Washington – Colorado’s members of Congress over the past five years took $166,134 in trips funded by private groups, travel that would be banned under an ethics proposal from Republican leaders.
Colorado’s representatives traveled to France, Israel, Ireland, Germany, Turkey, Lebanon, Qatar and many other destinations, largely on educational or “fact-finding” missions.
Two in Colorado’s delegation – Democrat Diana DeGette and Republican Tom Tancredo – ranked in the top third of all members of Congress for accepting free travel from private groups since 2000, according to an independent analysis.
While the trips are allowed under current rules, “this system of privately funded congressional travel has been prone to widespread abuses,” said Mike Sur rusco, director of campaign ethics for Common Cause, a citizen lobbying group. “A lot of these trips members are taking, it strains credulity to say it’s educational and that the expenses are necessary.”
Looking to end abuses uncovered in recent months in the investigation of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois and House Rules Committee chairman David Dreier of California proposed eliminating all privately funded travel by Congress members, including trips paid for by lobbyists as well as think tanks, nonprofits and associations.
DeGette, D-Denver, and Tancredo, R-Littleton, rank 161st and 165th respectively for privately funded travel since 2000 out of 631 current and recent members of Congress analyzed by PoliticalMoneyLine, which tracks political money.
DeGette has taken $40,879 in trips in the past five years, while Tancredo has accepted $40,212 in travel gifts, the group said.
Because the ranking covers trips since 2000, some new representatives may travel as often as veterans yet rank lower.
Much of the travel accepted by Colorado lawmakers was funded by think tanks – such as the Aspen Institute – or groups such as the nonprofit American Israel Education Foundation, which advances U.S.-Israel relations. DeGette just returned from an Israel trip sponsored by that group and said she met with Palestinian and Israeli leaders about key issues.
“I take … trips I think would be helpful to me in performing my official duties,” DeGette said, adding that she always asks herself whether a trip is “something my constituents would approve of me doing on their behalf.”
Tancredo in August 2004 took an $11,712 trip to France funded by Airbus, the European jetmaker. Tancredo spokesman Will Adams said Airbus wanted to show Congress members it was using American-made parts.
Tancredo later signed a letter supporting a complaint by Boeing Co., Airbus’ U.S. rival, to the World Trade Organization that Airbus benefited from below- market loans and other aid from the European Union. “It goes to show he certainly wasn’t bought off by Airbus,” Adams said.
Rep. Bob Beauprez, R-Arvada, took one of the most expensive trips: a $21,227 journey in 2004 to Israel and Spain sponsored by the Michael Cherney Foundation, which helps suicide-bombing victims. A Beauprez spokesman said it was one of the few trips he has taken in Congress.
DeGette and former House Ethics Committee chairman Joel Hefley, R-Colorado Springs, said they do not think all privately funded travel should be banned. Educational trips are helpful, DeGette said. However, travel paid for by lobbyists or their affiliates should be ended, both said.
Hefley is eighth among Colorado’s nine lawmakers, with $5,704 in trips. Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar is last in the state delegation, with $1,078 in trips.
The Aspen Institute was the top sponsor of congressional travel since 2000, spending nearly $3.5 million, according to PoliticalMoneyLine.
Colo. lawmakers all over the map
Colorado members of Congress are ranked among 631 current and recent members of the House and Senate according to the value of privately funded trips they have taken since 2000, according to a new report by finance tracker PoliticalMoneyLine:
161. Rep. Diana DeGette (D) $40,879
165. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R) $40,212
242. Rep. Bob Beauprez (R) $27,659
380. Rep. John Salazar (D) $14,120
385. Rep. Mark Udall (D) $13,796
390. Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R) $13,498
444. Sen. Wayne Allard (R) $9,188
489. Rep. Joel Hefley (R) $5,704
596. Sen. Ken Salazar (D) $1,078
