82 Congress Members Have Taxpayer-Provided Rental Cars, Including Michaud
- Login to post comments
I received an email from a friend today with the list of congress-critters and how much their rentals were costing us. Mike Michaud's costs us $795 a month. Disgusting!
http://www.insideedition.com/news/8119/inside-edition-investigates-congr...
Does Pingree have a rental jet?
It's not HER jet, it's a family jet!
Did anyone calculate the cost of his driver? I've never seen Mike Michaud behind the wheel.
For anyone who doesn't know the GSA (Yes that GSA), administers the non-military vehicle fleet for the federal government. I'm certain there must be a GSA Schedule out there that these lease's are made from. Just thinking of the irony of these fat-cat congress-critters raging over the excesses of GSA!
Rep. Ed Towns, D-NY, is driving one of the most expensive leases on the list - $1,285 per month for a Lincoln hybrid. He might also want to think twice about the fancy leased car his wife has been driving, paid for by campaign funds so she can run errands to the dry cleaners and the grocery store.
http://www.insideedition.com/lib/pdf/8119/050112_investigaton_congress_l...
Members of the House who lease tax payer-funded vehicles
Source: Statement of Disbursements – House of Representatives – 4th Quarter 2011
44 Democrats and 38 Republicans.
61. Michael Michaud – Dem. Maine $795.00
I will post the question but, I already know the answer...do these corrupt politicians account for and pay taxes on the personal use of taxpayer funded vehicles? Remember, commuting to and from work is not a deductible item, let alone having the wifey (or husbandy) run personal errands.
We have been rendered nothing more than cash-cow serfs to the political elite class. The revolution is coming.
Does this type of information exist for State vehicles?
What I do not understand is are these leases below market rates? Are there separate funds for this out of their budgets or is it salary sourced.
Not knowing the specific vehicles some of these amounts seem awful high and why downpayment as indicated?
One would assume gov. has bought vehicles and the lease payment should pay of its' cost.
I would like to see more details so I can be totally disgusted!
Here is the House web site that covers vehicle leases. It does not appear that GSA is involved in this process at all.
Here's another site from back in 2008 that reflected Mike Michaud was leasing a 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid for $738 a month. Each Congressional year Members are given an Members Representational Allowance (MRA), to run their Washington, DC and District Offices. The Member budgets for 2010 ranged from $1.4 to $2.0 million, with the exception of Members occupying “leadership” positions. The Committee on House Administration (CHA), the oversight Committee that determines how the House is run and establishes all of the rules under which lawmakers operate their offices, uses a standard formula to determine these budgets.
http://www.mgwashington.com/index.php/news/datapage/database-autos-lease...
The US House produces a quarterly Statement of Disbursements that covers all things financial, including Members Representational Allowances. In reviewing the quarterly statement6 for Jul to Sep 2011 it reflects the annual MRA for Congresswoman Pingree is $1,456, 522. The annual MRA for Congressman Michaud is $1,433,257.
http://disbursements.house.gov/2011q3/2011q3_singlevolume.pdf
The U.S. House and U.S. Senate do not use the GSA for leases and other procurement. For office leases, there are certain GSA guidelines the House and Senate must follow, but they are done separate.
The House has a position called the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) that handles procurements. The Senate's Sergeant at Arms handles those duties for their chamber.
And they do all this without a budget, amazing
Here is the 4th quarter of 2011 Statement of Disbursements report. You may view the disbursements for Congresswoman Pingree between pages 1716 and 1722. The disbursements for Congressman Michaud are located between pages 1524 and 1531. At first glance it seems Michaud received reimbursement for parking, tolls, gasoline, dry cleaning. I saw no such disbursements in the name of Pingree. The report also reflects a disbursement to Lee Leasing for an auto rental in the amount of $795.
- Login to post comments
Jim
Thanks for posting this I was looking for it .... I wonder why our glorious leaders aren't all driving chevy volts?