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Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Shocker: Lawmakers Belatedly Disclose Trips

With the intense scrutiny of Tom DeLay's travels, House memebers and aides have disclosed at least 198 previously unreported special interest trips.
At least 43 House members and dozens of aides had failed to meet the one-month deadline in ethics rules for disclosing trips financed by organizations outside the U.S. government...House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer recently disclosed 12 trips, the oldest dating back to 1997.

Hoyer's spokesman Stacey Bernards blamed Hoyer's violations on Republicans: the GOP was "doing opposition research to deflect from their own ethical issues." Nothing like taking personal responsibility.

Hoyer's undisclosed trips were nearly doubled by Rep. Ellen Tauscher, D-Calif., with 21. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., reported 20 past trips and Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md. reported 13.

Pejmanesque asks a good question: "If Tom DeLay gets in trouble, will all these people get in trouble too? No matter what their party affiliation or seniority?" Yeah -- right...