from taxpayers when they pocket ‘unused' travel per diems from congressional junkets," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton in a news release.
Former Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va., told The Wall Street Journal that some members with cash left over at the end of international congressional trips would spend the money on souvenirs or other nongovernment-related expenses.
"In the least, there is evidence of a general misunderstanding among lawmakers that unused per diems may be converted for personal use. At worst, members may be illegally pocketing taxpayer funds," Judicial Watch wrote in its letters.
The Senate Select Committee on Ethics and the House Office of Congressional Ethics do not comment on investigations.
