Re: House bigs spending tax bucks on autos: Rangel spent $777 a month for lease on Cadillac
- From: mg <mgkelson@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2009 11:27:17 -0700 (PDT)
On Apr 1, 11:44 am, Sordo<so...@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
House bigs spending tax bucks on autos: Rangel spent $777 a month for
lease on Cadillac
BY James Gordon Meek In Washington and Celeste Katz In New York
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Tuesday, March 31st 2009, 4:22 AM
The U.S. auto industry may have been sliding down the tubes the last few
years, but folks like Rep. Charles Rangel can't be blamed for it.
Federal records show the dean of New York's congressional delegation had
been shelling out $777 a month from his office account to cruise around
in a leased GM Cadillac DeVille, although aides say he recently ditched
the ride.
As President Obama delivered some tough love to Detroit Monday, members
of Congress have been plowing taxpayer bucks into big leases - and not
all on U.S. cars.
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Queens) went in high style in a Lexus, made by
Japanese automaker Toyota, with a monthly lease of $998, according to
House records the Daily News obtained for the fourth quarter of 2008 -
the most recent available.
And Ulster County Democrat Maurice Hinchey tooled around in a snazzy
2007 BMW 530i that cost taxpayers $499 a month.
At the opposite end of the spectrum was Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn,
Queens), who doled out $147 a month for a Chevy Impala.
Members of the House of Representatives - but not the Senate - can
legally use their office budgets to lease vehicles. Rep. Edolphus Towns
(D-Brooklyn), for example, had a posh 2008 Lincoln leased for about $715
monthly.
Towns aide Shrita Sterlin said the congressman "typically works seven
days each week" and his car is a "quasi-mobile office."
Plus, Sterlin said, House members sometimes have more expensive leases
than private citizens because they can't make large down payments - or
take advantage of discounts.
Hinchey spokesman Jeff Lieberson said the upstate Democrat recently
ditched the BMW and now drives his own Lincoln. He said Hinchey, a
Pontiac fan, ended up with the German car because of a liability-related
dispute over car leasing in New York.
Rangel, too, says he's parked the Cadillac and now uses a car owned by
his campaign.
Dick Dadey of the watchdog group Citizens Union says it's fair to let
members of Congress expense cars, but frugality would be in order "given
the deficits the United States runs."
As for Obama, he once tooled around in a Ford Escape hybrid. These days,
the leader of the free world rides in a Chevy Suburban - or, for special
occasions, a Cadillac limousine.
ck...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
With Kenneth R. Bazinet in Washington
"FOX Invents Scandal Where There Is None, Hopes to Divert Attention
from the Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight
Reported by Marie Therese - March 15, 2006
Yesterday and again today (3-15-06) the crew at FOX & Friends made a
big to-do about the fact that some members of Congress have taken
advantage of a courtesy automotive leasing program and some few are
"abusing" taxpayer trust by leasing more than one car. From a list of
136 such leases, I found it interesting that most of the names
revealed on F&F were Democrats, despite the fact that the actual list
of 136 leases presents a different picture. It would seem that the
right wingers are scraping the floor, looking for for any little
tidbit to distract the Republican base from the moral turpitude,
political corruption and out-and-out incompetence of the Bush
administration.
Topping the terrible trio's list of targets yesterday was New York
Democratic Congressman Charles Rangel. Steve Doocy led off the segment
by explaining that the leasing of cars is a legitimate perk provided
for members of the House of Representatives. There is no similar
program for Senators.
Despite the fact that the list shows that more Republicans and
Democrats use the leasing program, and that one of the darlings of FOX
News, Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado, rents two cars, yesterday the oh-
so-cute trio concentrated most of their venom on Democrats. . . ."
