The Pombo shores are being beaten by wave after wave of problems. The latest is a
report that Pombo used $5,000 in taxpayer money to rent an RV to take his family on a tour of national parks. Pombo claims that the trip was "official business," as he was visting seven national parks, which he has jurisdiction over as chairman of the Resources Committee. The only problem is that most park officials have no recollection of Pombo's visit.
The story broke last week but the Tracy Press has another follow-up piece today that uncovers more discrepancies in Pombo's story.
Here's what the Tracy Press has discovered:
But questions remain over whether Pombo actually visited the parks he said he did.
Officials at Joshua Tree and Deadwood national parks told the Press last week that they could not remember a visit by Pombo, and officials at Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks told the Sacramento Bee they could not remember a Pombo visit, either.
A Pombo spokesman, Brian Kennedy, told the Press that Pombo met with Joshua Tree superintendent Kurt Sauer on or around July 29. But Kennedy told the Bee that Pombo showed up at Joshua Tree only to find the visitors' center locked and reported that to the National Parks Service director.
Oops. Seems like Kennedy forgot which story they were supposed to stick to.
There's more.
When he arrived at Yellowstone a few days later, Pombo spent at least several hours meeting with park superintendent Suzanne Lewis, but the trip had not been presented as an official visit, a park official said.
It was presented as "they were passing through on their vacation" and wanted to stop by, said Al Mash, a park spokesman, referring to the Aug. 4, 2003, visit by Pombo and his family.
Sounds like Pombo himself forgot the bit about it being "official business."