http://www.newshounds.us/2006/03/15/fox_invents_scandal_where_there_is_none_hopes_to_divert_attention_from_the_gang_that_couldnt_shoot_straight.php
"Below is a complete list of House members who lease cars with public
funds:
Name/ Total 2005 lease cost/ Political affiliation, state/ Number of
SUVs/ Type
_Rodney Alexander, $10,338.84, R-La., 1, GMC Yukon
_Joe Baca, $8,456.80, D-Calif., vehicles not identified
_Bob Beauprez, $5,856.96, R-Colo., 1, GMC Envoy
_Howard Berman, $7,144.65, D-Calif., 1, Ford Escape
_Marion Berry, $5,279.54, D-Ark., 1, Chevy Tahoe
_Michael Bilirakis, $5,774.41, R-Fla., Ford 500
_Roy Blunt, $10,845.60, R-Mo., 1, Chevy Tahoe
_Sherwood Boehlert, $7,513.40, R-N.Y., 1, Jeep
_Jo Bonner, $8,265.36, R-Ala., 1, Chevy Tahoe
_Mary Bono, $8,775.96, R-Calif., 1, Ford Expedition
_John Boozman, $7,791.36, R-Ark., Buick LaCrosse
_Leonard Boswell, $6,298.56, D-Iowa, Chrysler Town & Country
_Kevin Brady, $7,293.33, R-Texas, 1, GMC Yukon
_Dan Burton, $14,175.33, R-Ind., Dodge
_Dave Camp, $7,772.07, R-Mich., 1, GMC Envoy
_Chris Cannon, $3,734.74, R-Utah, Dodge Intrepid
_Dennis Cardoza, $13,498.87, D-Calif., Chevy Truck
_Julia Carson, $4,608.54, D-Ind., Chrysler 300
_John Carter, $2,527.80, R-Texas, 1, Chevy Tahoe
_Donna Christensen, $3,767.52, D-Virgin Islands
_William Lacy Clay, $5,453.62, D-Mo., Mercury Montego
_James Clyburn, $6,122.52, D-S.C., Lincoln
_Michael Conaway, $4,693.12, R-Texas, 1, Ford Expedition
_Christopher Cox, $4,496.09, R-Calif., Chrysler Sebring
_Robert "Bud" Cramer, $8,778.68, D-Ala., 1, Ford Explorer
_Joseph Crowley, $5,580.00, D-N.Y., vehicles not identified
_Henry Cuellar, $3,297.12, D-Texas, vehicles not identified
_John Culberson, $6,735.60, R-Texas, Chrysler Sebring
_Randy "Duke" Cunningham, $7,652.40, R-Calif., 1, Ford SUV
_Artur Davis, $7,684.53, D-Ala., Ford 500
_Danny Davis, $3,534.63, D-Ill., Mercury Grand
_Diana DeGette, $5,113.16, D-Colo., 1, Ford Freestyle
_Bill Delahunt, $6,018.76, D-Mass., Ford 500
_Lincoln Diaz-Balart, $10,394.52, R-Fla., Chrysler
_Mario Diaz-Balart, $10,184.88, R-Fla., Chrysler 300
_John Doolittle, $3,221.19, R-Calif., 1, Toyota Highlander
_David Dreier, $7,158.11, R-Calif., Chrysler 300
_Anna Eshoo, $5,151.00, D-Calif., Acura
_Lane Evans, $7,662.48, D-Ill., 1, Chevy Trailblazer
_Chaka Fattah, $8,513.50, D-Pa., 1, GMC Envoy
_Tom Feeney, $10,117.92, R-Fla., 1, Nissan Pathfinder
_Michael Fitzpatrick, $4,349.61, R-Pa., Ford 500
_Mark Foley, $4,088.70, R-Fla., 1, GMC Yukon
_Harold Ford, $8,049.84, D-Tenn., 1, Chevy Tahoe
_Jeff Fortenberry, $3,393.49, R-Neb., Buick
_Vito Fossella, $7,733.04, R-N.Y., 1, Jeep Grand Cherokee
_Phil Gingrey, $7,389.10, R-Ga., 1, GMC Yukon
_Sam Graves, $14,950.00, R-Mo., Buick LeSabre; Chevy
_Gene Green, $7,626.36, D-Texas, Impala
_Al Green, $8,877.48, D-Texas, 1, GMC Yukon
_Raul Grijalva, $3,946.20, D-Ariz., Chevy Impala
_Alcee Hastings, $10,147.06, D-Fla., Infiniti M45
_Wally Herger, $8,400.00, R-Calif., 1, Ford
_Brian Higgins, $3,406.84, D-N.Y., 1, Chevy Trailblazer
_Maurice Hinchey, $9,080.04, D-N.Y., BMW 530i; Nissan Altima
_David Hobson, $5,582.40, R-Ohio, Pontiac
_Peter Hoekstra, $7,164.63, R-Mich., 1, Ford Escape
_Sheila Jackson-Lee, $9,081.26, D-Texas, 1, Lincoln Navigator
_William Jefferson, $9,524.28, D-La., Lincoln Town Car
_Bobby Jindal, $6,979.48, R-La., vehicles not identified
_Sam Johnson, $7,076.04, R-Texas, 1, Chevy Tahoe
_Stephanie Tubbs Jones, $5,923.20, D-Ohio, Chrysler 300
_Paul Kanjorski, $11,289.88, D-Pa., 1, GMC Yukon
_Ric Keller, $6,944.52, R-Fla., 1, Mercury Mountaineer
_Sue Kelly, $8,735.70, R-N.Y., 1, Chevy Tahoe
_Mark Kennedy, $6,946.44, R-Minn., 1, Ford Explorer
_Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, $9,792.00, D-Mich., Cadillac
_Steve LaTourette, $8,178.84, R-Ohio, Lincoln LS
_Barbara Lee, $7,250.88, D-Calif., Chrysler
_Jerry Lewis, $6,831.11, R-Calif., vehicles not identified
_John Lewis, $8,618.35, D-Ga., Pontiac Bonneville
_John Linder, $6,609.33, R-Ga., Lexus
_Connie Mack, $3,031.38, R-Fla., Ford 500
_Donald Manzullo, $5,548.68, R-Ill., 1, Mercury Mountaineer
_Jim McCrery, $6,872.64, R-La., Ford 500
_Mike McIntyre, $13,130.40, D-N.C.,1, Chevy Trailblazer; Pontiac Grand
Prix ; Pontiac Bonneville
_Howard "Buck" McKeon, $14,778.12, R-Calif., Acura
_Cynthia McKinney, $4,353.44, D-Ga., 1, Ford Expedition
_Mike McNulty, $9,925.44, D-N.Y., 1, Buick Rainier
_Kendrick Meek, $9,209.16, D-Fla., vehicles not identified
_Gregory Meeks, $12,754.20, D-N.Y., Lexus
_Charlie Melancon, $6,804.63, D-La., 1, Ford Expedition
_Mike Michaud, $1,276.95, D-Maine, Toyota Camry
_Juanita Millender-McDonald, $8,888.28, D-Calif., Ford
_Gary Miller, $8,660.88, R-Calif., 1, Ford Expedition
_Sue Myrick, $2,577.48, R-N.C., Honda Accord
_Randy Neugebauer, $17,262.59, R-Texas, 2, Chevy Tahoes
_Bob Ney, $12,988.52, R-Ohio, Lincoln
_Solomon Ortiz, $8,491.56, D-Texas, 1, Chevy Tahoe
_Major Owens, $8,880.00, D-N.Y., Chevy Impala
_Ed Pastor, $6,272.16, D-Ariz., Chrysler 300
_Mike Pence, $4,226.28, R-Ind., Chevy Venture
_Collin Peterson, $9,402.52, D-Minn., 1, Chevy Equinox; Dodge
_John Peterson, $10,393.94, R-Pa., 1, GMC Yukon
_Richard Pombo, $7,086.36, R-Calif., Lincoln
_Nick Rahall, $11,724.00, D-W.Va., vehicles not identified
_Charlie Rangel, $11,981.76, D-N.Y., Cadillac DeVille
_Ralph Regula, $6,864.00, R-Ohio, vehicles not identified
_Dennis Rehberg, $8,437.00, R-Mont., 1, Chevy Tahoe
_Rick Renzi, $8,919.24, R-Ariz., Dodge
_Silvestre Reyes, $6,419.28, D-Texas, 1, GMC Yukon
_Tom Reynolds, $6,291.90, R-N.Y., 1, Mercury Mountaineer
_Harold Rogers, $5,927.16, R-K.Y., vehicles not identified
_Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, $7,199.88, R-Fla., Chrysler Sebring
_Mike Ross, $36,343.44, D-Ark., 1, Ford 500; Ford Crown Victoria; Ford
Expedition
_Ed Royce, $6,373.20, R-Calif., Ford 500
_Bobby Rush, $7,900.20, D-Ill., vehicles not identified
_Paul Ryan, $3,150.00, R-Wis., Chevy
_Jim Ryun, $7,348.20, R-Kan., 1, Chevy Trailblazer
_Linda Sanchez, $4,890.05, D-Calif., Chevy Impala
_Jim Saxton, $3,730.08, R-N.J., 1, Chevy Trailblazer
_Adam Schiff, $6,774.68, D-Calif., Chrysler 300
_Jose Serrano, $3,901.02, D-N.Y., Buick Lacrosse
_Don Sherwood, $6,332.16, R-Pa., Chevy Impala
_Bill Shuster, $7,489.68, R-Pa., Chrysler Town and Country
_Mike Simpson, $8,421.46, R-Idaho, 2, GMC Envoys
_Louise Slaughter, $7,575.66, D-N.Y., Pontiac Bonneville
_Vic Snyder, $5,747.16, D-Ark., Buick LeSabre
_Mark Souder, $5,760.00, R-Ind., Dodge van
_Cliff Stearns, $7,762.69, R-Fla., Chrysler Town and Country
_John Sullivan, $15,596.91, R-Okla., Chevy
_Tom Tancredo, $14,201.04, R-Colo., Chevy; other vehicle not
identified
_John Tanner, $5,493.60, D-Tenn., Ford Freestar
_Edolphus Towns, $11,321.04, D-N.Y., vehicles not identified
_Nydia Velazquez, $2,308.85, D-N.Y., vehicles not identified
_Peter Visclosky, $7,383.36, D-Ind., Buick
_James T. Walsh, $3,526.47, R-N.Y., 1, Jeep
_Maxine Waters, $10,814.64, D-Calif., Lincoln Town Car
_Diane Watson, $10,093.32 , D-Calif., vehicles not identified
_Melvin Watt, $9,567.00, D-N.C., vehicles not identified
_Anthony Weiner, $2,628.00, D-N.Y., Chevy Impala
_Curt Weldon, $8,551.12, R-Pa., 1, Ford Expedition
_Roger Wicker, $7,965.72, R-Miss., 1, Buick Rainier
_Joe Wilson, $11,070.60, R-S.C., 1, Ford Escape
_Lynn Woolsey, $5,623.08, D-Calif., Ford Taurus
_Don Young, $9,413.14, R-Alaska, Chrysler 300
Total: $1,052,886.97"
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-13853795_ITM
.
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